Female and Male Reproductive Anatomy Flashcards










The sympathetics of the pelvis come from the sacral plexus which is on the pelvic surface of the ____
- Piriformis muscle
The Lumbosacral trunk recieves contribution from what nerves
- L4-L5 + S1-S4(5)


Muscular tube located between the bladder and the rectum and inferior to the uterus. It is about 8 cm long
Vagina
The vagina opens through the _____ into the vestibule
Perineal membrane
The vagina is supported by
Pubovaginalis part of the lavator ani muscle

The female urethra begins at the ______ and passes through the
- The female urethra begins at the internal urethral orifice of the bladder
- It passes through the external urethral sphincter, perineal membrane and then through the perineum and vestibule
The vagina is between
the bladder and the rectum
The superior part of the vagina surrounds the
cervix of the urerus
What is culdoscopy
- used to examine the uterine tubes or ovaries
- it goes through the rectouterine pouch
Culdocentesis
- to aspirate fluid from the rectouterine pouch
The ureter passes ____ to the uterine artery along the lateral sides of the uterus
inferiorly
Uterine arteries enter the sides of the uterus through the _____
broad ligament
Branches of the Uterine ateries ascend and descend to anastomose with the
vaginal ateries and the ovarian arteries
Does the uterus have a vesical surface and an intestinal surface
yes
The distal ends of the uterine tubes open to the _____
peritoneum
The fundus of the uterus is normally _____ and ___
anteverted and anteflexed
The axis of the uterus is angled _____ (relative to the vagina) and the top of the fundus “flexes” ____ over the bladder
- anteriorly
- anteriorly
If the uterus is not anteverted and antiflexed, what may happen
- intra-abdominal pressure can push the uterus inferiorly
- contributes to prolapse of the uterus
The ____ of the uterus is a double layer of peritoneum that “drapes” over the uterus and associated structures
broad ligament
The broad ligament encloses the _____ ligament of the uterus as it extends from the anterior-lateral part of the uterus to the deep inguinal ring
round ligament
Transverse cervical ligaments
- condensations of endopelvic fascia that support the uterus
- they attach to the lateral sides of the uterus and vagina
- The uterine vessles and nerves run through (or along) them
Uterosacral ligaments
- Are condensations of endopelvic fascia that extend from the sides of the cervix to the sacrum
while the ligament help to support the uterus, the ________ and the _______ are extremely important in preventing prolapse of pelvic structures
- ani muscle and perineal body
The ovaries are located near the attachment of the ______ to the lateral pelvic wall
broad ligament
The ovaries are suspended from the lateral pelvic wall by
suspensory ligament of the ovary which contains ovarian arteries, veins, nerves, and lymphatics
The inferior part of the vagina is innervated by
somatic branches from the internal pudenal nerve
The middle and superior parts of the vagina and uterus are innervated by
- Visceral nerves
- uterovaginal plexus (part of pelvic plexus)
- sympathetics from lumbar splanchnics
- parasympathetics from pelvic splanchnics S2, S3, S4 (motor to the uterus and vagina)
Spinal blocks
- Anesthetic agent is injected into the subarachnoid space between L3 and L4
- Produces complete anesthesia below the waist. Uterine contractions cannot be felt
Peripheral nerve blocks
- Allows sensation of uterine contractions
- Pudendal block
- blocks S2, S3, and S4 dermatomes and the inferior part of the vagina
- Sacrospinous ligament is the landmark
- An iloinguinal block must also be performed to abolish sensation in the anterior vulva
- The posterior femoral cutaneous nerve (perineal branches) may also need to be anesthetized.
Bulbourethral Glands
- Superior to perineal membrane, embedded within sphincter urethrae (external urethral sphincter)
- Open into spongy urethra
- mucus-like secretions lubricate the urethra
Lymphatics of the prostate drains primarily
to internal iliac nodes
Lymphatics of the bladder primarily drains to
external iliac nodes
Lymphatics of perineal structures drain primarily to
superficial inguinal nodes














