Uterine horns
Uterine horns | |
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![]() Uterine horn labeled in upper right. | |
![]() Uterine horn not labeled, but visible. The round ligament is at the left, labeled as #1. It travels to the right, and attaches to the uterus at the center. The fallopian tube is unnumbered, but it is visible above the uterus, and travels downward to attach at a location near the round ligament. | |
Details | |
Identifiers | |
Latin | cornu uteri |
TA98 | A09.1.03.004 |
FMA | 77053 |
Anatomical terminology |
The uterine horns are the points where the uterus and the fallopian tubes meet. It is also known as the Cornua of Uterus (the superolateral angle of the body project outwards at the junction of the body and the fundus). They are one of the points of attachment for the round ligament of uterus (the other being the mons pubis). The Cornua also provides attachment to the ligament of ovary, which is located posteroinferior to the fallopian tube; while the round ligament of uterus is located anteroinferior to the fallopian tube.
The uterine horns are far more prominent in other animals (such as cows[1] and cats[2]) than they are in humans. In the cat, implantation of the embryo occurs in one of the two uterine horns, not the body of the uterus itself.
Occasionally, if a fallopian tube does not connect, the uterine horn will fill with blood each month, and a minor one-day surgery will be performed to remove it. Often, people who are born with this have trouble getting pregnant as both ovaries are functional and either may ovulate. The spare egg, that cannot travel the fallopian tube, is absorbed into the body.
References[]
This article incorporates text in the public domain from the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)
- ^ Anatomy photo: Reproductive/mammal/femalesys0/femalesys6 - Comparative Organology at University of California, Davis - "Mammal, female overview (Gross, Low)"
- ^ Urogenital system of the female cat[dead link] - BioWeb at University of Wisconsin System
- Wikipedia articles incorporating text from the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)
- Uterus
- Genitourinary system stubs