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The pelvis (pl. pelvises or pelves) or pelvic girdle is the irregular bony
Bone

Bones are rigid organ that form part of the endoskeleton of vertebrates. They function to move, support, and protect the various organs of the body, produce red blood cell and white blood cells and store minerals....
 structure located at the base of the spine (properly known as the caudal end). In the adult human, it is formed by the sacrum
Sacrum

The sacrum is a large, triangular bone at the base of the vertebral column and at the upper and back part of the pelvic cavity, where it is inserted like a wedge between the two hip bones....
 and the coccyx
Coccyx

The coccyx , commonly referred to as the tailbone, is the final segment of the human spine . Comprising three to five separate or fused vertebrae below the sacrum, it is attached to the sacrum by a fibrocartilaginous joint, the sacrococcygeal symphysis, which permits limited movement between the sacrum and the coccyx....
, the caudal part of the axial skeleton
Axial skeleton

The axial skeleton consists of the 80 bones in the head and trunk of the human body. It is composed of five parts; the human skull, the ossicles of the inner ear, the hyoid bone of the throat, the chest, and the vertebral column....
, and a pair of hip bone
Hip bone

The hip bone, innominate bone or coxal bone is a large, flattened, irregularly shaped bone, constricted in the center and expanded above and below....
s, part of the appendicular skeleton
Appendicular skeleton

The appendicular skeleton consists of 126 bones in the human body which make motion possible and protects the organs of digestion, excretion, and reproduction....
 or lower extremity
Human leg

In common usage, the human leg is the lower limb of the human body, extending from the knee to the ankle, and excluding the thigh,The largest bone in the human body, the femur, is in the leg ....
. Until puberty
Puberty

Puberty refers to the process of physical changes by which a child's body becomes an adult body capable of reproduction. Puberty is initiated by hormone signals from the brain to the gonads ....
, however, each hip bone consists of three separate bones yet to be fused — the ilium
Ilium (bone)

The ilium is the uppermost and largest bone of the pelvis, and appears in most vertebrates including mammals and birds, but not bony fish. All reptiles have an ilium except snakes, although some snake species have a tiny bone which is considered to be an ilium....
, ischium, and the pubis
Pubis (bone)

The android pubic bone is the ventral and anterior of the three principal bones composing either half of the pelvis.It is covered by a layer of fat, which is covered by the mons pubis....
 — and the pelvis is thus composed of up to five or seven bones.

The ilium
Ilium (bone)

The ilium is the uppermost and largest bone of the pelvis, and appears in most vertebrates including mammals and birds, but not bony fish. All reptiles have an ilium except snakes, although some snake species have a tiny bone which is considered to be an 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.






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The pelvis (pl. pelvises or pelves) or pelvic girdle is the irregular bony
Bone

Bones are rigid organ that form part of the endoskeleton of vertebrates. They function to move, support, and protect the various organs of the body, produce red blood cell and white blood cells and store minerals....
 structure located at the base of the spine (properly known as the caudal end). In the adult human, it is formed by the sacrum
Sacrum

The sacrum is a large, triangular bone at the base of the vertebral column and at the upper and back part of the pelvic cavity, where it is inserted like a wedge between the two hip bones....
 and the coccyx
Coccyx

The coccyx , commonly referred to as the tailbone, is the final segment of the human spine . Comprising three to five separate or fused vertebrae below the sacrum, it is attached to the sacrum by a fibrocartilaginous joint, the sacrococcygeal symphysis, which permits limited movement between the sacrum and the coccyx....
, the caudal part of the axial skeleton
Axial skeleton

The axial skeleton consists of the 80 bones in the head and trunk of the human body. It is composed of five parts; the human skull, the ossicles of the inner ear, the hyoid bone of the throat, the chest, and the vertebral column....
, and a pair of hip bone
Hip bone

The hip bone, innominate bone or coxal bone is a large, flattened, irregularly shaped bone, constricted in the center and expanded above and below....
s, part of the appendicular skeleton
Appendicular skeleton

The appendicular skeleton consists of 126 bones in the human body which make motion possible and protects the organs of digestion, excretion, and reproduction....
 or lower extremity
Human leg

In common usage, the human leg is the lower limb of the human body, extending from the knee to the ankle, and excluding the thigh,The largest bone in the human body, the femur, is in the leg ....
. Until puberty
Puberty

