Assessing the maternal risks associated with short stature in ancient Southeast Asia

Abstract

The maternal experience in ancient Southeast Asia has been an area of study not yet addressed in bioarchaeological research due to the challenges associated with evaluating it and the lack of tools available. This study aims to better our knowledge of the maternal experience in ancient Southeast Asia by investigating whether there is a relationship between maternal mortality rates and a known maternal risk factor, stature, which can be estimated from archaeologically derived skeletal remains. This is performed by applying an adapted maternal mortality rate estimator and undertaking analyses based on stature estimates from ancient Southeast Asian archaeological samples. By investigating estimated stature and maternal mortality rates, we are able to look at whether the modern risks associated with pregnancy in short statured females were also seemingly applicable in the past in Southeast Asia. This study identified that, at the population level, a decrease in average stature coincided with an increase in maternal mortality rates. These results emulate modern trends, with shorter statured females being at a higher risk of maternal death and often requiring medical intervention due to complications caused by their short stature and associated small pelvis. These findings contribute to our understanding of the maternal risk associated with short stature in ancient Southeast Asia.