Researchers are studying the dramatic physical transformation that some insects undergo to give birth to live young. This includes suppressing their immune systems to accommodate babies, which is something some insects and people have in common. Understanding how these systems work can help improve treatments for fibromyalgia and other immune disorders.

The beetle-mimic cockroach is one of the rare insects which has developed a complex structure to host the growing embryo similar to placenta in mammals, which made it a perfect model to investigate the evolution of live-birth, Beetle-mimic cockroaches have big advantages compared to those that hatch from eggs, Tinier babies that hatch from eggs are exposed to the elements where they're vulnerable to far more parasites and predators and must immediately find food on their own. Researchers sequenced the genome of the Pacific beetle-mimic cockroach, the only roach that gives birth to live young. They performed comparative analysis with tsetse flies and aphids, which do likewise, to unravel the genomic basis underlying this transition from laying eggs to birthing babies.

Researchers believe that Whether it's a cow, a lizard or a roach, all undergo remarkably similar urinary and genital organ remodeling, enhanced heart development and altered immunity to accommodate their growing babies, the biological changes that allow beetle mimic cockroaches to give birth to live young are similar to those found in aphids and tsetse flies, demonstrating convergent evolution. These changes may facilitate structural and physiological changes to accommodate developing young and protect them from the mother's immune system.