The myometrium is the middle layer of the uterine wall, consisting mainly of uterine smooth muscle cells (also called uterine myocytes) but also of supporting stromal and vascular tissue. Its main function is to induce uterine contractions.
The myometrium is the middle layer of the uterine wall, consisting mainly of uterine smooth muscle cells (also called uterine myocytes) but also of supporting stromal and vascular tissue. Its main function is to induce uterine contractions.
The uterine isthmus is the inferior-posterior part of uterus, on its cervical end — here, the uterine muscle (myometrium) is narrower and thinner. It connects the body and cervix.
The uterine isthmus can become more compressibile in pregnancy, which is a finding known as Hegar's sign.
The human female reproductive system is made up of the internal and external sex organs that function in the reproduction of new offspring. The reproductive system is immature at birth and develops at puberty to be able to release matured ova from the ovaries, facilitate their fertilization, and create a protective environment for the developing fetus during pregnancy. The female reproductive tract is made of several connected internal sex organs—the vagina, uterus, and fallopian tubes—and is prone to infections. The vagina allows for sexual intercourse and childbirth, and is connected to the uterus at the cervix. The uterus (or womb) accommodates the embryo by developing the uterine lining.
The uterus also produces secretions which help the transit of sperm to the fallopian tubes, where sperm fertilize the ova. During the menstrual cycle, the ovaries release an ovum, which transits through the fallopian tube into the uterus. If an egg cell meets with sperm on its way to the uterus, a single sperm cell can enter and merge with it, creating a zygote. If no fertilization occurs, menstruation is the process by which the uterine lining is shed as blood, mucus, and tissue.