Labia majora

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The Labia Majora are two prominent longitudinal cutaneous folds which extend downward and backward from the mons pubis and form the lateral boundaries of a fissure or cleft, the pudendal cleft or rima, into which the vagina and urethra open.

Each labium has two surfaces, an outer, pigmented and covered with strong, crisp hairs; and an inner, smooth and beset with large sebaceous follicles.

Between the two there is a considerable quantity of areolar tissue, fat, and a tissue resembling the dartos tunic of the scrotum, besides vessels, nerves, and glands.

The labia are thicker in front, where they form by their meeting the anterior labial commissure.

Posteriorly they are not really joined, but appear to become lost in the neighboring integument, ending close to, and nearly parallel with, each other.

Together with the connecting skin between them, they form the posterior labial commissure or posterior boundary of the pudendum.

The interval between the posterior commissure and the anus, from 2.5 to 3 cm. in length, constitutes the perineum.

The labia majora correspond to the scrotum in the male.

[edit] Additional images

Sagittal section of the lower part of a female trunk, right segment.	Median sagittal section of female pelvis.	Anterior view of an adult woman with pubic hair removed, showing labia majora.	Vulva anatomy
Organs of the female reproductive system.	Female external genitalia.

[edit] See also

• Labium

[edit] External links

• Dictionary at eMedicine labium+majus

This article was originally based on an entry from a public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy. As such, some of the information contained herein may be outdated. Please edit the article if this is the case, and feel free to remove this notice when it is no longer relevant.

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