The reduction of maternal mortality and the promotion of maternal health and wellbeing are
complex tasks. This Series paper analyses the distal and proximal determinants of maternal …

The term 'obstetrical dilemma'was coined by Washburn in 1960 to describe the trade‐off
between selection for a larger birth canal, permitting successful passage of a big‐brained …

Background Efforts to reduce cesarean delivery rates to 12–15% have been undertaken
worldwide. Special focus has been directed towards parturients who undergo a trial of labor …

Segmentation of the fetal and maternal structures, particularly intrapartum ultrasound
imaging as advocated by the International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and …

Ethnopharmacological relevance Evidence of phytochemical roles in infant development
and maternal recovery offers insights into beneficial functions of traditional plant use during …

Compared with most other primates, humans are characterized by a tight fit between the
maternal birth canal and the fetal head, leading to a relatively high risk of neonatal and …

Compared to other primates, modern humans face high rates of maternal and neonatal
morbidity and mortality during childbirth. Since the early 20th century, this “difficulty” of …

It seems puzzling why humans have evolved such a small and rigid birth canal that entails a
relatively complex process of labor compared with the birth canal of our closest relatives, the …

Background The human foetus typically needs to rotate when passing through the tight birth
canal because of the complex shape of the pelvis. In most women, the upper part, or inlet, of …

Pregnancy and childbirth are among the most dramatic physiological and emotional
transformations of a lifetime. Despite their central importance to human survival, many gaps …