Evidence of sex

Evidence of sex is divided into three categories. In Normal cases; Most certain evidence
It depends on the possession of ovaries in the female and testes in male.

Highly probable evidence

It include the possession of sexual structures, e.g, development of breasts, female distribution of hair, appropriate physical development and distribution of subcutaneous fat, and vagina in female

Presumptive evidence
It include outward appearance of the individual, the features and general contours of the face, the length of head hair, the clothes, the figure, the habits, the inclinations, the voice, etc

In doubtful case
sex of the person can determined

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Through external examination Internal examination Gonadal biopsy Nuclear sexing Sex chromosomes

External Examination:
To see the external features; i.e
Hair colour Eye colour Teeth Moles Operation Scars (in male) Tattoos Weight Striae of pregnancy (in female) Old injuries

Internal Examination:
To see the three major cavities Thoracic Abdominal Skull

Nuclear Sexing
It is method of sexing cells, and help in determining sex in doubtful cases, that is in decomposed bodies, mutilated bodies Principle: Method of sexing cells is based on the differences in the nuclear chromatin pattern between two sexes Methods of nuclear sexing: Barr body In non dividable cells the females show close to nuclear membrane a small plano- convex mass of chromatin known as Barr body Chromatin positive (the cell showing % of Barr bodies varies from 20 80 in females) Chromatin negative (from 0 to 4 in males)

Davidsons body:
This refers to a thin, stalked, drum-stick like projection
of polymorph nucleus of feminine trait of WBCs

Sex Chromosome:
In cells that are dividing, a chromosome count is needed to identify the sex chromosome (XX or XY).

Tissues suitable to demonstrate sex chromosomes:

Blood stain, cartilage, bone marrow, hair (also demonstrate the Barr bodies) teeth and pulp . In root sheath cells of hair which resist putrefaction, Barr body and Y chromosome can be demonstrated

It is due to defective development of single mass of cells from which the sex organs of both sexes are derived

1. Intersex state 2. Imperfect differentiation of external genitalia

Intersex states
These refer to conditions in which male and female characters, e.g gonads, physical form and sexual behavior coexist in varying proportion in the same individual Cause: Due to defective development of single mass of cells in early fetal life Types of intersex states: Gonadal agenesis Gonadal dysgenesis True Hermaphrodites Pseudohermaphrodites

Gonadal Agenesis:

Gonadal dysgenesis:

Sexual organs (testes or ovaries) have never developed. Nuclear sexing is chromatin negative

External sexual structures are present but testes or ovaries fail to develop at puberty eg. Klinefelter syndrome in boys and Turner syndrome in girls.

Klinefelter syndrome:
The boy grows and develops normally till puberty but then, one or more of following features appears Testes remain small and usually to firm consistency Gynecomastia. Sign of eunuchoidism (eg. Long arms and legs, scanty pubic hairs, poor or no beard growth) Chromatin positive Chromosome pattern is XXY He is naturally sterile

Turner syndrome:
This girl is characterized by three principle features Sexual infantilism (lack of breast
development, scanty pubic hair, imperfect external genitali, uterus, Fallopian tubes

Short stature Congenital anomalies (webbing of

neck, corctation of aorta, color blindness, & renal abnormalities)

Chromatin negative Chromosome pattern is OX She is naturally sterile

True Hermaphroditism:

Pseudohermaphroditism:
There is lack of clear cut differentiation of external genitalia while the internal genitalia are isosexual They are classified as male or female according to presence of testes or ovaries They are of two types Male pseudo (male intersex) or andro-gynoid or (womanly man) Testis are more developed with rudimentary uterus and ovaries They are chromatin negative Scanty axillary and pubic hairs, slit like blind vaginal opening, beard, mustache and penis may be found

The external genitalia may be of both the sexes and internal genitals may consist of both ovaries and testis Power of self replication is not found and surgical interference is often needed for their social rehabilitation with a particular sex The nuclear sex is usually, but not always female Cryptochidism, and inguinal hernia are finding

Concealed Sex:
Criminals sometimes attempt to conceal their sex by a change of dress or other methods to avoid detection. This can be detected by physical examination

Medicolegal complications: Created by Hermaphroditism pertain chiefly to marriage, inheritance, and civil rights