Uterus
Female internal reproductive anatomy
1. Round ligament 2. The round ligament of the uterus originates at the Uterine horns, in the Parametrium. Uterus 3. Uterine cavity 4. The uterus (from the Latin word for womb) is the major Female reproductive organ of most Mammals including Humans One end the Intestinal surface of Uterus 5. Versical surface(toward bladder) 6. Fundus of uterus 7. The Fundus of the Uterus is the top portion opposite from the Cervix. Body of uterus 8. The uterus (from the Latin word for womb) is the major Female reproductive organ of most Mammals including Humans One end the Palmate folds of cervical canal 9. Cervical canal 10. In the anatomy of the Female reproductive system, the canal of the cervix (also called the endocervical canal, cervical canal, cervical canal Posterior lip 11. Cervical os (external) 12. The external orifice of the uterus (or ostium of uterus, or external os) is a small depressed somewhat circular aperture on the rounded extremity of the Isthmus of uterus 13. Supravaginal portion of cervix 14. The supravaginal portion of the cervix is separated in front from the bladder by fibrous tissue ( Parametrium) which extends also on to its sides and lateralward between Vaginal portion of cervix 15. The vaginal portion of the cervix projects free into the anterior wall of the Vagina between the anterior and posterior Fornices vaginae. Anterior lip 16. Cervix
Gray's	subject #268 1258
Artery	ovarian artery, uterine artery, helicine branches of uterine artery
Vein	uterine veins
Lymph	body and cervix to internal iliac lymph nodes, fundus to superficial inguinal lymph nodes
Precursor	Müllerian duct
MeSH	Uterus

The uterus (from the Latin word for womb) is the major female reproductive organ of most mammals, including humans. The cervix (from Latin "neck" is the lower narrow portion of the Uterus where it joins with the top end of the Vagina. Gray's Anatomy the Respiratory apparatus ( Apparatus Respiratorius Respiratory system Respiratory apparatus Arteries are Blood vessels that carry blood away from the Heart. In Human anatomy, the ovarian artery is a Blood vessel that supplies Oxygenated blood to the Ovary. The uterine artery is an Artery in females that supplies blood to the Uterus. The helicine branches of uterine artery (or helicine arterioles, or spiral arteries) are small arteries which temporarily supply the Endometrium of the In the Circulatory system, a vein is a Blood vessel that carries Blood back toward the Heart (as opposed to Artery, a blood vessel The uterine veins are tributaries of the Internal iliac veins The lymphatic system in Vertebrates is a network of conduits that carry a clear fluid called Lymph. The internal iliac lymph nodes (or hypogastric) surround the Internal iliac artery and its branches (the hypogastric vessels) and receive the Lymphatics The superficial inguinal lymph nodes form a chain immediately below the Inguinal ligament. Embryology (from Greek grc ἔμβρυον embryon, "unborn embryo" and grc -λογία -logia) is the study of the development The Müllerian ducts (or paramesonephric ducts) are paired ducts of the Embryo which run down the lateral sides of the Urogenital ridge and terminate at Medical Subject Headings ( MeSH) is a huge Controlled vocabulary (or metadata system for the purpose of indexing journal articles and books Female (♀ is the Sex of an Organism, or a part of an organism which produces ova (egg cells In Biology, an organ ( Latin: organum, "instrument tool" from Greek όργανον - organon "organ instrument Mammals ( class Mammalia) are a class of Vertebrate Animals characterized by the presence of Sweat glands, including sweat glands Human beings, humans or man (Origin 1590–1600 L homō man OL hemō the earthly one (see Humus One end, the cervix, opens into the vagina; the other is connected on both sides to the Fallopian tubes. The cervix (from Latin "neck" is the lower narrow portion of the Uterus where it joins with the top end of the Vagina. The vagina (from Latin, literally " Sheath " or " Scabbard " is a fibromuscular tubular tract leading from the Uterus The Fallopian tubes, also known as oviducts, uterine tubes, and salpinges ( singular salpinx) are two very fine tubes lined with ciliated The term uterus is commonly used within the medical and related professions, whilst womb is in more common usage. The plural of uterus is uteruses or uteri.

Function

The main function of the uterus is to accept a fertilized ovum which becomes implanted into the endometrium, and derives nourishment from blood vessels which develop exclusively for this purpose. An ovum (plural ova) is a Haploid Female reproductive cell or Gamete. The endometrium is the inner membrane of the Mammalian Uterus. The fertilized ovum becomes an embryo, develops into a fetus and gestates until childbirth. An embryo (from Greek:, plural, lit "that which grows" from en- "in" + bryein "to swell be full" is a multicellular A fetus (or foetus or fœtus) is a developing Mammal or other Viviparous Vertebrate, after the Embryonic stage and Childbirth (also called labour, birth, partus or parturition) is the culmination of a Human Pregnancy or Due to anatomical barriers such as the pelvis, the uterus is pushed partially into the abdomen due to its expansion during pregnancy. The pelvis (pl pelvises or pelves) or pelvic girdle is the irregular bony structure located at the base of the spine (properly known Even during pregnancy the mass of a human uterus amounts to only about a kilogram (2. 2 pounds).