Puberty refers to the process of physical changes by which a child's body becomes an adult body capable of reproduction. Puberty is initiated by hormone signals from the brain to the gonads ....
, however, each hip bone consists of three separate bones yet to be fused — the ilium
Ilium (bone)

The ilium is the uppermost and largest bone of the pelvis, and appears in most vertebrates including mammals and birds, but not bony fish. All reptiles have an ilium except snakes, although some snake species have a tiny bone which is considered to be an ilium....
, ischium, and the pubis
Pubis (bone)

The android pubic bone is the ventral and anterior of the three principal bones composing either half of the pelvis.It is covered by a layer of fat, which is covered by the mons pubis....
 — and the pelvis is thus composed of up to five or seven bones.

The ilium
Ilium (bone)

The ilium is the uppermost and largest bone of the pelvis, and appears in most vertebrates including mammals and birds, but not bony fish. All reptiles have an ilium except snakes, although some snake species have a tiny bone which is considered to be an 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
Pubic symphysis

The pubic symphysis is the midline cartilage joint uniting the superior pubic ramus of the left and right pubis . It is located anterior to the urinary bladder and superior to the external genitalia; for females it is above the vulva and for males it is above the penis....
 and posteriorly to the sacrum. The pelvis incorporates the socket portion of the hip
Hip (anatomy)

In anatomy, the hip or coxa in medical termonology is the bone projection of the femur which is known as the greater trochanter, and the overlying muscle and fat....
 joint (the acetabulum
Acetabulum

The acetabulum is a :wikt:concave surface of the pelvis. The femur head meets with the pelvis at the acetabulum, forming the hip joint....
) for each leg (in bipeds) or hind leg (in quadruped
Quadruped

Quadrupedalism is a form of Terrestrial locomotion in animals using four limbs or leg . An animal or machine that usually moves in a quadrupedal manner is known as a quadruped, meaning "four feet" ....
s). It forms the lower limb (or hind-limb) girdle of the skeleton
Skeleton

In biology, a skeleton is a rigid framework that provides protection and structure in many types of animal, particularly those of the phylum Chordata and of the superphylum Ecdysozoa....
.

The pelvis gets its name because of its shape. In Latin, "pelvis" means "basin" or "large bowl".

Pelvic cavity

The pelvic cavity is a body cavity
Body cavity

By the broadest definition, a body cavity is any fluid filled space in a multicellular organism. However, the term usually refers to the space, located between an animal?s outer covering and the outer lining of the gut cavity, where internal organs develop....
 that is bounded by the bones of the pelvis and which primarily contains reproductive organs and the rectum
Rectum

The rectum is the final straight portion of the large intestine in some mammals, and the Gastrointestinal tract in others, terminating in the anus....
.

The lesser pelvis
Lesser pelvis

The lesser pelvis is that part of the pelvic cavity which is situated below and behind the pelvic brim.Its bony walls are more complete than those of the greater pelvis....
 (or "true pelvis") only includes structures inferior to the pelvic brim
Pelvic brim

The pelvis is divided by an oblique plane passing through the prominence of the sacrum, the Arcuate line and pectineal line s, and the upper margin of the symphysis pubis, into the greater pelvis and the lesser pelvis....
.

The greater pelvis
Greater pelvis

The greater pelvis is the expanded portion of the cavity situated above and in front of the pelvic brim.It is bounded on either side by the ilium ; in front it is incomplete, presenting a wide interval between the anterior borders of the ilium , which is filled up in the fresh state by the parietes of the abdomen; behind is a deep notch on...
 (or "false pelvis") is the expanded portion of the cavity situated above and in front of the pelvic brim
Pelvic brim

The pelvis is divided by an oblique plane passing through the prominence of the sacrum, the Arcuate line and pectineal line s, and the upper margin of the symphysis pubis, into the greater pelvis and the lesser pelvis....
.

Pregnancy and childbirth

In women, in later stages of pregnancy
Pregnancy

Pregnancy is the carrying of one or more offspring, known as a fetus or embryo, inside the uterus of a female. In a pregnancy, there can be multiple gestations, as in the case of twins or Multiple birth....
 baby's head aligns inside pelvis. It may cause pelvic joint pain(Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction
Symphysis pubis dysfunction

Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction is most commonly associated with pregnancy and childbirth. It is a condition that causes excessive movement of the symphysis pubis, either anterior or lateral, as well as associated pain, possibly because of a misalignment of the pelvis....
 or SPD). Joints of bones will soften due to effect of hormones.

