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Chapter 2 - Anatomy and Physiology of the Uterus

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 September 2020

By
Christopher Guyer ,
Sree Rajesh  and
Mary E. Connor
Edited by
Mary E. Connor  and
T. Justin Clark
Mary E. Connor
Affiliation:
Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield
T. Justin Clark
Affiliation:
Birmingham Women’s Hospital
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Summary

The uterus is the primary female reproductive organ. It is situated within the pelvis and measures approximately 8 cm in length, 4 cm in width and 5 cm in depth in the normal, non-pregnant state. Though relatively quiescent in pre-pubertal and post-menopausal years, the uterus possesses a variety of functions during a woman’s reproductive years. It responds to the production of female hormones, creating changes to allow for implantation of a fertilised egg, or menstruation when pregnancy does not occur. It is also able to rapidly expand with the development of a pregnancy and has a contractile function for labour and delivery during childbirth [1].

Type
Chapter
Information
Diagnostic and Operative Hysteroscopy , pp. 6 - 19
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2020

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