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Human Body Study

Uterus

The muscular, pear-shaped organ in the pelvis — the womb. Where a fertilized egg implants and a fetus develops.

Female reproductive system Front-view schematic showing the mammary glands, ovaries, fallopian tubes, uterus, and the cervix and vagina; each labelled part links to its article. Female reproductive system Mammary glands the breasts, which produce milk after birth. Ovaries produce eggs and the hormones estrogenand progesterone. Fallopian tubes carry the egg toward the uterus; theusual site of fertilization. Uterus the muscular organ where a fertilizedegg implants and a fetus develops. Cervix and vagina the lower passage; the vagina is alsothe birth canal. Female reproductive system — schematic front view, not to scale.

Structure

Section titled “Structure”
  • Body (corpus) — the main, broad upper portion.
  • Fundus — the dome-shaped top.
  • Cervix — the narrow lower neck opening into the vagina.
  • Endometrium — the inner lining; thickens each cycle and is shed if no pregnancy occurs (menstruation).
  • Myometrium — the thick smooth-muscle wall.

What it does

Section titled “What it does”
  • Holds and nourishes a developing fetus during pregnancy.
  • Contracts powerfully during labour to deliver the baby.
  • Cycles monthly between building and shedding its lining.

Key idea

Section titled “Key idea”

The uterus is a hollow muscle that can stretch from the size of a pear to the size needed for a full-term pregnancy and return — among the most adaptive organs in the body.