Female pelvis

Michèle A Brown1, Claude B Sirlin

  • 1Department of Radiology, UCSD Medical Center, 200 West Arbor Drive, San Diego, CA 92103-8756, USA. m9brown@ucsd.edu

Related Concept Videos

Muscles of the Pelvic Floor and Perineum01:26

Muscles of the Pelvic Floor and Perineum

The muscles of the pelvic floor and perineum are crucial for supporting the pelvic organs, controlling continence, and aiding in sexual function, childbirth, and core stability. They are typically divided into the superficial perineal layer and the deep pelvic floor layer.
Perineal Layer
The perineum is a diamond-shaped area below the pelvic diaphragm, divided into an anterior urogenital triangle that contains the external genitals and a posterior anal triangle housing the anus. The urogenital...
Uterus and Cervix01:18

Uterus and Cervix

The uterus, commonly called the womb, is a vital reproductive organ in females designed to provide a nurturing environment for the implantation and growth of an embryo. It is shaped like a hollow pear and positioned between the urinary bladder and the rectum. The uterus's structure allows it to support and protect a developing fetus throughout pregnancy.
The uterus is securely anchored within the pelvic cavity by paired broad ligaments on either side. It is further stabilized by three pairs of...
Veins of the Abdomen and Pelvis01:18

Veins of the Abdomen and Pelvis

The human body is a complex system of interconnected parts, and the circulatory system plays a crucial role in maintaining overall health. One key component of this system is the inferior vena cava, a large vein responsible for returning blood from the abdominopelvic viscera and abdominal walls to the heart.
The inferior vena cava is fed by numerous smaller veins. The lumbar veins, for instance, drain the posterior abdominal wall, emptying both directly into the inferior vena cava and into the...
Abdominal Regions and Quadrants01:19

Abdominal Regions and Quadrants

To promote clear communication, for instance, about the location of a patient's abdominal pain or a suspicious mass, anatomists and clinicians typically use imaginary lines to categorize the abdominopelvic cavity into either four quadrants or nine regions to identify organs in the cavity.
The simpler quadrants approach, which is more commonly used in medicine, subdivides the cavity with one horizontal and one vertical line that intersects at the patient's umbilicus (navel). The four quadrants...
Ovaries01:26

Ovaries

The ovaries are roughly the size of almonds and measure approximately 2 to 3 centimeters in length. These paired structures are situated within the pelvic region and are anchored by the mesovarium—a peritoneal extension that also connects them to the wider structure of the broad ligament. The support system extends to the suspensory ligament, housing blood and lymphatic vessels. In addition, the ovarian ligament tethers the ovaries to the uterus.
On the ovarian surface, a layer of cuboidal...
Urinary Bladder01:23

Urinary Bladder

The urinary bladder is a hollow, muscular sac that temporarily stores urine before it is expelled from the body. It can hold approximately 600 mL of urine prior to micturition. The bladder is retroperitoneal and located behind the pubic symphysis in the pelvic floor.
In males, the bladder is situated in front of the rectum, while in females, it is positioned anterior to the vagina and uterus. The bladder floor contains an inverted triangular area called the trigone, defined by the two ureteric...