Biological and Physical Anthropology Commons^™

Squirrel Monkey Pelvic Morphology And Difficult Pregnancies: It's Not All In The Hips, Lucinda Freeman

Anthropology Undergraduate Senior Theses

Researchers at the CNPRR have observed a reduction in the reproductive success of female squirrel monkeys of Bolivian origin (Saimiri boliviensis boliviensis) due to nonviable termination of their pregnancies. Difficulties with pregnancy, including dystopias and stillborn infants, seem to be a result of an extremely large fetal to mother weight ratio. This factor has led to studies of the pelvic size and shape in the Bolivian origin female squirrel monkeys. Aksel and Able (1983) devised a pelvimetry method for evaluating the bony structures of the pelvis in order to predict perinatal outcome. This thesis will apply the pelvimetry methods of …