Elephant gestation

If you thought nine months of pregnancy was bad, be thankful you are not an elephant.

Elephants are known to have longer gestation periods in the elephant gestation animal kingdom. An elephant pregnancy lasts about 22 months - nearly two years. However, until recently, no one really knew why.

A recent study showed that the cause is an excess of elephant gestation a gland that secretes known as the corpus luteum hormone. Found that elephants must luteums body 42 to a fetus, while humans only require one.

In humans, the corpus luteum is a structure left elephant gestation behind after leaving the egg from the ovary during ovulation in the middle of the menstrual cycle. After the egg is fertilized, the corpus luteum deteriorates before the next menstrual cycle. Since human beings are not really designed to hold more than one embryo at a time, elephant gestation usually only one egg will be published at a time - in turn produce a single corpus luteum both.

The corpus luteum is known for his involvement in the elephant gestation development of the pregnancy hormone. If the egg is fertilized the uterus, the corpus luteum does not disintegrate. Instead, it continues to produce progesterone, a hormone that effectively prevents menstrual cycle

It also leaves more egg production, so that progesterone elephant gestation is often used in hormonal contraception. It tricks the body into thinking it is pregnant, it will not release any more eggs to be fertilized.

But why elephants have more of a yellow body?

Elephants do carry a baby at a time, so there seems to be elephant gestation a specific need for one. It may be releasing more eggs being pregnant and why the need for additional luteums corpus?

Regardless of why elephants have excess progesterone elephant gestation is luteums additional corpus now plans to extend the duration of the gestation of the elephant.

Why is it beneficial?

Mammals with long gestation periods allow more time  elephant gestation for the development of the fetus. In small mammals with shorter gestation periods, the development of the offspring in the womb protected allows primarily for the structural development. Once the baby can spend more time on the basis of these structures to survive.

A gestation period longer allows further development, especially with  elephant gestation features like the brain. It is often assumed that the very emotional and intelligent elephants. They are social creatures, like humans or apes. They must be able to navigate the complexities of life and group understanding. Long gestation periods prepare elephants development. It prepares them for the complex world they are about to enter.