Go ahead and feel your chest. Right now. Seriously. You’ll feel those hard, curved bones protecting your heart and lungs, keeping everything tucked in where it belongs. For decades, maybe even centuries, there’s been this persistent whisper in classrooms, Sunday schools, and family dinners: do women have more ribs than men? It's one of those "facts" that everyone seems to have heard but nobody ever actually checks.
Here is the short, blunt answer. No.
Most people, regardless of whether they are male or female, have exactly 24 ribs—12 on each side. It doesn't matter if you're a world-class athlete or someone who hasn't left the couch all weekend. The anatomy of the human thorax is remarkably consistent across the species. But honestly, the reason people think there's a difference is way more interesting than the actual bone count itself. It's a mix of ancient stories, a misunderstanding of how genetics work, and the weird reality that some people actually do have extra ribs, just not for the reasons you think.
Why Do We Still Ask If Women Have More Ribs?
The elephant in the room is, of course, the Bible. Specifically, the Book of Genesis. The story goes that God took a rib from Adam to create Eve. Because of that cultural cornerstone, a massive chunk of the population grew up assuming that men must be walking around one rib short.
It’s a powerful narrative. It sticks in the brain.
But biology doesn't work that way. Even if a man loses a rib in surgery—or in a miraculous garden—his DNA remains the same. He isn't going to pass down a "missing rib" gene to his kids. If you lose a finger in a kitchen accident, your children aren't born with four fingers. That’s basic Lamarckian evolution, which we debunked a long time ago. Still, the myth persists because it feels like it should be true to many people.
We see this a lot in medical history. Dr. Andreas Vesalius, often called the father of modern anatomy, caused quite a stir back in 1543 when he published De humani corporis fabrica. He actually took the time to count them. He looked at male cadavers and female cadavers and—shockingly for the time—pointed out they had the same number. People weren't happy. He was challenging a deeply held religious "truth" with nothing but... well, the actual evidence of the human body.
The Anatomy of the 24-Rib Standard
Let's break down what's actually happening in your torso.
💡 You might also like: How to Treat Uneven Skin Tone Without Wasting a Fortune on TikTok Trends
You’ve got 12 pairs. They are generally categorized into three distinct groups based on how they attach to your sternum, which is that flat bone in the middle of your chest.
The first seven pairs are your "true ribs." They connect directly to the sternum via costal cartilage. Then you've got the "false ribs," pairs 8, 9, and 10. These don't connect directly to the sternum; instead, they hitch a ride on the cartilage of the rib above them. Finally, you have the "floating ribs," pairs 11 and 12. They don't attach to the front at all. They just sort of hang out there, protecting the back of your kidneys.
Men and women both have this exact setup.
The differences between male and female skeletons are real, but they are usually found in the pelvis and the skull, not the ribcage. A woman's pelvis is wider and more circular to allow for childbirth. A man's ribcage might be slightly larger in overall volume due to a typically larger upper body frame, but the number of bones is identical.
The "Cervical Rib" Wildcard
Now, just to make things confusing, some people do have extra ribs. It’s a real medical condition called a cervical rib.
Basically, it's a congenital abnormality where a person is born with an extra rib above the first "normal" rib. It grows out of the cervical spine (your neck area). About 1 in every 500 people has one. Sometimes it's just a tiny nub of bone; other times, it's a fully formed rib.
And here’s where the myth gets a tiny bit of accidental fuel: cervical ribs are actually more common in women than in men.
📖 Related: My eye keeps twitching for days: When to ignore it and when to actually worry
According to various clinical studies, including research published in the Journal of Anatomy, women are roughly twice as likely to have a cervical rib. If you have one, you might never know. Or, you might suffer from something called Thoracic Outlet Syndrome. This happens when that extra rib squishes the nerves or blood vessels heading down your arm. It causes tingling, numbness, or even a weakened grip. So, while women don't systematically have more ribs, there is a specific medical quirk that makes extra ribs a bit more frequent in the female population.
