Period FAQs

do other mammals have periods

by Prof. Travon Wisoky Published 2 years ago Updated 1 year ago
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  • Orangutans: Menstrual cycle last for about 29 days and the duration of their period is between 4 to 5 days.
  • Gorillas: Menstrual cycle last for about 30 days and the duration of their period is between 2 to 3 days. ...
  • Bonobos: Menstrual cycle last for about 32 to 35 days and the duration of their period is between 17 to 36 days.

Most female mammals have an estrous cycle, yet only ten primate species, four bats species, the elephant shrew, and one known species of spiny mouse have a menstrual cycle. As these groups are not closely related, it is likely that four distinct evolutionary events have caused menstruation to arise.

Full Answer

Are humans the only animals that have periods?

Most other female animals don't bleed outwardly like us. Even among those that give birth to live young as we do, only a handful of species menstruate. It seems the list of animals that menstruate is quite short: humans, apes, monkeys, bats and elephant shrews.

Do any other animals have monthly periods?

Some do – apes, old-world monkeys, elephant shrews (above), many bats and a single rodent: the spiny mouse. Many others have menstrual cycles, but reabsorb the old womb-lining rather than bleed it out. The reasons behind the two strategies are unclear.

Which animals have the longest gestation period?

Top 10 Animals With Longest Gestation Period

  1. Zebra – 10 – 12 Months. There are three different species of zebras in the world – plain zebra, mountain zebra and grevy’s zebra.
  2. Manatee – 12 Months. The marine mammal manatee is also known as the sea cow. ...
  3. Donkey – 11 – 15 Months. ...
  4. Giraffe – 13 – 15 Months. ...
  5. Camel – 13 – 15 Months. ...
  6. Walrus – 15 – 16 Months. ...
  7. Rhino – 15 to 16 Months. ...
  8. Whales – 12 – 16 Months. ...

More items...

Do animals also have a menstrual cycle?

Yes, like human females animals also have periods as.Some animals like dogs have mensuration and blood flows outside their body but some animals like cattle have a pouch inside and blood store in it. Originally Answered: Do animals have menstrual cycle?

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Does any other animal get periods?

It turns out, menstruation is quite rare in the animal kingdom, even amongst mammals. Other primates menstruate (though not as heavily as humans do), as do some species of bats and elephant shrews. That's it.

Why do other mammals not have periods?

Instead of shedding the uterine lining, most animals just reabsorb it back into their bodies. Humans, it's thought, are different because our uterine lining is thicker and thus can't be fully reabsorbed.

What do monkeys do during menstruation?

Monkeys dealing with premenstrual syndrome (PMS) will show physical and behavioral changes, like skin color changes, increased irritation and aggression, and mood swings. What is this? During the luteal phase of the cycle, just before getting their period, monkeys will have food cravings, and eat more.

Do gorillas menstruate?

Great ape menstrual cycles appear to be more regular and generally longer compared with humans. Orangutans cycles are approximately 29 days, gorillas 30 – 32 days, bonobos 32-35 days and chimpanzees ~37 days, though it can range from 31 – 36.7 days in this species.

Are humans the only species that menstruate?

According to the BBC, the only other animals that have menstrual cycles—apart from humans and our close primate relatives—are the elephant shrews and certain bats, which certainly seems unfair.

Can cats have periods?

In a sense, yes, cats do have menstrual periods. In felines it's called 'oestrus', but many people just refer to it as being 'in heat'. Only unspayed female cats go through these cycles but rather than shedding the old womb lining like humans do, they reabsorb it, so bleeding is a very rare side effect.

Do dolphins have periods?

Female dolphins generally ovulate 2 to 7 times per year with a cycle length of about 30 days. They are seasonally polyestrous, and estrous occurs from spring to fall. The estrous cycle varies in length from 21 to 42 days.

Do female horses have periods?

The estrous cycle in most mares starts to normalize in late April or early May until August - the normal breeding season for horses. During this time, the mare will have an estrous cycle of 21 days (±3 days). The estrous cycle is composed of two phases: the estrous phase (in heat) and the diestrous phase (out of heat).

What is the effect of the lining of the uterus on pregnancy?

In most other mammals, these changes in the uterus are triggered by the signals of the embryo. In effect, the lining of the matrix thickens in response to pregnancy. “There is a good correlation between menstruating species and species that exhibit spontaneous decidualization,” says Emera.

