Evolutionary biology of women
Molly Fox, an associate professor in the department of anthropology at UCLA, has pioneered research into the biological relationships between grandmothers, mothers and children.
During her training, Fox became fascinated by why women live so long after menopause and the theory that grandmothers enhance the survival and reproductive success of their descendants. From this foundation, she built a research program that focuses on the adaptations that support cooperative care in human families. She investigates multigenerational caregiving and the evolutionary dynamics of women’s health issues.
Fox led a study exploring how pregnancy and breastfeeding are associated with cognitive function in postmenopausal women. She and her team at the UCLA Biological Anthropology of Motherhood Lab found that greater cumulative time spent pregnant and breastfeeding was associated with less decline in cognition later in life. Understanding the biological processes behind these observations may help scientists develop preventive strategies for cognitive aging.
Fox was also the lead author of a study on the biological underpinnings of morning sickness. Fox and her colleagues analyzed blood samples and questionnaire data from 58 Latina women in Southern California, following them from early pregnancy through the postpartum period. They found evidence that morning sickness symptoms may be part of an important immunological process that balances the protection of the fetus and mother. This may help combat stigma around morning sickness and encourage workplace accommodations for pregnant women.
Fox and her colleagues found that infants’ contact with caregivers was associated with greater diversity in the gut microbiome during the first 6 months of life. In related work, Fox and her team observed that pregnant women exhibited better mental health when they had more contact and better relationships with their own mothers and siblings. Her work raises the possibility that modern disruptions of interdependent family structures may contribute to health problems, including perinatal mood disorders.
Previously, Fox and her team discovered a correlation between accelerated adrenal puberty in firstborn daughters and high levels of prenatal stress in their mothers. Understanding how development may adaptively respond to stress contributes to our knowledge of the emotional and environmental factors that shape women’s lived experiences.
Fox’s work expands our understanding of cognitive aging, chronic disease risk and the evolutionary logic of the human family. Federal funding makes this research possible, allowing her to collect biological samples and conduct interviews, as well as to analyze datasets — work that is essential for answering questions about how evolution shapes human health and well-being.