Corpus: Round ligament of uterus

The ligamentum teres uteri belongs to the ligamentous apparatus of the uterus and is part of the parametria. It originates on both sides of the tubal angle in an outward-anterior direction and runs through the inguinal canal to the labia majora.

The ligamentum teres uteri is between 10 and 12 cm long and runs from the tubal angle of the uterus through the ligamentum latum uteri and the inguinal canal (canalis inguinalis) to the labia majora. It is accompanied by the arteria ligamenti teretis uteri, which supplies the ligament with arterial blood. It contains smooth muscle fibres as extensions of the uterine musculature and holds the uterus in its anteriorly tilted position (anteversio-anteflexio).

During embryonic development, the ligamentum teres uteri forms from the remnants of the lower gonadal ligament. It consists of connective tissue fibres and smooth muscle.