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Female internal reproductive anatomy
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Uterus and right broad ligament, seen from behind
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Müllerian Duct
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Uterus
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The or '''womb''' is the major female reproductive -shaped one found in humans and horses; and duplex, found in
Rabbits .
The bilateral
Müllerian Duct s form during early fetal life. In males,
MIF secreted from the testes leads to their regression. In females these ducts give rise to the
Fallopian Tubes and the uterus. In humans the lower segments of the two ducts fuse to form a single uterus, however, in cases of
Uterine Malformation s this development may be disturbed. The different uterine forms in various mammals are due to various degrees of fusion of the two Müllerian ducts.
The uterus is located in the
Pelvis immediately
Dorsal (and usually somewhat
Rostral ) to the
Urinary Bladder and
Ventral to the
Rectum . It is held in place by eight
Ligament s (one anterior; one posterior; two lateral or broad; two uterosacral; and two round ligaments). It is usually slightly anteverted (tipped forward) but is sometimes
Retroverted (tipped backwards). Outside of
Pregnancy , its size is several
Centimeters in
diameter.
The uterus mostly consists of
Muscle , known as myometrium. The innermost layer of myometrium is known as the , which becomes thickened in
Adenomyosis . The lining of the uterine cavity is called the
Endometrium . 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. In other mammals there may be cycles set as widely apart as six months or as frequently as a few days.
The loose surrounding tissue is called the
Parametrium .
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. The fertilized ovum becomes an
Embryo , develops into a
Fetus and gestates until
Childbirth . Due to anatomical barriers such as the
Pelvis , the uterus is pushed partially into the abdomen due to its expansion during pregnancy. Even in pregnancy the mass of a human uterus amounts to only about a kilogram (2.2 pounds).
Some
Pathological states include:
The term ''uterus'' is commonly used within the medical and related professions, whilst the term ''womb'' is in more common usage.
