What is a gynecoid pelvis?

A gynecoid pelvis may sound like the name of a health condition, but it’s just a term for one type of pelvic shape. If you have a gynecoid pelvis, it means you have a pelvis with a round, wide bone structure. This is one of the typical pelvic shapes for women or people assigned female at birth (AFAB).

Your pelvis is the group of bones in your pubic area between your lower back and your thighs. Typically, people AFAB have pelvises positioned slightly lower and wider than men or those assigned male at birth (AMAB). Biologically, this bone structure best accommodates a fetus during pregnancy, labor and delivery.

How common is a gynecoid pelvis?

Researchers estimate that about 50% of all people AFAB have a gynecoid pelvis. It’s uncommon in people AMAB.

Is a gynecoid pelvis normal?

Yes, a gynecoid pelvis is normal. It’s one of the four main types of pelvic shapes.

What are the types of pelvis shapes?

Healthcare providers classify pelvic shapes primarily based on the differences in the top portion of your pelvis (pelvic inlet). There are four main types of pelvis shapes:

• Android: The android pelvis is the typical pelvis shape for people AMAB. It’s more cone- or wedge-like than a gynecoid pelvis. Android pelvises may appear wider at the top and narrower at the bottom. In people AFAB, this pelvic shape is more common in tall people.
• Anthropoid: The pelvis is more oval-shaped and narrower than other pelvic shapes. People with anthropoid pelvises may have longer buttocks muscles than those with gynecoid pelvises.
• Gynecoid: The pelvis is wide and round. This is one of the typical pelvis shapes for people AFAB. It accommodates vaginal childbirth the best out of all pelvis shapes.
• Platypelloid: The pelvis is flat. It may be very wide but it’s typically also very shallow. This is the least common pelvis shape. Only about 5% of people AFAB have this pelvic type.

How does pelvic shape affect childbirth?

The pelvic inlet is the entrance to the birth canal, so it can affect how easily you deliver a baby vaginally. Different pelvic shapes affect childbirth:

• Gynecoid pelvises typically lead to smoother vaginal delivery.
• Android pelvises are narrow, which can make it harder for the baby to move through the birth canal. People AFAB with android pelvises may require a Cesarean section (C-section).
• Anthropoid pelvises are usually narrower than gynecoid pelvises, but vaginal birth may still be possible. People with anthropoid pelvises may have longer labor than those with gynecoid pelvises. Changing positions throughout labor may help people with anthropoid pelvises have smoother deliveries.
• Platypelloid pelvises can make vaginal childbirth extremely difficult. Most people with this pelvic shape require a C-section.

What is the purpose of a gynecoid pelvis?

A gynecoid pelvis’s main function is to support vaginal childbirth. All pelvises have multiple functions, including:

• Assisting with walking, running, sitting and standing.
• Connecting your lower limbs to your torso.
• Protecting your pelvic organs, which include your bladder, uterus, cervix, rectum and vagina.

Where is a gynecoid pelvis located?

You can find your pelvis in your pubic area, between your lower spine and your upper thighs.

What does a gynecoid pelvis look like?

A gynecoid pelvis appears wider and rounder than other types. The defining shape of a gynecoid pelvis is an oval.

There’s no way to know what pelvis type a person has just by looking at them. Usually, you only know what pelvic shape you have from imaging tests such as X-rays.

What is the structure of a gynecoid pelvis?

A group of bones make up the gynecoid pelvis. Flexible tendons, the tissues that attach muscle to bone, hold your pelvic bones together. These tendons help your pelvis stretch to make room for a baby during childbirth.

What common conditions and disorders affect a gynecoid pelvis?

Some conditions or disorders that may affect your pelvis include:

• Osteitis pubis: Your pelvic joint where your right and left pelvic bones meet becomes inflamed and painful. Usually, this results from frequent, repetitive activity such as playing sports.
• Pelvic floor dysfunction: Your pelvic muscles don’t coordinate as they should to help you go to the bathroom. Or you may have a hard time holding it when you can’t get to a bathroom. Fecal or urinary incontinence are common results of pelvic floor dysfunction.
• Pelvic fracture: One or more of your pelvic bones break. Fractures are usually the result of trauma, such as an accident. You may need surgery to treat a pelvic fracture.
• Pelvic organ prolapse: Your pelvic organs fall out of place and may even push out of your vagina. Pelvic organ prolapse generally occurs because of weak pelvic muscles. Your pelvic muscles may weaken from childbirth, aging or frequent straining.
• Sacroiliitis: Your joints where your pelvis and lower spine connect (sacroiliac joints) become inflamed and painful. You’re more likely to develop sacroiliitis when you’re pregnant or if you have an inflammatory condition such as arthritis.

