John C. Avise is a Distinguished Professor at the University of California, Irvine, and an elected member of the National Academy of Sciences, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the American Philosophical Society. He is also the author of Hermaphroditism: A Primer on the Biology, Ecology, and Evolution of Dual Sexuality.

• Preface Part I: Distribution and Diversity of Pregnancy 1. One Generation Inside Another The Sexual Lifecycle Ontogenetic and Evolutionary Gradations of Pregnancy Viviparous Pregnancy in the Reproductive Timeline Heterochrony Some Unorthodox Routes to Internal Pregnancy Sexual Inequalities and Female Authority Over Reproduction Other Sexual Asymmetries Related to Biological Parenthood Evolutionary Reconstructions Summary 2. Vertebrate Live-Bearers: The Borne and the Born Viviparity Evolutionary Origins Developmental Sequences Trophic Relationships Between Mother and Fetus The Cast of Viviparous Vertebrates Summary 3. Vertebrate Alternatives to Standard Pregnancy Oviparity: The Borne and the Hatched The Cast of Oviparous Vertebrates Intermediate Conditions and Evolutionary Transitions Summary 4. Nonvertebrate Brooders The Cast of Players Evolutionary Transitions Conflicts Promoted by Brooding Genetic Parentage Assessments Summary 5. Human Pregnancy in Mythology and in Real Life Conception and Contraception Extracorporeal Fertilization Superfetation Twinning or Multibirth Pregnancy Ectopic Pregnancy From Preterm Labor to Prolonged Pregnancy Spontaneous Abortion Induced Abortion and Infanticide Cesarean Section Precocious Puberty Standard Vaginal Delivery The Placenta Menopause Male Pregnancy Summary Part II: Evolutionary Ramifications of Pregnancy 6. Natural Selection During Mammalian Pregnancy Delayed Implantation Polyembryony Dizygotic Twinning Cooperation and Conflict Within the Nuclear Family Evolutionary Conflict in Mother-Offspring Relations Other Categories of Conflict Summary 7. Sexual Selection and Piscine Pregnancy Anisogamy, Sexual Selection, and Animal Mating Behaviors Categories of Sexual Selection Female Pregnancy and Traditional Female Choice Internal Male Pregnancy External Pregnancy Summary 8. Pregnancy in a Comparative Light Sexual Selection and Multiple Mating by the Pregnant Gender Natural Selection Stemming from Pregnancy and Brooding Summary Epilogue Appendix: Molecular-Genetic Parentage Analyses Glossary References Cited Index

John C. Avise, one of the greatest naturalists and evolutionary biologists of the modern era, takes us on a fascinating journey through the amazing diversity of pregnancy-related phenomena in the natural world. His engaging prose is punctuated by wonderful illustrations and startling factoids. Throughout, he weaves an evolutionary backstory and produces a comprehensive survey of reproductive modes in a vast array of organisms. The result is a book that should be high on the reading list of anyone interested in reproductive biology or the evolution of parental care. -- Adam Jones, Texas A&M University Evolutionary Perspectives on Pregnancy is chock-full of surprises. In addition to pregnant mammals, you will find pregnant fishes and reptiles, mollusks and sea urchins, and even worms and insects. You will find pregnant males as well. I don't know of any other book where one could find all this remarkable information, biologically significant and evolution-enlightening. Delightful and informative tidbits from mythology, literature, and history appear on virtually every page. -- Francisco J. Ayala, University of California, Irvine Avise distills an enormous body of research into a lucid presentation of two themes. One is the remarkably diverse natural history of pregnancy, which includes oddities like male pregnancy in seahorses or mother frogs that incubate tadpoles in their stomachs, thus equating regurgitation with birth. The second is the current scientific thinking for the evolution of this diversity. Avise emphasizes that pregnancy is not the product of an adaptive, harmonious relationship between mother and offspring; it is instead shaped by conflicts between fathers, mothers, and offspring. -- David Reznick, author of The "Origin" Then and Now: An Interpretive Guide to the "Origin of Species" An excellent read for anyone interested in one of the most basic mechanisms of natural selection... Highly recommended. Choice Comprehensive... Beautifully crafted and considerate. The Biologist ... Avise has painstakingly compiled a vast amount of information and skillfully organized and presented it in words that anyone of average intelligence can understand. We commend him for a well-researched, highly readable, and wonderfully delightful book. BizIndia Book Reviews A fun read, full of interesting natural history, and insights into evolutionary patterns and processes... This one will remain within arm's length on my desk as I prepare next quarter's lectures. -- Vincent J. Lynch Ecology