New forensic anthropological approachment for the age determination of human fetal skeletons on the base of morphometry of vertebral column.

The anthropometrical study was carried out on 107 human fetal/newborn skeletons (54 male, 43 female, and 9 of unknown sex). The age of the individuals ranged from 4 to 10 lunar months. Each fetal or newborn vertebral region (cervical, thoracal and lumbar) has its own distinguishing features that are easily identifiable even in fragmentary bones. With our large sample size and extension of the age range studied, we are able to determine the fetal age with a considerable degree of accuracy from measurements defined in the vertebral ossification centers using regression equations. A simple rapid method for the identification and classification of fetal vertebral column bones has been contributed. The identification and classifications were carried out using discriminant functions. Knowledge of changes in vertebral column bones during fetal development is important in applied contexts of forensic and anthropology researches.