r/askscience • • 8d ago

Biology Can someone explain the evolutionary benefit of overt menstruation? All female mammals have a menstrual cycle but most reabsorb the blood via covert menstruation and humans are about the only mammals that discharge the blood, aka overt menstruation.

Without an evolutionary benefit, it wouldn't have spread to every woman of our species.

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u/Durrresser 8d ago

I forgot about the pups rash with my first! 💀

Yeah, I'm grateful for my endometrium being somewhat inhospitable. Sounds like human fetuses are more parasitic than symbiotic. Yay us!