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pelvis
(pelīvis)
Latin word meaning basin. In anatomy, it is used for any basinlike structure in the body.
the bony pelvis, the lower portion of the trunk of the body, forming a basin bounded in front and on the sides by the hip
bones and in back by the sacrum and coccyx; it is formed by the sacrum, coccyx, ilium, pubis, and ischium, bones that also form the hip and the pubic arch. These bones are separate in the child, but become fused by adulthood. The pelvis is subjected to more stress than any other
body structure. Its upper part, which is somewhat flared, supports the weight of internal organs in the upper part of the
body. The floor of the pelvis or pelvic floor is the layer of tissue just below the outlet, formed by the coccygeal and levator ani muscles and the perineal fascia. Pelvic
structures in men and women differ both in shape and in relative size. The male pelvis is heart-shaped and narrow and proportionately
heavier and stronger than that of the female, so that it is better suited for lifting and running. The female pelvis is constructed
to accommodate the fetus during pregnancy and to facilitate its downward passage through the pelvic cavity in childbirth.
Copyright 2007. An Elsevier publication. All rights reserved.
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