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AnatomyPelvis and perineumFemale pelvis and reproductive organsCardinal ligament
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AnatomyPelvis and perineumFemale pelvis and reproductive organsCardinal ligament

Cardinal ligament

Author: Christina Loukopoulou, MSc • Reviewer: Dimitrios Mytilinaios, MD, PhD
Last reviewed: April 24, 2024
Reading time: 1 minute

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Cardinal ligament
Ligamentum cardinale
1/3
Synonyms: Lateral cervical ligament, Transverse cervical ligament , show more...

The cardinal ligaments, otherwise known as transverse cervical ligaments or ligaments of Mackenrodt, are paired structures providing support to the female pelvic organs and holding the uterus in place.

These along with the uterosacral and pubocervical ligaments as well as the peritoneal folds help prevent pelvic organ prolapse.

In contrast to the uterosacral ligaments which are dorsally oriented, the cardinal ligaments are vertically oriented in a standing position. This provides apical support for the uterus and vagina.

The cardinal ligaments are attached to the side of the uterine cervix and the vaginal fornix, specifically its lateral parts.

The cardinal ligaments are traversed by the ureters and pelvic blood vessels which can easily be injured during pelvic surgery.

Terminology English: Cardinal ligament
Synonyms: Lateral cervical ligament, Transverse cervical ligament

Latin: Ligamentum cardinale
Synonyms: Ligamentum transversum cervicis
Definition The cardinal ligaments are paired structures providing support to the female pelvic organs and holding the uterus in place.

Sources

All content published on Kenhub is reviewed by medical and anatomy experts. The information we provide is grounded on academic literature and peer-reviewed research. Kenhub does not provide medical advice. You can learn more about our content creation and review standards by reading our content quality guidelines.
  • Eid, S., Iwanaga, J., Oskouian, R.J., Loukas, M., Tubbs, R.S. (2018). Comprehensive Review of the Cardinal Ligament. Cureus, 10(6):e2846. doi: 10.7759/cureus.2846. 
  • Moore, K. L., Dalley, A. F. and Agur, A. (2017). Clinically oriented anatomy (8th ed.). Lippincott Williams and Wilkins.
  • Standring, S. (2016). Gray's Anatomy (41st ed.). Edinburgh: Elsevier Churchill Livingstone.

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