Pubic arch
| Pubic arch | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Female pelvis (pubic arch labeled at bottom center.) | |
 | |
| Male pelvis (pubic arch labeled at bottom center.) | |
| Latin | Arcus pubicus |
| Gray's | p.240 |
The pubic arch is part of the pelvis. It is formed by the convergence of the inferior rami of the ischium and pubis on either side, below the pubic symphysis. The angle at which they converge is known as the subpubic angle.[1]
The pubic arch is one of three notches (the one in front) that separated the eminences of the lower circumference of the true pelvis.[citation needed]
As seen in the picture to the right, there is a distinctive difference between the pubic arch of a male and a female. This difference is found in the subpubic angle. The area in which the pubic arch is located is the pelvis, the area that is most different between male and female anatomy. The subpubic angle of a man is generally 50-60 degrees while that of a woman is generally 70-90 degrees.[1] The reason for this difference has to do with childbirth. A woman’s pubic arch is wider in order to allow for the passage of the child during birth. The pelvic inlet of a female is also wider because the child’s head must pass through it. The pubic arch is also referred to as the ischiopubic arch.
References
Anatomy and Physiology: The Unity of Form and Function by Kenneth S. Saladin
This article incorporates text from a public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy.
External links
- Bones and Skeletal System at Clermont College Biology Home Page
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