Fetal sex determination in light of interdisciplinary current studies: a forensic anthropological approach

Year 2020, Volume: 10 Issue: 1, 131 - 137, 31.03.2020

Özlem Mehder

https://doi.org/10.16899/jcm.598318

Abstract

Aim: In this study, it was
aimed to highlight the situation and importance of fetal sex determination in
the context of forensic anthropology. Suggestions have been made about the
development of this subject with current approaches and interdisciplinary
perspectives.

Materials and
Methods: Fetal osteology is one of
the topics that needs to be developed within forensic anthropology. New
techniques are needed both due to lack of sample and to the limited methods
that can be applied to this age group. In this respect, a literature review was
conducted within the scope of studies on fetal sex determination. It has been
revealed how the applications of different disciplines in this field can be
adapted to forensic anthropology.

Results: The vast majority of current studies emphasize
that ilium gives reliable results in fetal sex determination. Often evaluated
in both clinical applications and forensic anthropological studies, this bone
is subjected to morphological and morphometric analyses.

Conclusion: Perspectives of interdisciplinary approaches
will enable the development of fetal sex determination studies within forensic
anthropology and will play an important role in identification studies. The use
of technological tools such as ultrasound for fetal sex determination is
thought to be useful for the development of forensic anthropological techniques
as in clinical applications. Testing new techniques on fetal sex prediction is
expected to contribute to many areas such as growth - development, genetics,
embryology, neonatology and endocrinology. 

Keywords

forensic anthropology, fetal development, sex determination by skeleton, human identification, interdisciplinary studies

References

• 1. Mahon PA, Cooper C, Crozier SR, Godfrey KM. The use of 3D ultrasound to investigate fetal bone development. Nor Epidemiol 2009; 19 (1): 45-52.
• 2. Ornoy A, Weinstein-Fudim L, Ergaz Z. Methods for Prenatal Sex Determination and Their Importance in Understanding and Prevention of Gender-Related Birth Defects. Intech Open 2019.
• 3. Sierp I, Henneberg M. The Difficulty of Sexing Skeletons from Unknown Populations. Journal of Anthropology 2015. p. 1-13.
• 4. Kósa F. Application and role of anthropological research in the practice of forensic medicine. Acta Biologica Szegediensis 2000; 44(1-4):179-188.
• 5. Behzadmehr R, Behzadmehr R, Moghadam MN. The importance of fetal sex determination. Journal of Medical Practice and Review 2018; 2(3): 123-125.
• 6. Aditya YN, Abduljabbar HN, Pahl C, Wee LK, Supriyanto E. Fetal Weight and Gender Estimation Using Computer Based Ultrasound Images Analysis. International Journal of Computers 2013; 1(7): 11-21.
• 7. Finning KM, Chitty LS. Non-invasive fetal sex determination: Impact on clinical practice. Semin Fetal Neonatal Med 2008; 13(2): 69-75.
• 8. Glanc P, Umranikar S, Koff D, Tomlinson G, Chitayat D. Fetal sex assignment by sonographic evaluation of the pelvic organs in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy. Journal of Ultrasound in Medicine 2007; 26(5): 563-569.
• 9. Degrelle SA, Fournier T. Fetal-sex determination of human placental tissues. Placenta 2018; 61: 103-105.
• 10. Colmant C, Morin-Surroca M, Fuchs F, Fernandez H, Senat MV. ‘’Non-invasive prenatal testing for fetal sex determination: is ultrasound still relevant?’’. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol 2013; 171(2): 197-204.
• 11. Aal-Hamdan HMH, Refaat AM, Babu SR, Choudhry AR. Fetal gender determination through Y-STR analysis of maternal plasma during the third trimester of pregnancy. Egyptian Journal of Medical Human Genetics 2015; 16(1): 47-53.
• 12. Scheuer L. Application of Osteology to Forensic Medicine. Clin Anat 2002; 15:297–312.
• 13. Schutkowski H. Sex determination of fetal neonate skeletons by means of discriminant analysis. International Journal of Anthropology 1987; 2(4):347-352.
• 14. Cera Holcomb SM. A Morphometric Study of Sex Differences in Fetal Ilia. Master's Thesis. University of Tennessee. 1992.
• 15. Luv S, Aarti R, Kamal S, Tarun D. Morphognostic Analysis of Fetal Ilium for Sex Determination. Journal of Forensic Research 2017; 8(5): 389.
• 16. Ridley, JT. "Sex estimation of fetal and infant remains based on metric and morphognostic analyses". Master's Thesis. University and Agricultural and Mechanical College. 2002.
• 17. Holcomb SM, Konigsberg LWStatistical study of sexual dimorphism in the human fetal sciatic notch. Am J Phys Anthropol 1995; 97(2): 113-125.
• 18. Devadas P, Bansode SA, Shiny Vinila BH. Greater Sciatic Notch as an Indicator of Sex in Human Dead Fetuses of South Indian Origin. International Journal of Anatomy and Research 2017; 5(2.3): 3930-3933.
• 19. Schaefer, M., Black, S. M., & Scheuer, L. Juvenile Osteology: A Laboratory and Field Manual. Amsterdam: Academic. 2009.
• 20. Blake KAS. An investigation of sex determination from the subadult pelvis: A morphometric analysis. Doctoral Dissertation. University of Pittsburgh. 2011.
• 21. Bidmos M, Gibbon V, Strkalj G. Recent advances in sex identification of human skeletal remains in South Africa. South African Journal of Science 2010; 106(11-12): 1-6.
• 22. Stull KE, Godde K. Sex Estimation of Infants Between Birth and One Year Through Discriminant Analysis of the Humerus and Femur. Journal of Forensic Sciences 2013; 58(1): 13-20.
• 23. Scheuer L, Black S. The Juvenile Skeleton. 1st Ed. Academic Press. 2004.
• 24. Thomson A. The Sexual Differences of the Fœtal Pelvis. J Anat Physiol 1899; 33(Pt 3): [359]-380, 526-1-526-5.
• 25. Loth SR, Henneberg M. Mandibular ramus flexure: a new morphologic indicator of sexual dimorphism in the human skeleton. Am J Phys Anthropol 1996; 99(3): 473–485.
• 26. Rogers T, Saunders S. Accuracy of sex determination using morphological traits of the human pelvis. Journal of Forensic Sciences 1994; 39(4):1047–1056.
• 27. White TD, Folkens PA. The Human Bone Manual. Elsevier Academic Press. London. UK. 2005.
• 28. Fazekas IG, Kósa F. Forensic Fetal Osteology. Akadémiai Kiadó. 1978.
• 29. Schutkowski H. Sex determination of infant and juvenile skeletons: I. Morphognostic features. Am J Phys Anthropol 1993; 90: 199-205. 30. Boucher BJ. Sex differences in the foetal sciatic notch. Journal of Forensic Medicine 1955; 2:51-54.
• 31. Boucher BJ. Sex differences in the foetal pelvis. Am J Phys Anthropol 1957; 15:581-600.
• 32. Weaver DS. Sex differences in the ilia of a known sex and age sample of fetal and infant skeletons. Am J Phys Anthropol 1980; 52:191-195.