Forms in mammals

In mammals, the four main forms in which it is found are:

Bipartite  

Found in ruminants (cattle, goats, sheep, camels, llamas, giraffes, bison, buffalo, deer, etc. ).

Bicornuate 

Found in pigs, cats, and dogs.

Simplex  

Found in humans, other primates and horses.

Duplex  

Found in rodents (such as mice, rats and guinea pigs), marsupials and lagomorpha (rabbits and hares).

Anatomy

The uterus is located inside the pelvis immediately dorsal (and usually somewhat rostral) to the urinary bladder and ventral to the rectum. The pelvis (pl pelvises or pelves) or pelvic girdle is the irregular bony structure located at the base of the spine (properly known In Anatomy, the dorsum is the upper side of animals that typically run fly or swim in a horizontal position and the back side of animals (like humans that walk upright In Anatomy, the urinary bladder is a hollow muscular, and distensible (or elastic organ that sits on the Pelvic floor in Mammals It is the In fields of Anatomy, anatomical terms of location are descriptive terms to help identify relative positions or directions within a species The rectum (from the Latin rectum intestinum, meaning straight intestine) is the final straight portion of the Large intestine in some Mammals Outside of pregnancy, its size in humans is several centimeters in diameter. Pregnancy ( Latin graviditas) is the carrying of one or more offspring known as a Fetus or Embryo, inside the Uterus of a Female A centimetre ( American spelling: centimeter, symbol cm) is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to one hundredth The uterus is a pear shaped muscular organ which can be divided anatomically into four segments: The fundus, corpus, cervix and the internal os. The internal orifice of the uterus (or internal orifice of the cervix uteri or internal os) is an interior narrowing of the Uterine cavity.

Regions

From outside to inside, the path to the uterus is as follows:

• Vulva
• Vagina
• Cervix uteri - "neck of uterus"
  • External orifice of the uterus
  • Canal of the cervix
  • Internal orifice of the uterus
• corpus uteri - "Body of uterus"
  • Cavity of the body of the uterus
  • Fundus (uterus)

Layers

The layers, from innermost to outermost, are as follows:

Endometrium 

The lining of the uterine cavity is called the "endometrium. The vulva (from Latin, vulva, plural vulvae or vulvas; see etymology) is the region of the external genital organs The vagina (from Latin, literally " Sheath " or " Scabbard " is a fibromuscular tubular tract leading from the Uterus The cervix (from Latin "neck" is the lower narrow portion of the Uterus where it joins with the top end of the Vagina. The external orifice of the uterus (or ostium of uterus, or external os) is a small depressed somewhat circular aperture on the rounded extremity of the In the anatomy of the Female reproductive system, the canal of the cervix (also called the endocervical canal, cervical canal, cervical canal The internal orifice of the uterus (or internal orifice of the cervix uteri or internal os) is an interior narrowing of the Uterine cavity. The Cavity of the Body in the Uterus is a mere slit flattened antero-posteriorly The Fundus of the Uterus is the top portion opposite from the Cervix. The endometrium is the inner membrane of the Mammalian Uterus. " In most mammals, including humans, the endometrium builds a lining periodically which, if no pregnancy occurs, is shed or reabsorbed. Shedding of the endometrial lining in humans is responsible for menstrual bleeding (known colloquially as a woman's "period") throughout the fertile years of a female and for some time beyond. See also "Mensuration" a term sometimes used to describe Measurement, particularly in the context of Forestry. In other mammals there may be cycles set as widely apart as six months or as frequently as a few days.

Myometrium 

The uterus mostly consists of smooth muscle, known as "myometrium. The myometrium is the middle layer of the uterine wall consisting of smooth muscle cells and supporting stromal and vascular tissue Smooth muscle is a type of non- Striated muscle, found within the Tunica media layer of large and small Arteries and Veins, the bladder " The innermost layer of myometrium is known as the junctional zone, which becomes thickened in adenomyosis. Adenomyosis is a medical condition characterized by the presence of ectopic endometrial tissue (the inner lining of the Uterus) within the myometrium (the

Perimetrium 

The loose surrounding tissue is called the "perimetrium. The perimetrium is the outer Serosa layer of the Uterus, covered in Peritoneum. "

Peritoneum 

The uterus is surrounded by "peritoneum. In higher Vertebrates the peritoneum is the Serous membrane that forms the lining of the abdominal cavity &mdash it covers most of the intra-abdominal "

Support

The uterus is primarily supported by the pelvic diaphragm and the urogenital diaphragm. The pelvic floor or pelvic/urogential diaphragm is composed of muscle fibers of the Levator ani, the Coccygeus, and associated Connective tissue The deep perineal pouch (also deep perineal space) is an anatomical term that refers to the space enclosed in part by the Perineum, and located superior to the Secondarily, it is supported by ligaments and the peritoneum (broad ligament of uterus) ^[1]

