The uterus, more commonly known as the womb is a female reproductive system. It is present not just in humans but in all mammals. It is in the uterus that the foetus develops during the gestation period. Every month the eggs stored in the ovaries are released from the fallopian tube for fertilisation while hormones help in the development of a thick inner lining of the uterus. When no fertilisation takes place, the uterus lining is shed each month which is known as menstruation.
Below given are some facts about the uterus:
When a woman is not pregnant, the uterus normally measures around 7.5 inches long and 2 inches wide. The fast changes undergone by the body during pregnancy expand the uterus to as much as five hundred times its normal size; the organ almost reaching the lower rib cages by about 36 weeks.
Uterus serves the most important function of protecting a developing foetus and therefore is made up of many layers of tissues and blood vessels. Women are prone to uterine cancer from the cancerous developments of these tissues, usually endometrial cancer and Uterine Sarcoma. The lymphatic system or bloodstream is usually responsible for the spreading of uterine cancer.
The uterus embeds the fertilised egg within the linings of the uterine wall. The endometrium of lining of the uterus provides the required nourishment for the development of the baby.
Apart from helping in the development of the foetus during the gestation period, the uterus also serves other functions. It provides structure and shape to the abdomen and keeping the remaining organs like the bladder, pelvic bones, kidney and other structures in place.
Blood vessels and nerves connect the inner walls of the uterus to the pelvis and other parts of the reproductive system.
It is estimated that approximately 80 percent of all endometrial cancers are adenocarcinomas; however, if detected on time, they can be fully cured.
Uterus Didelphys is a very rare condition, a congenital defect that causes the occurrence of 2 separate uteruses in one body. This occurs when during the formation of the reproductive system the fallopian tubes fail to fuse into one. Duplication of the vagina may also result in double uteruses.
There are a variety of diseases that affect the uterus such as malignant tumours, sexually transmitted diseases, endometriosis, pelvic inflammatory disease etc. which is why regular health check-ups and awareness of symptoms are necessary for all women.
Women reaching menopause often suffer from Hyperplasia, a condition that causes an increased development of the uterus wall lining. They may or may not be cancerous but it results in irregular and heavy menstrual periods. In severe cases, a hysterectomy is performed.
Endometriosis, a common health issue in women occurs due to the development of tissues outside the uterus and onto other organs near the uterus, usually on the ovaries, fallopian tubes, lining of pelvic cavity etc. In even rarer cases, tissue growth has even occurred on lungs, skin, brain, bladder or vagina.
Until puberty, the uterus of a child is small. It grows and expands to an adult sized pear shape. It shrinks back in size and becomes fibrous and pale after menopause.
The uterus is the seat of all life forms and there women should take care to protect it from various terminal diseases.
