Hip at what cost? How the human pelvis adapted to bipedalism and childbirth

Evolutionary selective pressures have shaped the human skeleton for millions of years, contributing to its distinctiveness compared to other primates.

Among all the elements of our skeleton that have undergone huge modification, arguably one of the most distinctive ones is the pelvis.

The pelvis plays a pivotal role in reinforcing the skeleton against external forces during locomotion and as such, selection pressures have acted particularly on it. However, efficient bipedalism came at a cost, when balancing other selection pressures. As a result, the difficulty of childbirth has been constant during human evolution.

Today, obstructed labour is the cause of 8% of maternal mortality.

A deep analysis of the biosocial dynamics that act from birth to adulthood is fundamental for a complete understanding of pelvic anatomy. Such a developmental perspective on the pelvis anatomy is currently missing.

RISEN aims to fill this gap by extensively exploring the mechanisms that lie behind pelvic development, unravelling how, when, and to what extent external influences - e.g., bipedalism, health status - affect adult bone morphology.

Thanks to the proposed innovative and multidisciplinary methodology that leverages cutting-edge technologies and brings together biological and cultural data, RISEN (24 months, USA – 12 months, Italy) will produce a comprehensive investigation that will have a huge impact on contemporary society or public health issues related to women's lives.

This international and interdisciplinary project will give the fellow a full background and foster scientific expertise to accomplish a project as ambitious as RISEN.

This project responds to EU research priorities through the transfer of gained knowledge and partnerships development with leading experts.

Not only does it improve employability and career prospects, but also contributes to the EU's competitiveness and growth.