Determination of Sex from Sternal Bone In Central Delhi Population

Abstract

Identification of deceased is an essential part of post-mortem examination. A number of  parameters are used for identification however the determination of sex is statistically the most important  criteria. It immediately excludes almost half the population, in comparison to age, stature and race which  provide wide number of variables. There have been a number of studies regarding sexing of the sternal  bone throughout the world but the studies in India especially Delhi, the capital city of India are virtually  non-existent. The present study was an attempt to determine the sternal parameters that can be used to  identify the sex of an individual, where sternal bone is available. Length of the manubrium was found to be the most reliable criteria of determining sex from  sternal bone. Other parameters i.e. Length of mesosternum, Combined length of manubrium and  mesosternum, Breadth of first sternebra at its waist, Breadth of third sternebra at its waist, Manubrio corpus index and Relative width index of first and third sternebrae were not found to be useful. The use of  multivariate analysis technique was found to increase the probability of determining the sex of individual  by sternum.