The Uterus

The uterus is part of a woman’s reproductive system. It’s a hollow organ in the pelvis.

The uterus has three parts:

• Top: The top (fundus) of your uterus is shaped like a dome. From the top of your uterus, the fallopian tubes extend to the ovaries.
• Middle: The middle part of your uterus is the body (corpus). This is where a baby grows.
• Bottom: The narrow, lower part of your uterus is the cervix. The cervix is a passageway to the vagina.

The wall of the uterus has two layers of tissue:

• Inner layer: The inner layer (lining) of the uterus is the endometrium. In women of childbearing age, the lining grows and thickens each month to prepare for pregnancy. If a woman does not become pregnant, the thick, bloody lining flows out of the body. This flow is a menstrual period.
• Outer layer: The outer layer of muscle tissue is the myometrium.

This picture shows the uterus and nearby tissues.