Uterine artery

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Uterine vessels of the woman

The arteria uterina ("uterine artery") is an artery in the abdominal cavity and the main supply vessel of the uterus . During pregnancy or gestation there is a significant enlargement of this blood vessel.

In women, the uterine artery mostly arises from the internal iliac artery and runs in front of the ureter in the parametrium to the uterus. There it gives off a branch to supply the vagina ( ramus vaginalis ) and then pulls up the uterus in a strongly tortuous way. Finally, it gives off a branch to the fallopian tube ( Ramus tubarius ) and the ovary ( Ramus ovaricus ), which anastomoses with the ovarian artery ( Arteria ovarica ) .

In odd-toed ungulates ( mares ) the uterine artery arises from the external iliac artery , in cloven-hoofed animals from the umbilical artery (arteria umbilicalis) and in predators from the vaginal artery . In these, the uterine artery anastomoses with the uterine branch ( ramus uterinus ) of the ovarian artery . In large animals (mares, cows) the vessel can be palpated during pregnancy as part of a rectal examination and shows a characteristic, violent pulsation ("uterine whirring") when touched. This can be used in veterinary medicine to determine pregnancy.

Individual evidence

  1. Gerhard Aumüller et al.: Anatomie (= dual series. ). 2nd, revised edition. Georg Thieme, Stuttgart 2010, ISBN 978-3-13-136042-7 .
  2. Uwe Gille: Female sexual organs. In: Franz-Viktor Salomon, Hans Geyer, Uwe Gille (Ed.): Anatomy for veterinary medicine. 2nd, revised and expanded edition. Enke, Stuttgart 2008, ISBN 978-3-8304-1075-1 , pp. 379-389.