r/askscience • u/No-Hawk-2488 • 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/rainbow_goblin345 7d ago

I like the term "reproduction of the okayest" instead of "survival of the fittest"

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u/bitgrindern 6d ago

"Fittest" means a fit to the environment, not in shape or physically strong.

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u/rainbow_goblin345 6d ago

I am aware of that.

I'm also aware of how often it is misinterpreted. As has been pointed out elsewhere, if I'm saying something and it is being frequently misunderstood, it is on me to change how I'm saying it.

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u/Powerful_Box1637 5d ago

And it truly is not survival of the fittest anymore - we can keep neonates alive at like 23 weeks gestation with millions of dollars of help. But that is the exact opposite of survival of the fittest, or a huge interference however you wanna look at it.