Sex Determination by Pelvis: A Mini Literature Review

Abstract

Abstract: An endeavor involving the application of physical anthropology in the context of civil or criminal cases is forensic anthropology. Determination of sex is the matter of absolute attention for a forensic anthropologist as it is the first step towards positive identification process after discovering the skeletal or bone remains of human origin. Pelvic Girdle is the most sexually dimorphic part of human skeleton which estimates the result with an accuracy of 95% and along with sacrum i.e. pelvis it estimates the sex with 98% accuracy and it decomposes slowly than other parts. Sex can be estimated by skeletal remains only in adults as the marked variations on bones be in terms of morphology or size are visible only after attaining puberty. Methods involved in sex estimation process are Morphological, Metric and Radiological. The Morphological method accords the result by considering the morphological sexual traits on pelvis and in contrary the Metric method involves measurement of bones and indices. Metric recipe should be applied in combination with Morphological results as Morphometric in order to get more accurate results. Whereas, in radiological recipe radiographs of collected remains are taken from which certain measurements and morphologic observations can be carried out. Quantitative and statistical analysis can be done using these mentioned methods. Skeletal features may vary with population. Bones are very frail in nature so, in turn, cannot be collected fully thus when fragmented remains are collected the morphometric method is of ultimate importance in the estimation process.