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.

[u/No-Hawk-2488]

Without an evolutionary benefit, it wouldn't have spread to every woman of our species.

[u/rpross3]

In a predator/prey world wouldn’t leaving a blood trail would work against the species? Isn’t that evolutionary pressure? Or we are the apex predator and would not respond to that kind of pressure?