Ventral arc of the os pubis: anatomical and developmental considerations.

The ventral arc is a ridge of bone which may occur on the ventral surface of the corpus of the os pubis in adult females. Recently, this feature of the human public bone has regained attention as being of value in ascribing sex. The ventral arc should not be confused with a somewhat similar crest that can occur in adult males, which is characterized by a different position and configuration than that of the ventral arc. The corpus is the site of both muscular and ligamentous attachments. The tissues correlated with adult bony morphology and its development in females and males during growth are described. The primary research question addresses the factors involved in the determination of bony differences between the sexes. Sexual dimorphism in bony features of the ventral aspect of the human os pubis relates to muscular origin and to differential growth patterns between males and females.