Anatomy of the Bladder & Uterus

The bladder and uterus are located close to each other in the female pelvis, yet they belong to different physiological systems. The bladder stores urine produced by the renal system, while the uterus, behind the bladder, is the site of implantation and maturation for a fertilized egg.

Bladder

• The bladder, a sac that stores urine produced by our kidneys, is part of the renal system. It sits just behind the pubic bone. Tubes called ureters carry urine from each kidney to the bladder. The urethra leads from the bladder to the outside world.

Layers of the Bladder

• The wall of the bladder comprises four layers. The outermost layer is soft tissue composed of fat, blood vessels and fibrous tissue. The next layer is the muscularis propria, consisting of muscle. The third layer is the lamina propria, made of connective tissue and blood vessels. The innermost layer, which actually contacts the urine, is the epithelial layer.

Uterus

• Behind, or posterior to, the bladder in the female body is the uterus. This muscular organ has thick walls inside which a fertilized egg implants when a woman becomes pregnant. The uterus protects the fetus as it matures, and its muscular contractions help expel the baby upon birth.

Layers of the Uterus

• The uterus is composed of three layers. The outermost connective tissue layer is called the perimetrium. Inside this lies the thick muscular layer called the myometrium. The mucous-membrane innermost layer is the endometrium.