19 Uterus and Adnexal Diseases
Anatomy of the Uterus, Adnexa, and Vagina
Uterus
• Derived from fusion of paired embryonic paramesonephric (müllerian) ducts: basis for divided, asymmetrical, or bifid (didelphic) uteruses
• Endometrium: highly vascular and glandular uterine lining; thickness or state varies with menstrual cycle
• Myometrium: dense, fibrous connective tissue and smooth muscle, derived from embryonic splanchnic mesoderm