Labia majora

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Labia majora
Outer anatomy of clitoris.
External genital organs of female. The labia minora have been drawn apart.
Latin labium majus pudendi
Gray's subject #270 1265
Artery Deep external pudendal artery
Nerve Perineal branches of posterior femoral cutaneous nerve
Precursor Genital swelling
Dorlands/Elsevier l_01/12473761

The Labia Majora are two prominent longitudinal cutaneous folds which extend downward and backward from the mons pubis and form the lateral boundaries of Cleft of Venus, into which the urethra and vagina open.

Each labium majus has two surfaces, an outer, pigmented and covered with strong, crisp hairs; and an inner, smooth and beset with large sebaceous follicles.

Between the two there is a considerable quantity of areolar tissue, fat, and a tissue resembling the dartos tunic of the scrotum, besides vessels, nerves, and glands.

The Labia Majora are thicker in front, where they form by their meeting the anterior commisure of the labia majora.

Posteriorly they are not really joined, but appear to become lost in the neighboring integument, ending close to, and nearly parallel with, each other.

Together with the connecting skin between them, they form the posterior commisure of the labia majora or posterior boundary of the pudendum.

The interval between the posterior commissure of the labia majora and the anus, from 2.5 to 3 cm. in length, constitutes the perineum.

The labia majora correspond to the scrotum in the male.

Between the labia majora and the inner thighs are the Labiocrural Folds.

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This article was originally based on an entry from a public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy. As such, some of the information contained herein may be outdated. Please edit the article if this is the case, and feel free to remove this notice when it is no longer relevant.

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Female reproductive system
Ovaries: Germinal epithelium | Tunica albuginea | cortex (Cumulus oophorus, Stroma of ovary) | Medulla of ovary

Follicles: Corpus luteum | Corpus albicans | Granulosa cells | Membrana granulosa | Corona radiata | Theca of follicle | Follicular antrum | Follicular fluid | Zona pellucida | Folliculogenesis/Oogenesis

Ligaments: Proper | Suspensory | Round | Broad (Mesovarium, Mesosalpinx, Mesometrium) | Cardinal

Fallopian tubes: Isthmus | Ampulla | Infundibulum | Fimbria

Uterus: cervix/neck (External orifice, Canal of the cervix, Internal orifice) | corpus/body (Cavity of the body, Fundus) | layers (Endometrium, Myometrium, Perimetrium)

Vulva: Mons pubis | Labium  (Labial commissures, Frenulum labiorum pudendi, Labia majora, Cleft of venus, Labia minora, Vulval vestibule) | Clitoris  (Clitoral hood , Clitoral glans, Frenulum clitoridis, Clitoral crura, Corpus cavernosa, Vestibular bulbs) | Vagina (Bartholin's glands, Skene's glands , Fossa of vestibule of vagina, Fornix vaginae, Hymen)

Breast: Mammary glands | Nipple | Areola | Lactiferous duct

G-spot | Urethral sponge