Sex determination from femur using length of femur in Maharashtra

Abstract

Identification of sex from skeleton is an important demographic assessment in medico legal investigations. Length of femur is an important and reliable skeletal element for sex determination. The present study aims at obtaining results from the length of femur in Maharashtra and to develop Standards in determination of sex; the study was carried out using 184 dry normal adult human femora (136 male 48 female) Collected from dept. of Anatomy Padmashree V.K. Patil Medical College Ahmednagar. The Osteometric board was utilized to find the length of femur which is considered as the maximum Vertical distance between the upper end of the head of femur and the lowest point on femoral Condyle. The mean Values obtained were 450.82 mm and 416.49 mm for Right sided male and female; and 452.37 mm and 420.43 mm for Left sided male and female respectively. Statistical Analysis revealed higher Value in male which was highly Significant (P < 0.001) on both sides. Statistical analysis showed that the demarking point so far as the right femora is concerned with a maximum length more than > 476.80 mm were definitely male and that less than < 379.91mm were definitely female. Which for left bones femora with maximum length more than > 484.49 mm were definitely male and less than < 385.83 mm were definitely female. Maximum length Identified 13.33% of right male femora,4.37% of right female femora, 7.24% of left male femora and 8% of left female femora.