In order to avoid confusion, there are a few other anatomical terms we should review: •
Anterior is used to describe a structure that is towards the front. For example, the heart is largely anterior to the lungs.
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Posterior is used to describe a structure that is towards the back. For example, the lungs are largely posterior to the heart.
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Superior is used to describe a structure that is towards the head. For example, the eyes are superior to the mouth.
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Inferior is used to describe a structure that is towards the feet. For example, the mouth is inferior to the eyes.
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Medial is used to describe structures in relation to the midline of the body.
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Lateral is used to describe structures further from the midline of the body. In females, the ovaries are the most lateral anatomical structures.
To review – anterior means front, while posterior means back. Superior means top (or closer to the head), while inferior means bottoms (or closer to the feet). The term medial is used to describe structures closer to the midline, while lateral is used to describe structures further from the midline. These terms will be helpful in understanding the relationship of the reproductive organs to one another.
FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE ANATOMY The female reproductive system consists of the ovaries, fallopian tubes, uterus, cervix, and vagina. The ovaries, fallopian tubes, uterus, cervix and upper two-thirds of the vagina are located in the pelvis, which means that the vast majority of the system is protected by this bony structure. It is useful to keep in mind that these organs share space in the pelvis with the structures of the urinary and gastrointestinal systems. Figure 3 shows these major female reproductive structures:
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