Das Schambein und die Scham

Abstract

The German term "Schambein" (literally "shame bone") for the pubic bone, the anterior part of the pelvis, takes its name from its proximity to the sexual organs. At least the female external genitalia also carry German names built with the term "Scham" (shame). While the same is true for many Latin terms referring to the female genitalia like pudendum (pudor meaning shame), this is not true for the Os pubis which has a different Latin root that does not carry the negative connotation of shame.It has recently been suggested that the official Latin terms for the anatomy of the female genitalia should be replaced with less derogatory designations. This also applies to the German term "Schambein" - nobody needs to be ashamed of the pubic bone. We therefore suggest that it should be renamed as "Schoßbein" (literally "lap bone"), a term that is neutral and correctly describes its anatomical location.