Bone: Pelvis | |
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Female type pelvis from Gray's Anatomy | |
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Male type pelvis from Gray's Anatomy | |
Gray's | subject #57 236 |
The pelvis (pl. pelvises or pelves) or pelvic girdle is the irregular bony structure located at the base of the spine (properly known as the caudal end). In the adult human, it is formed by the sacrum and the coccyx, the caudal part of the axial skeleton, and a pair of hip bones, part of the appendicular skeleton or lower extremity. Until puberty, however, each hip bone consists of three separate bones yet to be fused — the ilium, ischium, and the pubis — and the pelvis is thus composed of up to five or seven bones.
The ilium is the largest and upper most part, the ischium is the posterior-inferior (back-lower) part, and the pubis is the anterior (front) part of the hip bone. The two hip bones are joined anteriorly at the symphysis pubis and posteriorly to the sacrum. The pelvis incorporates the socket portion of the hip joint (the acetabulum) for each leg (in bipeds) or hind leg (in quadrupeds). It forms the lower limb (or hind-limb) girdle of the skeleton.
During childbirth child has to pass through pelvic opening in women.[1]
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The pelvic cavity is a body cavity that is bounded by the bones of the pelvis and which primarily contains reproductive organs and the rectum.
The lesser pelvis (or "true pelvis") only includes structures inferior to the pelvic brim.
The greater pelvis (or "false pelvis") is the expanded portion of the cavity situated above and in front of the pelvic brim.
There are four main types of pelvis
African women tend to have smaller pelvic floor areas than European women.[3]
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