UTERUS
UTERUS : LOCATION
The uterus is ahollow, pear-shaped organ with thick muscular walls .In the young adult it measures 3 inches (8cm ) long, 2 inches (5 cm) wide,and 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick.It is divided into the fundus,body,and cervix .The fundus is the part of the uterus that lies above the entrance of the uterine tubes.The body is the part of the uterus the lies below the entrance of the uterine tubes. It narrows below, where it becomes continous with the cervix. The cervix pierces the front wall of the vagina and is divided into the upperavaginal and vaginal parts of the cervix.The hollow space of the uterine body is triangular in upto down section ,but it is merely acleft in the straight plane.The hollow space of the cervix, the cervical canal, communicates with the hollow space of the body through the internal os and with that of vaginal through the external os. Before of the first child, the external os is circular .In some woman ,the vaginal part of the cervix is larger, and the external os becomes atransverse slit so that it prossesses front lip.
RELATIONS
IN THE FRONT: The body of the uterus is related in the front to the uterovesical pouch and the upper surface of the bladder. The upperavaginal cervix is related to the upper surface of the bladder.The vagina cervix is related to the front fornix(fold of muscle) of the vagina.
AT THE BACK: The body of uterus is related to the back to the rectouterine pouch with coils of ileum or sigmoid colon(part of large intestine) within it.
AT THE SIDE: The body of uterus is related at side to the broad ligament and the uterine artery and vein. The uppervaginal cervix is related to the ureter as it passes forward to enter the bladder.The vaginal cervix is related to the side fornix(fold of muscle) of the vagina.
FUNCTION
The uterus serve as asite for the reception, retention,and food of the fertilizer egg.
POSITION OF THE UTERUS
In most women, the long axis of the uterus is bent forward on the long axis of the vagina. Furthermore the long axis of the body of the uterus is bent forward at the level of internal os with the long axis of the cervix.Thus, in the erect position, with the bladder empty,the uterus lies in almost flat plane.
BLOOD SUPPLY:The blood supply to uterus is mainly from the uterine artery, abranch of the inside iliac artery.
VEINS: The uterine vein follows the artery and drains into the inside iliac vein
LYMPH DRAINAGE: The lymph vessels from the fundus of the uterus accompany the ovarian artery and drain into the para- aortic nodes at the level of the first lumbar vertebra( lower back).
NERVE SUPPLY: sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves.