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AnatomyPelvis and perineumFemale pelvis and reproductive organsRound ligament of uterus
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AnatomyPelvis and perineumFemale pelvis and reproductive organsRound ligament of uterus

Round ligament of uterus

Author: Edwin Ocran, MBChB, MSc • Reviewer: Dimitrios Mytilinaios, MD, PhD
Last reviewed: March 13, 2024
Reading time: 2 minutes

Recommended video: Uterus and vagina [24:25]
Structure of the uterus and vagina seen in an anterior coronal section.
Round ligament of uterus
Ligamentum teres uteri
1/6
Synonyms: Ligament of Hunter, Ligamentum rotundum , show more...

The round ligament of uterus is a cord-like band, about 10-12 cm in length, that extends from the uterus, passes through the inguinal canal and terminates in the subcutaneous tissue of the labia majora in the perineum.

It is attached to the lateral horn (cornu) of the uterus, just anterior and inferior to the uterotubal junction. From here, it passes subperitoneally, through the broad ligament, and over the pelvic inlet to reach the deep inguinal ring, where it enters the inguinal canal. The round ligament of uterus is the major content of the inguinal canal in females.

As it courses through the inguinal canal, the round ligament of uterus is enveloped by the layers of the abdominal wall. However, unlike the spermatic cord in males, these are thinner and largely indistinct.

The paired ligaments are remnants of the distal portion of the female (ovarian) gubernaculum, a fibrous structure that connects the developing ovary to the primordial uterus and to the labium majus of vulva during fetal development. Postnatally, the proximal part, between the ovary and the uterus forms the ovarian ligament while the distal part becomes the round ligament of uterus. 

The round ligament of uterus plays a role in maintaining the uterus in an anteverted position.

Terminology English: Round ligament of uterus
Synonym: Ligament of Hunter

Latin: Ligamentum teres uteri
Synonyms: Ligamentum rotundum, Ligamentum rotundum uteri, Chorda uteroinguinalis
Definition Cord-like structure that extends from the uterine horn, through the inguinal canal to the labia majora
Function Maintain the anteversion position of the uterus

Learn more about the round ligament of uterus in the following study unit:

Cervix, vagina and vulva Explore study unit

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.
  • Drake, R., Vogl, W., Mitchell, A. & Gray, H. (2015). Gray's anatomy for students. Philadelphia, PA: Churchill Livingstone/Elsevier.
  • McKinley, M. & Loughlin, V. (2012). Human anatomy. New York: McGraw-Hill.
    Mescher, A. L., & Junqueira, L. C. (2013).
  • Moore, K. L., Dalley, A. F., & Agur, A. M. R. (2014). Clinically Oriented Anatomy (7th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
  • Standring, S. (2016). Gray's Anatomy (41st ed.). Edinburgh: Elsevier Churchill Livingstone

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