Pubic arch

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title: "Pubic arch" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["bones-of-the-pelvis"] description: "Part of the pelvis in human anatomy" topic_path: "general/bones-of-the-pelvis" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pubic_arch" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Part of the pelvis in human anatomy ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox bone"]

Field	Value
Name	Pubic arch
Latin	arcus pubicus
Image	Gray242.png
Caption	Female pelvis (pubic arch labeled at bottom center)
Image2	Gray241.png
Caption2	Male pelvis (pubic arch labeled at bottom center)
::

| Name = Pubic arch | Latin = arcus pubicus | Image = Gray242.png | Caption = Female pelvis (pubic arch labeled at bottom center) | Image2 = Gray241.png | Caption2 = Male pelvis (pubic arch labeled at bottom center) The pubic arch, also referred to as the ischiopubic 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.

Function

The pubic arch is one of three notches (the one in front) that separate the eminences of the lower circumference of the true pelvis.

Clinical significance

Subpubic angle

The subpubic angle (or pubic angle) is the angle in the human body as the apex of the pubic arch, formed by the convergence of the inferior rami of the ischium and pubis on either side. The subpubic angle is important in forensic anthropology, in determining the sex of someone from skeletal remains. A subpubic angle of 50–82 degrees indicates a male; an angle of 90 degrees indicates a female. Other sources operate with 50–60 degrees for males and 70–90 degrees in females. Women have wider hips, and thus a greater subpubic angle, in order to allow for child birth.

In some human populations, such as certain Saudi groups, male subpubic angles are relatively wide and more closely resemble those of females. File:Subpubic angle, female.png|Female subpubic angle File:Subpubic angle, male.png |Male subpubic angle

References

References

1. (2001). "Bevægeapparatets anatomi". Munksgaard Danmark.
2. Anthony J. Bertino. Forensic Science - Fundamentals and Investigations. South-Western Cengage Learning, 2000. {{ISBN. 978-0-538-44586-3. Page 368

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::