Evolution and the "Floating" Mysteries
Why 24? Why not 20 or 30?
Evolution is efficient. It gives us exactly what we need to survive and not much else. The ribcage needs to be rigid enough to protect the heart but flexible enough to expand so we can breathe. If we had ribs all the way down to our hips, we couldn't bend over. We’d be stiff as boards.
Some animals are built differently. Snakes have hundreds of ribs because they need to protect their entire long bodies while remaining incredibly flexible. Dogs and cats have 13 pairs. Most primates, our closest relatives, also have 12 or 13 pairs.
Interestingly, there are rare cases of "lumbar ribs," where an extra rib grows out of the lower back. This is much rarer than the neck ribs we talked about earlier. Again, this is a genetic fluke, not a gender-based trait. It's just a reminder that the human body isn't a factory-line product. There's variation in every single one of us.
When the Count Changes: Surgery and Trauma
Sometimes people have fewer ribs.
This isn't usually something you're born with, though "agenesis" (where a rib fails to develop) can happen. Usually, if someone is missing a rib, it's because of surgery. In cases of severe scoliosis, surgeons might remove a rib to gain better access to the spine or use the bone as a graft.
👉 See also: Ingestion of hydrogen peroxide: Why a common household hack is actually dangerous
Then there’s the weird world of cosmetic surgery.
You might have heard rumors about celebrities—everyone from Cher to Marilyn Monroe—having ribs removed to get a smaller waist. Most of these stories are total urban legends. Rib removal is an incredibly invasive, painful, and risky surgery. Most surgeons won't do it just for a "snatched" waistline because those floating ribs are actually doing a job. They protect your internal organs. Taking them out for a fashion trend is, frankly, a terrible idea.
How to Check Your Own Anatomy (Sorta)
You can't really count all your ribs just by poking yourself. There’s too much muscle and tissue in the way, especially toward the back.
If you really wanted to know your personal count, you’d need an X-ray or a CT scan. Radiologists see "extra" ribs all the time. They usually just note them as "incidental findings." Unless you're having pain or neurological issues in your arms, an extra rib is just a fun fact about your own skeleton.
It's kind of like having an "outie" belly button or being able to roll your tongue. It’s a variation on the human theme.
Actionable Takeaways for Your Health
Knowing that men and women have the same number of ribs is great for winning trivia night, but there are some actual health things to keep in mind regarding your ribcage.
- Posture Matters: Because the ribs are attached to the spine, poor posture can lead to "rib flare" or costochondritis (inflammation of the cartilage). If you’re slouching at your desk, you’re putting weird pressure on those 24 bones.
- Don't Ignore Chest Pain: Not all chest pain is a heart attack. Sometimes it’s a slipped rib or inflammation. If it hurts when you take a deep breath or touch your sternum, see a doctor.
- Bone Density: Since ribs are relatively thin compared to your femur or pelvis, they can be early indicators of osteoporosis. Women, in particular, need to watch their calcium and Vitamin D intake as they age to keep these 24 bones strong.
- Breath Work: Your ribs are moved by intercostal muscles. Strengthening your diaphragm through deep breathing exercises helps keep the ribcage mobile and your lungs functioning at 100%.
The human body is a masterpiece of engineering. The fact that we have the same number of ribs regardless of sex is just one of many ways that we are more alike than we are different. The myth of the extra rib is just that—a myth. Whether you’re a man or a woman, you’re almost certainly rocking 24 ribs, unless you’re one of the lucky few with a "neck rib" to brag about.
If you're feeling persistent pain in your upper chest or neck, or if you notice a strange lump near your collarbone, talk to a physical therapist or a GP. They can screen for Thoracic Outlet Syndrome or other issues related to rib alignment. Usually, a few specific stretches and posture corrections can fix the discomfort without needing to worry about how many bones are actually in there.