Female Anatomy: The Pelvis

For men and women alike, female anatomy can be daunting. To demystify a woman�s below-the-belt region, it helps to compare her pelvis to something less confusing. Allow me to introduce the three-room cottage analogy. The middle room is the vagina, bordered by the bladder in front and the rectum in back. All three rooms are separated by two vaginal walls. And at the top of the central room, perched like a chandlier in the ceiling, is the cervix, held in place by a pair of ligaments functioning like two strong support cables. These uterosacral ligaments connect the uterus at the level of the cervix to the front side of the sacrum. Projecting sideways from the top of the uterus, like two arms on a Mr. Potato-head, are the tubes and ovaries. Moving back down toward the foundation of the 3 room cottage sits a connective tissue wedge separating the vaginal opening from the anus � this structure is called the perineum. At the level of the ground floor, these three rooms are surrounded by a wraparound terrace made up of levator ani muscles. You may know them as Kegel muscles. The Kegel muscles attach to the perineum � something you can easily demonstrate yourself by using a mirror to watch the perineum retract with each Kegel contraction. Remember, this cozy, yet complex, house is just the INTERIOR, or pelvic, part of a woman�s anatomy. A closer look reveals that this house has quite the exterior. The vagina has two sets of vaginal lips: the labia majora, one on each side of the vaginal opening, with a pair of thinner inside lips called the labia minora resting between the labia majora. At the top of the labia minora is the clitoris, a small short tubular structure made of erectile tissue. The ultra-sensitive clitoris contains the highest density of sensory nerves of any human body part, many times more than the head of the male penis. The clitoris is covered and protected by the prepuce, or clitoral hood. During sexual arousal, the clitoris becomes erect and the prepuce retracts, making it more accessible.To learn more about female anatomy, from the importance of vaginal fitness, to disorders like pelvic organ prolapse, urinary and fecal incontinence, check out other videos on this site.