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.

中文翻译：

---

评估古代东南亚与身材矮小相关的孕产妇风险

由于与评估相关的挑战和缺乏可用的工具，古代东南亚的孕产妇经历一直是生物考古研究中尚未解决的一个研究领域。本研究旨在通过调查孕产妇死亡率与已知的孕产妇风险因素（身高）之间是否存在关系，从而更好地了解古代东南亚的孕产妇经历，身高可以从考古学衍生的骨骼遗骸中估算出来。这是通过应用适用的孕产妇死亡率估计器并根据古代东南亚考古样本的身高估计进行分析来执行的。通过调查估计的身高和孕产妇死亡率，我们能够了解与身材矮小的女性怀孕相关的现代风险是否在过去似乎也适用于东南亚。这项研究发现，在人口水平上，平均身高的下降与孕产妇死亡率的上升相吻合。这些结果模仿了现代趋势，身材矮小的女性孕产妇死亡的风险更高，并且由于身材矮小和相关的小骨盆引起的并发症，经常需要医疗干预。这些发现有助于我们了解古代东南亚与身材矮小相关的孕产妇风险。这些结果模仿了现代趋势，身材矮小的女性孕产妇死亡的风险更高，并且由于身材矮小和相关的小骨盆引起的并发症，经常需要医疗干预。这些发现有助于我们了解古代东南亚与身材矮小相关的孕产妇风险。这些结果模仿了现代趋势，身材矮小的女性孕产妇死亡的风险更高，并且由于身材矮小和相关的小骨盆引起的并发症，经常需要医疗干预。这些发现有助于我们了解古代东南亚与身材矮小相关的孕产妇风险。