Pelvis in Spanish

What does the pelvis do?

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) dictionary describes the pelvis as the bones between the lower abdomen and upper thighs that connect the spine to the legs. It says the pelvis supports upper body weight, aids balance and walking, and protects the bladder, reproductive organs, colon, and rectum.

The pelvic region and its organs

NCI adds that the word can also describe the pelvic region, the area of the body below the abdomen that contains the hip bones, bladder, and rectum. In females it also contains the vagina, cervix, uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries. In males it also contains the prostate and seminal vesicles.

Pelvic pain

MedlinePlus says pelvic pain occurs mostly in the lower abdomen area and can be a sign of a problem with one of the organs in the pelvic area. In men the cause could be a problem with the prostate. In men and women it could be a symptom of infection, or a problem with the urinary tract, lower intestines, rectum, muscle, or bone.

What it means

The pelvis is the set of bones between the lower abdomen and the upper thighs that connect the spine to the legs. According to the National Cancer Institute, the pelvis supports upper body weight, aids balance and walking, and protects the bladder, reproductive organs, colon, and rectum. The word can also describe the pelvic region, the area of the body below the abdomen that contains the hip bones, bladder, and rectum, along with reproductive organs. The adjective is pelvic, as in pelvic pain, which MedlinePlus says occurs mostly in the lower abdomen area and can be a sign that there is a problem with one of the organs in the pelvic area. In Spanish the word is also pelvis.

Pelvis in Spanish

Spanish term: Pelvis
Gender and article: feminine: la pelvis
Pronunciation: PEHL-vees

Pelvis is spelled the same in Spanish and in English. The Real Academia Española dictionary marks it as a feminine noun, so it is la pelvis, and defines it as the region of the body formed by the sacrum, the coccyx and the innominate bone (sacro, coxis, innominado). The same dictionary gives a second anatomical sense: a funnel-shaped cavity located in each kidney that continues into the ureter. It lists cadera and bacinete as synonyms or related words.

The National Cancer Institute's Spanish dictionary says the term sometimes also describes the región pélvica, the area below the abdomen that contains the hip bones (huesos ilíacos de la cadera), the bladder (vejiga) and the rectum (recto). The adjective in MedlinePlus en español is pélvico or pélvica: pelvic pain is dolor pélvico, described there as occurring mainly in la parte baja del abdomen. Its encyclopedia article on the pelvis x-ray is titled Radiografía de la pelvis.

Phrases for an appointment

What a patient or a clinician might say, in English and Spanish:

Who	English	Spanish
Patient	I have pain low in my belly, in the pelvic area.	Tengo dolor en la parte baja del vientre, en la zona pélvica.
Clinician	Is the pain steady, or does it come and go?	¿El dolor es constante o aparece y desaparece?
Patient	It comes and goes, and it is worse when I walk.	Aparece y desaparece, y empeora cuando camino.
Clinician	Have you had a fall or an injury to your hip or pelvis?	¿Ha tenido una caída o una lesión en la cadera o en la pelvis?
Clinician	Does it hurt when I press here, above the hip bone?	¿Le duele cuando presiono aquí, encima del hueso de la cadera?
Clinician	I am going to order an x-ray of your pelvis.	Voy a pedirle una radiografía de la pelvis.
Patient	Do I need to take off my belt and jewelry for the x-ray?	¿Tengo que quitarme el cinturón y las joyas para la radiografía?
Patient	The report mentions the pelvis. Does that mean the bones or the organs?	El informe menciona la pelvis. ¿Se refiere a los huesos o a los órganos?

In 9 languages

Language	Term
English	Pelvis
Spanish (Español)	Pelvis
Chinese (中文)	骨盆
Korean (한국어)	골반
Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt)	Xương chậu
Filipino (Tagalog)	Pelvis (balakang)
Portuguese (Português)	Pelve
Thai (ภาษาไทย)	กระดูกเชิงกราน
Japanese (日本語)	骨盤

Where you'll see it

radiology reportchartdischarge summarymedical record

Related terms

Your right to an interpreter in the United States

If English is not your primary language and you have difficulty communicating in English, you may need an interpreter or a translated document when you visit a doctor or dentist, go to the emergency room or pick up a prescription. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights states that two federal laws, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act, require programs that receive its funding to provide language access services free of charge.

You can ask when you make the appointment or at the front desk: "I need an interpreter, please." «Necesito un intérprete, por favor.»

More terms: Bones, joints and muscles

All terms in this area: Bones, joints and muscles — Huesos, articulaciones y músculos

Sources

This page is a language reference. It is not medical advice.