Enhancing Equitable Forensic Identification: An Evaluation of Pelvic Morphology for Parity Detection and Age Estimation in Unidentified Skeletal Remains

Investigations of maternity in the U.S. bring to light severe mortality disparities. Black women experience threefold higher risks of maternal mortality and pregnancy-associated homicide rates relative to White women. Embracing the objectives of humanitarian forensic anthropology, this study will highlight the social dimensions of maternal mortality and pregnancy-associated homicide rates among minority women as a mode of advocating for equity by enhancing forensic anthropological identification techniques focused on variables related to pregnancy and childbirth (parity/parous).

            Parity can lead to musculoskeletal changes in the pelvic complex which may manifest as “scars” of parturition. However, determining parity solely based on these features is challenging due to confounding factors including weight and age. Consequently, estimating parity from pelvic scarring has yet to become standardized. Estimating parity from the skeleton requires understanding and quantifying pelvic structures, bone-muscle attachment sites (entheses), and parity’s effect on bone using documented skeletons with known parity. In addition to potentially estimating parity based on these pelvic markers, entheses and the pelvis are sufficient age predictors, even though pregnancy accelerates bone degeneration leading to parous females to transition to older age categories faster than nulliparous females and males.

             The goals of this study are to generate reliable parity hypotheses using osteometric analyses, pelvic scarring assessments, and entheseal scoring data as well as to improve age estimation in the pelvis. Improved forensic identification techniques based on parity will ultimately benefit all women, including those from especially vulnerable populations who are most at risk of becoming forensic casework. Collected data will address the following research questions: a) can osteometric analyses and entheseal scores enhance parity estimations; b) can parity be reliably estimated; c) do associated entheseal changes in the pelvic complex improve age estimations?

            Expected outcomes include evaluations of how parity affects pelvic morphology and how these characteristics can be utilized for estimating parity and age estimation in medicolegal contexts. Research design and methods include latent class analysis, a statistical method used to identify subgroups, which will generate multiple models estimating parity and age. Data will be collected from modern skeletal collections, prioritizing minority populations to ensure inclusivity. This study seeks to address gaps in forensic anthropology by developing tools for parity hypothesis testing and age estimation, thereby improving identification rates in forensic casework The dissemination plan includes multiple scholarly articles and work products, including raw and processed data, will be uploaded into data repositories to ensure open access and reproducibility. CA/NCF