During childbirth
Childbirth

Childbirth is the culmination of a human pregnancy or gestation period with the delivery of one or more newborn infants from a woman's uterus. The process of normal human childbirth is categorized in three stages of labour: the shortening and dilation of the cervix, descent and delivery of the infant, and delivery of the placenta.....
 child has to pass through pelvic opening in women.

Sex differences


  • Infrapubic angle is greater than 90° in females and less than 90° in males.
  • Pelvic inlet in males is more heart-shaped, while in females it is more round or oval.
  • Greater sciatic notch
    Greater sciatic notch

    Above the ischial spine is a large notch, the greater sciatic notch, converted into a foramen by the sacrospinous ligamentIt transmits the Piriformis, the superior and inferior gluteal vessels and nerves, the sciatic and posterior femoral cutaneous nerves, the internal pudendal vessels, and nerve, and the nerves to the Obturator internus an...
     narrower in males.
  • Acetabulum
    Acetabulum

    The acetabulum is a :wikt:concave surface of the pelvis. The femur head meets with the pelvis at the acetabulum, forming the hip joint....
     in males faces more laterally, while it faces more anteriorly in females.
  • Sacrum
    Sacrum

    The sacrum is a large, triangular bone at the base of the vertebral column and at the upper and back part of the pelvic cavity, where it is inserted like a wedge between the two hip bones....
     more triangular and shorter in females.


There are four main types of pelvis
  • Gynaecoid: Normal female pelvis, round with enlarged transverse diameter
  • Android: Normal male pelvis, Heart shaped
  • Anthropoid: Long anterior to posterior diameter
  • Platypelloid: Long transverse diameter


Race differences


African women tend to have smaller pelvic floor
Pelvic floor

The pelvic floor or pelvic diaphragm is composed of muscle fibers of the levator ani, the coccygeus, and associated connective tissue which span the area underneath the pelvis....
 areas than European women.

Additional images


See also


  • Bone terminology
    Bone

    Bones are rigid organ that form part of the endoskeleton of vertebrates. They function to move, support, and protect the various organs of the body, produce red blood cell and white blood cells and store minerals....
  • Coccyx (tailbone)
    Coccyx

    The coccyx , commonly referred to as the tailbone, is the final segment of the human spine . Comprising three to five separate or fused vertebrae below the sacrum, it is attached to the sacrum by a fibrocartilaginous joint, the sacrococcygeal symphysis, which permits limited movement between the sacrum and the coccyx....
  • Hip fracture
    Hip fracture

    A hip fracture is a bone fracture in the proximal end of the femur , near the hip .The term "hip fracture" is commonly used to refer to four different fracture patterns and is often due to osteoporosis; in the vast majority of cases, a hip fracture is a fragility fracture due to a fall or minor trauma in someone with weakened osteoporosi...
  • Pelvic fracture
    Pelvic fracture

    Pelvic fracture is a disruption of the bony structure of the pelvis. The most common cause in elderly is a fall, but the most significant fractures involve high-energy forces such as a motor vehicle accident, cycling accidents, or a fall from significant height....
  • Chronic pelvic pain
    Chronic pelvic pain

    Women and chronic pelvic pain Most women, at some time in their lives, experience pelvic pain. When the condition persists for longer than 3 months, it is called chronic pelvic pain ....
  • Sacroiliac joint
    Sacroiliac joint

    The sacroiliac joint or SI joint is the joint between the sacrum, at the base of the vertebral column and the ilium of the pelvis, which are joined by ligaments....
  • Pelvimetry
    Pelvimetry

    Pelvimetry is the assessment of the female pelvis in relation to the birth of a baby. Traditional obstetrical services relied heavily on pelvimetry in the conduct of delivery in order to decide if natural or operative childbirth was possible or if and when to use a cesarean section....
  • Symphysis pubis
  • Terms for anatomical location
  • Coccygeal plexus
    Coccygeal plexus

    The coccygeal plexus is a plexus of nerves near the coccyx bone....


External links

  • (Peer-reviewed medical chapter, available free online at eMedicine)