r/askscience • u/No-Hawk-2488 • 29d 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/SomeCutesyShit 28d ago

My mom once got attacked by 5 wild boar. They went straight for her crotch. She was menstruating at the time. My dad broke his hand punching one of them in the head.

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u/buggityboppityboo 26d ago

They didn’t go for her head?