All about the Uterus

What is an arcuate uterus?

(normal variant) it is a mild indentation of the endometrium at the uterine fundus

What are the four major divisions of the uterus?

1) Fundus 2)Body(corpus) 3)Isthmus 4)cervix

What are the three layers of the uterine wall?

1) Perimetrium: outermost layer layer 2) Myometrium: middle/muscular layer, composed of thick smooth 3) Endometrium: the innermost layer of the uterus. the layer that sloughs off during menstruation.

What is a didelphys uterus?

2 vaginas 2 cervices 2 uteri

What is the normal size of the uterus?

8 cm L x 5.5 cm W x3 cm AP Depends on age and shape of the uterus

What is the most common uterine position?

Anteverted

The Fundus of the uterus

Most superior & widest portion of uterus The cornua is where the fallopian tubes attach to the uterus at the level of the uterine horns

anteflexed uterus

The body folds forward and comes in contact with the cervix forming an acute angle between the body and cervix

What other organ develops at the same time as the uterus?

The kidneys that is why when there is an abnormality with the uterus it's important for the sonographer to go through the urinary tract sonogram

What is the bicornuate uterus?

a common defect of the uterus when the endometrium divides into two endometrial cavities, and with a prominent concavity noted of the fundus of the uterus.

What is the most common structural defect of the uterus?

bicornuate uterus

where does the uterine artery arise from?

internal iliac artery

what do the spiral arteries supply?

it supplies blood to the functional layer of the endometrium which is later shed off during menstruation.

The body (corpus) of the uterus

middle portion of the uterus, lies between the Fundus and the cervix This area contains the endometrial cavity

The isthmus of the uterus

narrowed region between the body and cervix responsible for where the uterus bends anteriorly or posteriorly

What is the anatomy of the uterus?

pear shaped intraperitoneal organ that lies anterior to the rectum and posterior to the urinary bladder. Largest organ in the female pelvis when the Urinary bladder is empty.

what branches off from the radial artery?

straight and spiral arteries

What do the radial arteries supply?

supplies blood to the deeper level of the myometrium level of the uterus

retroflexed uterus

when the body and the fundus tilting backward toward and coming in contact with the cervix.

What is the septate uterus?

when the uterus has two separate uterine cavities

what is the endometrial layer consist of?

1) functional layer (zona functionalis): the layer that changes thickness during the menstruation period 2) The basal layer (zona basalis) dense cellular stroma

How can the bladder affect the uterine position?

A full urinary bladder will tip the average anteverted, anteflexed uterus backward

The cervix of the uterus

Neck of the uterus lower cylindrical portion of the uterus that projects into the vaginal canal rigid component of the uterus located inferior to the isthmus internal os (upper end of the cervix) and external os (inferior that communicates with the vagina)

What is the unicornuate uterus?

a defect of the uterus when the uterus only has one "horn" aka one fallopian tube, and one ovary.

Anteverted uterus

the cervical uterus forms a 90 degree angle or smaller with the vaginal canal and the body, and fundus are tilted anteriorly

retroverted uterus

the entire uterus including the body and the cervix are tilted backwards aka away from the bladder

What is the average neonatal appearance?

tubular in appearance and may exhibit distinct endometrial echoes in the first week

Where does the uterus gets its blood supply from?

uterine artery

what does the uterine artery supply to?

uterus, fallopian tubes, and the ovaries

What is subseptate uterus?

when the uterus has a normal uterine contour with an endometrium that branches into two horns