The uterus is a hollow, pear-shaped organ in a woman's lower abdomen in which a fetus grows during pregnancy. When a woman is not pregnant, her monthly menstrual period flows from the uterus.
The lower part of the uterus (cervix) opens into the vagina. The opening to the cervix is narrow except during labor and birth, when it stretches and widens to accommodate the baby's passage out of the uterus.
| Author | Bets Davis, MFA |
| Author | Kathe Gallagher, MSW |
| Editor | Kathleen M. Ariss, MS |
| Associate Editor | Pat Truman, MATC |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Sarah Marshall, MD - Family Medicine |
| Specialist Medical Reviewer | Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine |
| Specialist Medical Reviewer | Kirtly Jones, MD - Obstetrics and Gynecology |
| Last Updated | December 5, 2007 |
WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise