Forensic sex determination from skeletal remains is MOST accurately performed from which bone, and the sciatic notch angle criterion specifies:

• A Skull — female skulls have larger mastoid processes and a square chin
• B Pelvis — female greater sciatic notch is wide (angle >90°); male notch is narrow (<60°) ✓
• C Femur — neck-shaft angle >130° in females
• D Sternum — sternal body to manubrium ratio >1 indicates female sex

Explanation

The pelvis is the single most reliable skeletal element for sex determination (accuracy ~95%). The greater sciatic notch is a key parameter: in females, the wide obstetric pelvis produces a broad notch with an angle typically >90° (some sources say >68°); in males, the narrow pelvis produces a narrow notch <60°. Additional pelvic sex criteria include subpubic angle (female >90°, male <70°), pelvic inlet shape (female — oval/round; male — heart-shaped), sacral curvature, and ventral arc. The skull offers ~80% accuracy; long bones offer less without population-specific regression formulae.

Reference: The Essentials of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology (Narayan Reddy), 34th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.