Vein vaginal venous plexus Dorlands
/Elsevier a_61/12156498 | Latin arteria vaginalis TA A12.2.15.035F | |
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Source Internal iliac artery
Uterine artery Supplies urinary bladder, ureter, vagina | ||
The vaginal artery is an artery in females that supplies blood to the vagina and the base of the bladder.
Contents
Terminology
The vaginal artery is usually defined as a branch of the internal iliac artery.
Some sources say that the vaginal artery can arise from the internal iliac artery or the uterine artery. However, the phrase vaginal branches of uterine artery is the Terminologia Anatomica term for blood supply to the vagina coming from the uterine artery.
Some texts consider the inferior vesical artery to be found only in males, and that this structure in females is a vaginal artery.
Structure
It descends to the vagina, supplying its mucous membrane. It can send branches to the bulb of the vestibule, the fundus of the bladder, and the contiguous part of the rectum.
The vaginal artery is frequently represented by two or three branches.