Uterus

The Uterus is an essential part of the Vagina, which is the female reproductive organ. Also called the womb, this is the part of the vagina that safely houses the baby during the duration of a woman’s pregnancy. Aside from this, its other uses are in keeping with the structural integrity of other parts of the vagina; namely, the bladder, bowel, pelvic bone, and organs. Without a uterus, it is not possible for a woman to become pregnant. There have been very few cases where a woman was born without a uterus; hence, not allowing her to conceive a child. 

The uterus is also essential in sexual response, especially because this is a hormone-responsive part of the vagina. It directs blood flow to the outer vaginal parts and is essential for uterine orgasm to occur. There are many kinds of orgasms that a woman can experience, but the uterine orgasm is the most common one that occurs. While it is the other parts of the vagina that feel more than the uterus during sexual intercourse, it is the uterus that allows the woman to feel that burst of sensation when she reaches climax.

The uterus is basically the uterine gland, which has a tube-like shape and is lined by ciliated columnar epithelium. When a woman isn’t pregnant, this is very small in size. But it expands shortly after a woman gets impregnated and takes on a contorted or waved appearance. It has the following parts:

• Cervix – this part protrudes downward into the opening of the vaginal canal. This is made up of fibrous tissue that has a consistency that is firmer than the other parts of the vagina.
• The Fallopian tubes – the fallopian tubes extend on both sides of the uterus. This is usually the part of the vagina through which the unfertilized egg cells travel through when a woman is ovulating, meaning she is producing eggs. These tubes are also the part where the fertilization of the egg cell by the male’s sperm cell happens.

The uteri of women who are of birthing age go through a monthly cycle, called menstruation. In most, if not all, cultures, this is considered as the rite of passage for women to be considered as full-grown adults. Each month, the endometrial layer becomes thick and grows in anticipation of a fertilized egg that will be released from the ovaries and then fertilized in the fallopian tubes. When this layer is not used because of lack of fertilization, it dissolves and passes out through the vagina in the form of menstrual blood. While in most cultures, the marrying age is subject to the judgment of each woman, there are still some cultures that consider a female who is menstruating to be of proper marrying age. These are the cultures where you will usually find women as young as 12 years old to be married to men who are much older than them.

Uterine cancer is a disease that plagues a large number of women. This is when cancer cells are seen to be affecting the uterus and later on spreads to the lymph nodes and other surrounding areas. Fortunately, there are now treatments that can be done by way of an injection to avoid uterine cancer altogether.