Uterus
The uterus (the medical term for womb) [1] is found in the lower abdomen of most female mammals. It is a muscular organ of the sexual reproductive system which provides the optimum environment for a developing foetus [2].
Structure
The uterus is composed of three major sections; a body, cervix and fundus, thus forming the shape of the uterus.[3] The uterine wall is described as a 'thick muscular chamber' constructed of three different layers. These are:
- myometrium - the middle muscular layer that constitutes for most of the wall
- endometrium - the mucosa
- perimetrium - the inner mucosa[4]
The organ joins inferiorly with the vagina, and superiorly with the ovaries, however both are not linked directly. The cervical canal (narrow passage) joins the uterus to the vagina, and the uterine tubes join the uterus to the ovaries. [5]
References
- ↑ Website name: News Medical. n.d. Page title: What does the uterus do? URL: http://www.news-medical.net/health/What-Does-the-Uterus-Do.aspx Access date: 20/10/2013
- ↑ MedLine Plus. Updated on: 26/2/2012. URL: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/imagepages/19263.htm Access date: 20/10/2013
- ↑ body,cervix and fundus
- ↑ myometrium, endometrium, perimetrium
- ↑ inferiorly with vagina, superiorly with the ovaries. Cervical canal joins the uterus to the vagina, and the uterine tubes join the uterus to the ovaries.
Drake, R., Wayne Vogl, A. and Mitchell, A. 2010. Gray's Anatomy. 2nd ed. Philadelphia: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier.
Saladin, K. 2004. Anatomy & physiology: the unity of form and function. 3rd ed. New York: McGraw-Hill.