Major ligaments

It is held in place by several peritoneal ligaments, of which the following are the most important (there are two of each):

Other named ligaments near the uterus, i. The broad ligament of the uterus is the wide fold of Peritoneum that connects the sides of the Uterus to the walls and floor of the Pelvis. In higher Vertebrates the peritoneum is the Serous membrane that forms the lining of the abdominal cavity &mdash it covers most of the intra-abdominal In Anatomy, the term ligament is used to denote three different types of structures Fibrous tissue that connects Bones to other bones The uterosacral ligaments belongs to the Major ligaments of uterus. The pelvis (pl pelvises or pelves) or pelvic girdle is the irregular bony structure located at the base of the spine (properly known The cardinal ligaments (also called Mackenrodt's, lateral, or transverse cervical ligaments) are bands of fibromuscular fascia that attach the From the posterior border of the body of the Ischium there extends backward a thin and pointed triangular eminence the ischial spine, more or less elongated in different subjects e. the broad ligament, the round ligament, the suspensory ligament of the ovary, the infundibulopelvic ligament, have no role in the support of the uterus.

Position

Under normal circumstances the uterus is both "anteflexed" and "anteverted. " The meaning of these terms are described below:

Development

The bilateral Müllerian ducts form during early fetal life. A retroverted uterus ( tilted uterus, tipped uterus) is a Uterus that is tilted backwards instead of forwards The Müllerian ducts (or paramesonephric ducts) are paired ducts of the Embryo which run down the lateral sides of the Urogenital ridge and terminate at In males, MIF secreted from the testes leads to their regression. Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH is a Dimeric Glycoprotein that inhibits the development of the Müllerian ducts in a male Embryo. In females these ducts give rise to the Fallopian tubes and the uterus. The Fallopian tubes, also known as oviducts, uterine tubes, and salpinges ( singular salpinx) are two very fine tubes lined with ciliated In humans the lower segments of the two ducts fuse to form a single uterus, however, in cases of uterine malformations this development may be disturbed. A uterine malformation is the result of an abnormal development of the Mullerian duct (s during Embryogenesis. The different uterine forms in various mammals are due to various degrees of fusion of the two Müllerian ducts.

Pathology

Some pathological states include:

• Prolapse of the uterus
• Carcinoma of the cervix – malignant neoplasm
• Carcinoma of the uterus – malignant neoplasm
• Ectopic pregnancy
• Fibroids – benign neoplasms
• Adenomyosis – ectopic growth of endometrial tissue within the myometrium
• Pyometra – infection of the uterus, most commonly seen in dogs
• Uterine malformation
• Uterine Didelphys – split or doubled vagina/uterus
• Retroverted uterus
• Rokitansky syndrome
• Myoma

Additional images

Schematic frontal view of female anatomy	Uterus and uterine tubes. Pathology (from Greek grc πάθος pathos, "fate harm" and grc -λογία -logia) is the study and Prolapse literally means "To fall out of place" In Medicine, prolapse is a condition where organs such as the Uterus, fall down or slip out of place Cervical cancer is Malignant Cancer of the Cervix uteri or cervical area Endometrial cancer refers to several types of malignancy which arise from the Endometrium, or lining of the Uterus. An ectopic pregnancy is a Complication of pregnancy in which the fertilized Ovum is implanted in any tissue other than the uterine wall Uterine fibroids (singular Uterine Fibroma) ( leiomyomata, singular leiomyoma) are Benign Tumors which grow from the muscle layers of Adenomyosis is a medical condition characterized by the presence of ectopic endometrial tissue (the inner lining of the Uterus) within the myometrium (the Pyometra is a disease of the Uterus most commonly seen in female dogs (bitches but also seen in queens (female Cats, Rabbits Ferrets The dog ( Canis lupus familiaris) is a domesticated Subspecies of the gray wolf, a Mammal of the Canidae family of the order A uterine malformation is the result of an abnormal development of the Mullerian duct (s during Embryogenesis. A retroverted uterus ( tilted uterus, tipped uterus) is a Uterus that is tilted backwards instead of forwards Myoma is a kind of mesenchymal Tumor. Classification They are of two types		Anatomical model of a human pregnancy
Sectional plan of the gravid uterus in the third and fourth month.	Fetus in utero, between fifth and sixth months.	Vessels of the uterus and its appendages, rear view.	Uterus and right broad ligament, seen from behind.
Female pelvis and its contents, seen from above and in front.	Sagittal section of the lower part of a female trunk, right segment.	Posterior half of uterus and upper part of vagina.	The arteries of the internal organs of generation of the female, seen from behind.
Median sagittal section of female pelvis.

References

1. ^ ^{a b} The Pelvis University College Cork

See also

• Myometrium
• Egg (ovum)
• Ovary
• Menopause
• Vulva
• Vagina
• Penis
• Uterine glands

External links

• Gray's s268
• Illustration at wku.edu
• SUNY Labs 43:01-0102 - "The Female Pelvis: Organs in the Female Pelvis in situ"