The anatomical differences between male and female pelvis are frequently asked in medical school exams as well as in USMLE, PLAB and NEXT.
The following table summarises the Differences between the male and female pelvis.
| Male | Female | |
| General structure | Heavy and thick | Light and thin |
| Articular surfaces | Large | Small |
| Muscle attachments | Well marked | Indistinct |
| False pelvis | Deep | Shallow |
| Pelvic inlet | Heart shaped | Oval |
| Pelvic canal/cavity | “Long segment of a short cone,” i.e., long and tapered | “Short segment of a long cone,” i.e., short with almost parallel sides |
| Pelvic outlet | Comparatively small | Comparatively large |
| First piece of sacrum | Superior surface of the body occupies nearly half the width of base of sacrum | Superior surface of the body occupies about onethird the width of base of sacrum |
| Sacrum | Long, narrow, with smooth forward concavity | Short, wide, flat, curving forward in the lower part |
| Sacroiliac articular facet (auricular surface) | Extends down up to the lower border of third piece of sacrum | Extends down only up to the upper border of third piece of sacrum |
| Subpubic angle (Fig. 13.6; angle between inferior pubic rami | < 90° (angle between the middle and index fingers) | 90° or more (angle between the thumb and the index finger) |
| Inferior pubic ramus | Presents a strong everted surface for attachment of the crus of the penis | This marking is not present |
| Acetabulum | Large | Small |
| Ischial tuberosities | Inturned | Everted |
| Obturator foramen | Larger and oval | Smaller and triangular |
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