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Uterus

The uterus is a hollow, pear-shaped organ in a woman's lower abdomen in which a fetus grows during pregnancy. When a woman is not pregnant, her monthly menstrual period flows from the uterus.

The lower part of the uterus (cervix) opens into the vagina. The opening to the cervix is narrow except during labour and birth, when it stretches and widens to allow the baby's passage out of the uterus.

Last Revised: December 30, 2011

Author: Healthwise Staff

Medical Review: Sarah Marshall, MD - Family Medicine & Donald Sproule, MD, CM, CCFP, FCFP - Family Medicine & Kirtly Jones, MD - Obstetrics and Gynecology

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