Grandmother Hypothesis

The grandmother hypothesis is a theory to explain the existence of menopause, rare in mammal species, in human life history and how a long post-fertile period (up to one third of a woman's lifespan) could confer an evolutionary advantage.

Holding longevity constant, a female that undergoes menopause should have a lower total fertility rate, making menopause intriguing from an evolutionary perspective.

See also: patriarch hypothesis

Read more about Grandmother Hypothesis:  Background, The Grandmother Effect, Evidence For, Evidence Against, Conclusion

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