Difference Between Male and Female Pelvic Girdles: Forensics and DNA

¶ … Male and Female Pelvic Girdles

The pelvis is the large bone structure located at the bottom of the spine, which consists of the sacrum, the hipbone, and the coccyx. There are several significant differences between male and female pelvic girdles, most of which are related to childbearing. According to Alcamo and Bergdhal (2003), the female pelvis is rounder, wider, and shallower than the male pelvis to allow the woman to accommodate a growing fetus and also, to allow exit of the baby through the pubic bones during childbirth. In contrast to the male pelvis that has a sub-pubic angle of less than 90o, the pubic arch of the female pelvis is less than 90o. The male sacrum is narrower, longer and straighter; and it also has a more pronounced sacral promontory than the female sacrum.

The information provided shows that a typical male pelvis has a width of 16," a pelvic opening of 7," a sacrum, length of 6" and a sacrum width of 6 1/2." Femur spread A and B. are both 16." On the other hand, a female pelvis has a width of 17," a pelvic opening of 9," a sacrum, length of 4" and a sacrum width of 5 ae ." Femur spread A is 14" while femur spread B. is 13." The information reveals that the female pelvis is bigger and wider than the male pelvis. It also confirms that the male sacrum is longer and wider than that of the female, and that measurements for femur spread A and B. are equal in males, but they vary in females. This information will help determine the sexes of pelvis A, B and C.

Pelvis A has a pelvic width of 18" a pelvic opening of 9.5" a sacrum length of 8"and a sacrum width of 17." Femur spread A is 17" while femur spread B. is 15 ae ." The measurements of the pelvic width and pelvic opening indicate that pelvis A is a female pelvis particularly because the pelvic is wide. It also has a shorter sacrum compared to Pelvis B. Moreover, the measurements for Femur A and B. are different and according to Agur, Dalley and Grant (2013), the two are only symmetrical in males.

Pelvis B. has a pelvic width of 17," a pelvic opening of 8 1/4 ," a sacrum length of 7" and sacrum width of 7 ae. Femur spread A and B. are both 16 ae ." The pelvis is narrow, which indicates that this is a male pelvis. The sacrum is also longer and narrower compared to the other two. Alcamo and Bergdhal (2003) explain that the main distinguishing factor of the male sacrum is that it is straighter, narrower, and longer than that of the female. The equal measurements for both femur spread A and B. also confirm that pelvis B. is a male pelvis, as per the information provided about the typical male and female skeletons.