What does pelvimeter mean?
A pelvimeter is a specialized instrument used to measure the dimensions and proportions of the pelvis. Its principal historical use was in obstetrics, where clinicians measured the bony outlet of a pregnant patient's pelvis to help assess the likely ease of delivery and identify potential complications. The word belongs to medical and historical writing rather than general everyday vocabulary. Before widely available imaging techniques, a pelvimeter provided physical measurements that could guide decisions about childbirth. Although modern practice usually relies on ultrasound, CT, or MRI for evaluating pelvic anatomy, the term remains useful for understanding older medical literature and the history of maternity care. It should not be confused with a caliper, a general instrument for measuring the size, width, or thickness of an object.
nounAn instrument for measuring the dimensions and proportions of the pelvis, especially during obstetric assessment.
- An instrument used to measure the dimensions and proportions of the pelvis, particularly in obstetrics.
"The obstetrician used a pelvimeter to estimate whether the mother's pelvis was wide enough for an uncomplicated delivery."
"The midwife recorded the measurements obtained with a pelvimeter."
"In historical obstetric practice, a pelvimeter was used to assess the bony dimensions of a woman's pelvis before delivery."
The standard plural of pelvimeter.
"The medical collection displays several antique pelvimeters."
Before modern imaging, a pelvimeter helped doctors assess the shape of a mother's pelvis before childbirth.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does pelvimeter come from?
The word combines Latin pelvis, meaning a basin or the bony structure of the lower trunk, with the Greek-derived suffix -meter, meaning an instrument that measures. It developed in medical usage as the name for an instrument designed to measure the dimensions of the pelvis. Its relatives include pelvic and pelvimetry, the latter referring to the practice or technique of pelvic measurement.
Related word forms
How pelvimeter is actually used
This is a specialized, largely historical medical term, encountered mainly in obstetrics and medical history. Modern assessment of pelvic dimensions generally relies on imaging rather than a mechanical measuring instrument.
Easily confused with pelvimeter
A caliper is a general-purpose instrument for measuring dimensions, whereas a pelvimeter is specifically designed to measure the dimensions of the pelvis.