What are the common signs or symptoms of pelvic conditions?

Pelvic conditions can affect your bones, joints or muscles. Some common signs and symptoms of pelvic conditions include:

• Chronic pelvic pain.
• Difficulty controlling your bladder.
• Heaviness or pressure in your pelvic area.
• Pain during sex (dyspareunia).
• Painful or frequent urination.
• Unusual vaginal discharge or bleeding.

See your healthcare provider if you experience any of these symptoms. Your provider can help find the cause of the problem. They can also offer treatments to help you find relief.

What are common treatments for pelvic conditions?

Depending on your diagnosis, your treatment plan for a pelvic condition may include:

• Lifestyle changes: Some simple changes, like drinking more water or eating more fiber, may improve your pelvic health. Exercising regularly, quitting smoking and maintaining a weight that’s healthy for you may also be part of your treatment plan.
• Medications: Your provider may recommend over-the-counter (OTC) or prescription pain relievers to treat chronic pain. You may also take hormonal birth control if you find that pelvic pain worsens during certain phases of your menstrual cycle.
• Pelvic floor physical therapy: A physical therapist helps strengthen or stretch your pelvic floor muscles to relieve pain and improve continence. Pelvic floor physical therapy may also include a treatment called biofeedback. Biofeedback helps you locate areas of tightness in your pelvic floor and learn to relax those muscles.
• Pessaries: A pessary may help support your pelvic organs if you have prolapse and don’t want surgery. A pessary is a small, removable device inserted into your vagina. There are multiple types of pessaries. Some you can insert yourself, and others your healthcare provider inserts. A well-fitting pessary may last for years.
• Trigger point injections: Sometimes, the cause of pain is a trigger point, a sensitive area in your muscles. Your provider may inject a medication directly into the trigger point to relieve pain.
• Joint injections: If you have inflamed or painful joints, your provider may use a steroid injection. They inject a corticosteroid into the affected joint to relieve pain. The results usually last for several weeks or months.
• Surgery: You may need surgery if you have severe symptoms of a pelvic condition. For example, surgery can correct pelvic organ prolapse by repositioning your pelvic organs. Usually, your provider only recommends surgery after you’ve tried other treatment options without success.

What simple lifestyle changes can help keep my pelvis healthy?

Many lifestyle changes that improve your overall health can also improve your pelvic health. Your provider may recommend:

• Achieving and maintaining a healthy weight for your body type, sex and age.
• Avoiding or limiting your intake of caffeine and alcohol.
• Eating a balanced diet with plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein and healthy fats.
• Emptying your bladder at least once every two to four hours.
• Exercising regularly, aiming for at least 150 minutes of moderate activity per week.
• Practicing exercises to strengthen your pelvic floor, such as Kegels.
• Quitting smoking.

What should the pelvic size be for vaginal delivery?

People with gynecoid and anthropoid pelvis shapes can often give birth vaginally with more ease. However, multiple factors affect whether you have a typical delivery, including:

• Dilation of your cervix.
• Flexibility in your pelvic joints and tendons.
• Problems such as umbilical cord prolapse or your baby’s heart rate changing.
• Your baby’s position, including being positioned sideways (transverse) or feet first (breech).
• Your health history, including your history of C-sections.
• Your position, such as sitting, standing or squatting during labor and delivery.

How do I know what pelvic shape I have?

Although there’s an internet quiz for nearly everything, there’s no way to know what pelvic shape you have without the help of a medical professional. A doctor specializing in women’s health (gynecologist) can determine your pelvic shape through a pelvic exam. They may also determine your pelvic shape from images such as X-rays.

A note from Cleveland Clinic

Gynecoid pelvis is one type of pelvic shape. You may have an easier time with vaginal childbirth if you have a gynecoid pelvis. The gynecoid pelvic shape is considered one of the typical shapes for people AFAB. But if you don’t have a gynecoid pelvis, there’s no reason to be alarmed. There are four types of pelvic shapes, and people are born with all types. Speak with your healthcare provider if you have any questions or concerns about your pelvic shape. If you’re pregnant, your provider can help you understand how your pelvic shape may affect labor and delivery.