Gynaecoid

Gynaecoid refers to a pelvis shape typical of the human female pelvis. In anthropological and obstetrical usage, it is one of the four basic pelvic types, along with android, anthropoid, and platypelloid. The term derives from the Greek gyne, meaning woman. The gynaecoid pelvis is traditionally described as well suited to vaginal birth, with a circular to oval pelvic inlet and a broad, rounded pelvic outlet.

Its characteristic features include a rounded or wide pelvic inlet, a spacious midpelvis and outlet, and a wide subpubic angle, often greater than 90 degrees. The ilia are flared, the ischial spines are relatively far apart, and the sacrum is shorter and less curved than in the android type. These dimensions collectively contribute to a relatively roomy birth canal.

In contemporary practice, pelvic type is one factor among many that bear on labor and delivery. Although the gynaecoid pelvis remains the most commonly described female pelvic type and has historically been regarded as favorable for vaginal birth, real-world outcomes depend on multiple anatomic and physiological variables, and many births occur in women with non-gynaecoid features. The term remains primarily descriptive in anatomy and anthropology.