FEMALE ANATOMY: UTERUS (WOMB)
The uterus is shaped like a small pear that sits upside down in the pelvic cavity, with the cervix as the “stem.” It is where a fertilized egg implants itself at the beginning of a pregnancy. (An ectopic pregnancy occurs when the fertilized egg implants itself somewhere outside the uterus, such as in the Fallopian tubes.) The uterus has a very rich blood supply and provides nourishment for the developing embryo. The uterus is very muscular and can grow to a very large size during pregnancy, but it shrinks back to just a little bit bigger than its prepregnancy size afterward. The lining of the uterus (called the endometrium) builds up each month in preparation for a pregnancy, and the lining is shed during menstruation (the period) if the woman does not become pregnant.
The lining of the uterus can also undergo cancerous changes, called endometrial cancer or uterine cancer. This is more common among older women. Fibroids are noncancerous growths in the muscle layer of the uterus that can cause pelvic pain and increased bleeding during and between periods.
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