Why do foetuses sink into their mothers' womb?

All the foetuses sink into their mothers’ womb in search of food. But some do this more than others. In horses, cows and pigs, the embryo simply sits on the surface of the matrix lining.

What is the process of menstruation?

Menstruation is part of a woman’s reproductive cycle. Each month, in response to reproductive hormones (mainly estrogen and progesterone), to woman’s uterus prepares for pregnancy. The inner lining of the uterus, known as the endometrium, is prepared for an embryo to implant in it. The endometrium thickens, divides into different layers ...

How does the uterus defend against embryos?

According to Finn, over time the embryos have sunk deeper and deeper into the mother’s tissue, and the lining of the uterus has been defended against the embryo by thickening and layering.

Why do so many pregnancies fail in the first week?

Human embryos are very prone to genetic abnormalities, which is why so many pregnancies fail in the first weeks. This may be due to our unusual sexual habits, says Emera. “Humans can copulate at any time during the reproductive cycle, unlike many other mammals that copulate around ovulation,” he explains.

Why do humans dig through the womb?

The mother wants to ration the amount of nutrients she gives to each baby so that she can have the excess and be able to have more babies.

Where can embryos be implanted?

Embryos can be implanted in the wall of the uterus if it is thick and has large specialized cells, which means that the female is in fact controlling whether she can get pregnant or not. This ability is called “spontaneous decidualization”.

What happens when the endometrium decides that an embryo is unworthy?

If the endometrium decides that an embryo is unworthy, it actively hinders the migration of the embryo through the endometrium. The uterine lining is then shed, taking the embryo with it.

What is spontaneous decidualisation?

In menstruating species like humans, spontaneous decidualisation is one way the parent tries to wrest back dominance of their uterus from an increasingly invasive embryo. The uterine lining now responds only to the parent’s hormones rather than the embryo’s, and the parent controls whether or not they get pregnant.

How many children do Hadzabe have?

In Tanzania, the Hadzabe people have around 6 children on average, which they breastfeed for 4 years. At most, they likely have a few tens of periods. In contrast, people who menstruate in our society can now expect to have 300-500 periods over the course of their lifetime.

How many times does menstruation evolve?

And yet, menstruation evolved independently at least three times, so it must have some evolutionary advantage.

Why is it so hard to talk about your period?

Throughout history, people have been forced to isolate themselves during their periods, for fear they would spoil food or cause men to lose their virility. Still today, menstruation is poorly understood because periods are widely stigmatised and talking about them openly is uncomfortable.

Why do embryos need to divert nutrition?

Its goal is to divert as much nutrition as it can from the parent so that it can grow to propagate its genes; human embryos are amongst the most invasive during pregnancy. On the other side, we have the parent. The parent wants to conserve their energy so that they can have many children to propagate their genes.

What happens if an egg is fertilized?

If the egg is fertilised, the uterus is ready to receive it so that it can implant and start growing. If not, progesterone levels fall rapidly, and the endometrium begins to shed. Your regularly scheduled underwear-staining, cramp-inducing crimson tide has arrived.

What animal has periods?

What animals have periods? Most mammals that menstruate belong to the Ape family and the new world monkey family. The ape family is divided into two basic groups by the way, they include the Great Apes and the lesser apes.

How long ago did the apes diverge from the monkeys?

These group are phylogenetically more closely related to the apes than new world monkeys and are thought to have diverged from them about 55 million years ago.

How long does an orangutan's period last?

Orangutans: Menstrual cycle last for about 29 days and the duration of their period is between 4 to 5 days.

Why do apes mature faster?

The quick maturity in the captive apes is as a result of the fact that they receive more nutritious food than their wild counterparts, which enables them to mature faster.

What is a spiny mouse?

5) Spiny mouse. The spiny mouse is one of the few menstruating mammals that do not belong to the higher order primates. It’s a rodent similar to mice endowed with stiff guard hairs similar to the spines of a hedgehog; hence it’s name.

How long does a monkey's cycle last?

Baboons: cycles range from 30 – 35 days. Patas monkey: cycles range from 24 – 27 days, Vervet monkeys: cycles range from 30 – 31 days, Mangabys: cycle range from 30 – 34 days. Macaques: cycle range about a month.

How long does it take for a woman's period to subside?

These usually subside after a few days.

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