The subpubic angle in adult indigenous Nigerians

Abstract

Objective and Methods: Two hundred anteroposterior pelvic radiographs of adult indigenous Nigerians aged 20-65 years were studied to determine their sub-pubic angle.
Results: The angle ranged from 740-1230 with a mean of 91.870 and SD of 10.600 for males and 900-1460 with a man of 115.490 and SD of 11.580 for females. Women had significantly wider angle than men) P<0.5) due to the child bearing factor as indeed has previously been shown in other population groups studies. The value of the sub-pubic angle in Nigerians can be said to be obtuse in females but over laps between acute and obtuse in males. Using the demarking point, 56.57% of Nigerian men and 53.47% OF Nigerian women could be accurately sexed. Using the watershed sub-pubic angle derived from means of previously documented studies and the present study, 62.5% of Nigerians, 63% of Ugandans and 71% of Malawians could be accurately assigned to the black race.
Conclusion: This study has demonstrated not only sexual but also racial and regional; variability of this angle in Nigerians and amongst different population groups. This study is important and is therefore, recommended to obstetricians physical and forensic anthropologists especially in the developing countries.


Keywords: Sub-pubic angle, Sexual, Racial, Regional Variations, Nigerians

Tropical Journal of Medical Research Vol. 10(1) 2006: pp. 15-19