Spines of Males and Females Differ at Birth

New research reveals that small differences in the configuration of the spine between the sexes are visible in newborn children, possibly implying that the female spine has evolved to accommodate childbirth. Researchers from the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles published their long-term findings in the Journal of Pediatrics detailing how vertebral cross-section dimensions in female infants tended to be 10.6-percent smaller than males. “Human beings are the only mammals in which this difference is seen, and it is one of the few key physiological differences between the sexes,” said the lead author of the study. “The reason could be that the spine has to move forward during pregnancy, so that the female can walk and maintain her center of gravity. Unfortunately, it also imparts a disadvantage in that it increases stress within the vertebrae for all physical activities, resulting in a great susceptibility for fractures later in life.” To learn more about this study, click here.