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In mammals, the vulva (pl.: vulvas or vulvae) consists of the external female genitalia. The human vulva includes the mons pubis, labia majora, labia minora, clitoris, vulval vestibule, urinary meatus, the vaginal opening, hymen, and Bartholin's and Skene's vestibular glands. The urinary meatus is also included as it opens into the vulval vestibule. The vulva includes the entrance to the vagina, which leads to the uterus, and provides a double layer of protection for this by the folds of the outer and inner labia. Pelvic floor muscles support the structures of the vulva. Other muscles of the urogenital triangle also give support. Blood supply to the vulva comes from the three pudendal arteries. The internal pudendal veins give drainage. Afferent lymph vessels carry lymph away from the vulva to the inguinal lymph nodes. The nerves that supply the vulva are the pudendal nerve, perineal nerve, ilioinguinal nerve and their branches. Blood and nerve supply to the vulva contribute to the stages of sexual arousal that are helpful in the reproduction process. Following the development of the vulva, changes take place at birth, childhood, puberty, menopause and post-menopause. There is a great deal of variation in the appearance of the vulva, particularly in relation to the labia minora. The vulva can be affected by many disorders, which may often result in irritation. Vulvovaginal health measures can prevent many of these. Other disorders include a number of infections and cancers. There are several vulval restorative surgeries known as genitoplasties, and some of these are also used as cosmetic surgery procedures. Different cultures have held different views of the vulva. Some ancient religions and societies have worshipped the vulva and revered the female as a goddess. Major traditions in Hinduism continue this. In Western societies, there has been a largely negative attitude typified by the medical terminology of pudenda membra, meaning parts to be ashamed of. There has been an artistic reaction to this in various attempts to bring about a more positive and natural outlook, such as work from British, American, and Japanese artists. While the vagina is a separate part of the anatomy, it has often been used synonymously with vulva. Structure In humans, the vulva is made up of the following: Mons pubis The mons pubis is the soft mound of fatty tissue at the front of the vulva, in the pubic region covering the pubic bone. Mons pubis is Latin for "pubic mound" and is present in both sexes to act as a cushion during sexual intercourse, and is more pronounced in the female. The variant term mons veneris ('mound of Venus') is used specifically for females. Labia The labia majora and the labia minora cover the vulval vestibule. The outer pair of folds are the labia majora (Neo-Latin for "larger lips"). They contain and protect the other structures of the vulva. The labia majora meet at the front of the mons pubis, and meet posteriorly at the urogenital triangle (the anterior part of the perineum) between the pudendal cleft and the anus. The labia minora are often pink or brownish black, relevant to the person's skin color. The grooves between the labia majora and labia minora are called the interlabial sulci, or interlabial folds. The labia minora (smaller lips) are the two inner soft folds within the labia majora. They have more color than the labia majora and contain numerous sebaceous glands. They meet posteriorly at the frenulum of the labia minora, a fold of restrictive tissue. The labia minora meet again at the front to form the clitoral hood. Clitoris Located at the anterior junction of the inner labia is the clitoris, a highly erogenous sexual organ. The visible portion of the clitoris is the glans. Typically, this is roughly the size and shape of a pea, and can vary in size from about 6 mm to 25 mm (less than an inch). The size can also vary when the clitoris is erect, which happens when two regions of erectile tissue known as the corpora cavernosa (along with the bulbs and crura, which both constitute the root of the clitoris) fill with blood, making the shaft engorged. The clitoral glans contains many nerve endings, which makes it highly sensitive. The only known function of the clitoris is to focus on sexual feelings. The clitoral hood is a protective fold of skin, which varies in shape and size, and it may partially or completely cover the shaft and glans. The hood may be partially or completely hidden within the pudendal cleft. Vestibule The area between the labia minora where the vaginal opening and the urinary meatus are located is called the vulval vestibule. The meatus is below the clitoris and just in front of the vaginal opening, which is near to the perineum. The term introitus is more technically correct than "opening", since the vagina is usually collapsed, with the opening closed. The introitus is sometimes partly covered by a membrane called the hymen. The hymen will usually rupture during the first episode of vigorous sex, and the blood produced by this rupture has been seen to signify virginity. However, the hymen may also rupture spontaneously during exercise or be stretched by normal activities such as the use of tampons and menstrual cups, or be so minor as to be unnoticeable, or be absent. In some rare cases, the hymen may completely cover the vaginal opening, requiring a surgical procedure called a hymenotomy. On either side of the back part of the vaginal opening are the two greater vestibular glands known as Bartholin's glands. These glands secrete a mucous vaginal lubricant. The lesser vestibular glands, known as Skene's glands, are found on the anterior wall of the vagina. Muscles Pelvic floor muscles help to support the vulvar structures. The voluntary, pubococcygeus muscle, part of the levator ani muscle partially constricts the vaginal opening. Other muscles of the urogenital triangle support the vulvar area and they include the transverse perineal muscles, the bulbospongiosus, and the ischiocavernosus muscles. The bulbospongiosus muscle decreases the vaginal opening. They play a role in the vaginal contractions of orgasm by causing the vestibular bulbs to contract. Blood, lymph and nerve supply The tissues of the vulva are highly vascularised and blood supply is provided by the three pudendal arteries. Venous return is via the external and internal pudendal veins. The organs and tissues of the vulva are drained by a chain of superficial inguinal lymph nodes located along the blood vessels. The ilioinguinal nerve originates from the first lumbar nerve and gives branches that include the anterior labial nerves, which supply the skin of the mons pubis and the labia majora. The perineal nerve is one of the terminal branches of the pudendal nerve and this branches into the posterior labial nerves to supply the labia. The pudendal nerve branches include the dorsal nerve, which gives sensation to the clitoris. The clitoral glans is see.... Discover the Shawn Coots popular books. Find the top 100 most popular Shawn Coots books.