ANATOMY OF FEMALE

PELVIS

PELVIS
Basin-shaped
Lower end (spine)
protects the lower

abdominal and
internal reproductive
organs of the body
Posterior wall
sacrum
side and anterior
pelvic walls are
composed of three
fused bones: the
ilium, the ischium
and the pubis

PUBIC SYMPHYSIS
secondary cartilaginous joint

(a joint made of hyaline

cartilage and fibrocartilage)
between the left and right
pubic bones near the
midline of the body
located above any external
genitalia and in front of the
bladder.

COCCYX
terminal end of the

spine
inferior to the
sacrum

LINEA TERMINALIS
Pelvic Brim, Ileopectineal
Imaginary line that divides the upper (false) pelvis
Provides support for:
Internal organs
Upper part of the body

TRUE PELVIS
Three subdivisions:
(1) the inlet (upper pelvic opening)
(2) the midpelvis (pelvic cavity)
(3) the outlet (lower pelvic opening).

INLET
Boundaries of the inlet:
symphysis pubis anteriorly
sacral promontory posteriorly
linea terminalis on the sides

slightly wider in its transverse diameter (13.5 cm)

than in its anteroposterior (diagonal conjugate)

diameter (11.5 cm or greater)

Diagonal conjugate

- 11.5 cm or greater
- slightly larger than both the obstetric and true conjugates
Obstetric conjugate

- narrowest
- but cannot be measured directly
- estimated by first measuring the diagonal conjugate and then
subtracting 1.5 to 2 cm
True conjugate
- 10 cm
** If the inlet is small the fetal head may not be able to enter it because the inlet
cannot enlarge much to accommodate the fetus due to fixed bone
measurements.

MIDPELVIS
Pelvic Cavity
narrowest part of the pelvis
where fetus must pass during birth

 Midpelvic diameters
measured at the level of the ischial spines

Anteroposterior diameter averages 12cm.

Transverse diameter (bispinous or interspinous)
averages 10.5 cm
Prominent ischial spines that project into the midpelvis

can reduce the bispinous diameter

OUTLET
Three important diameters of the outlet
(1) the anteroposterior
(2) the transvere (bi-ischial or intertuberous)
(3) the posterior sagittal
* *Angle of the pubic arch also is an important pelvic

outlet measure.

Anteroposterior Diameter
9.5 to 11.5 cm
Varying with the curve between the sacrococcygeal joint

and the tip of the coccyx.

Can increase if the coccyx is easily movable

Transverse Diameter
Bi-ischial or intertuberous diameter
Distance between the ischial tuberosities (sit bones)
averages 11 cm

Posterior Sagittal Diameter

Normally at least 7.5cm
It is a measure of the posterior pelvis
Measures the distance from the sacrococcygeal joint to

the middle of the transverse (bi-ischial) diameter

Angle of the Pubic Arch

important because it must be wide enough for the fetus to

pass under it
should be at least 90 degrees
narrow pubic arch displaces the fetus posteriorly toward the
coccyx as it tries to pass under the arch.