Sex Determination by Biometry of Anterior Features of Human Hip Bones in South Indian Population

Sex determination is the first step in establishing the identity of skeletal remains. Many studies included biometry of posterior features of hip bone. Very few studies are reported involving the biometry of anterior features of the hip bone. Anterior features of hip bone are important especially, if there is damage to the posterior features of hip bone in cases involving deliberate disfigurement of the body to resist identification of the crime in medicolegal cases.

The present study was done to evaluate the effectiveness of anterior border parameters of the hip bone for prediction of sex using discriminant function analysis in South Indian population.

A total of 206 dry bones were used (121 male and 85 female) and parameters like the distance between pubic tubercle and anterior rim of acetabulum, vertical acetabular diameter, transverse acetabular diameter, and the distance between pubic tubercle to highest point on the iliopubic eminence were measured using Vernier calipers. Normally distributed variables were compared using Students t-test to analyse the significance.

There was significant difference between the male and female hip bones of the observed variables with p-value less than 0.05. In parameters like the distance between pubic tubercle to anterior rim of acetabulum and distance between the highest points on iliopubic eminence to pubic tubercle; the values were more in female when compared to males. In parameters like vertical and transverse acetabular diameters; the values in males were more when compared to females.

These parameters of hip bone can be utilised for sex determination in South Indian population.