Bigger Brains and Childbirth Pains

The Smithsonian currently has a traveling exhibition exhibited at certain public libraries promoting human evolution titled, “Exploring Human Origins: What Does It Mean to Be Human.” I have written on this traveling exhibit before.

In Andover, Ohio, a news report stated that “30 people attended a lecture on why having a baby is so painful and difficult for humans at the Veteran’s Memorial Performing Arts Center on Sunday. The lecture was part of the Exploring Human Origins: What Does it Mean to be Human traveling exhibition, sponsored by the Smithsonian Institution and the Andover Public Library. The lecture was titled ‘Ouch! Why is it so hard to have a baby? An Evolutionary Perspective.’”

Dr. Scott Simpson, a Professor in the Case Western Reserve School of Medicine’s Department of Anatomy, gave the supposed answer to that question in his lecture.

The news report stated, “‘Then why would it be so easy for our close relatives like apes and chimps to give birth, when it is so painful for humans?’ he asked. ‘One reason is that we have evolved to walk upright and the human pelvis has tried to accommodate that. Also the human brain has grown, which makes for proportionately bigger heads and a more difficult time getting through the birth canal.’”

So bigger brains and upright walking—that’s why women supposedly have pain and difficulty in childbirth. And that answer is just totally wrong! In fact, anyone who can read the Bible can find out the true answer to that question.

Because Eve took the fruit (being deceived by the devil), we are told what God did:

To the woman He said: ‘I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception; In pain you shall bring forth children’ (Genesis 3:16)

And God reminds us in Romans 8 that because of our sin in Adam,

For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. (Romans 8:22)

Evolved bigger brains are not the reason for why there is pain in childbirth—we could say it’s because of fallen brains!

Dr. Elizabeth Mitchell, an OBGYN who frequently writes for AiG, has already written several articles on the topics of pain in childbirth, walking upright, and evolution. I encourage you to find out more by reading these articles:

• Tie of Human Pregnancy to Bipedality Becomes Extinct
• Scars of Evolution or of a Sin-Cursed World?
• The Evolution of Childbirth?

Thanks for stopping by and thanks for praying,
Ken