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It has been suggested that Posterior commissure of labia majora be merged into this article. (Discuss) Proposed since March 2014.

The labia majora (singular: labium majus) are two prominent longitudinal cutaneous folds that extend downward and backward from the mons pubis to the perineum. The labia majora is homologous to the male scrotum.

Embryology

Embryologically, they develop from labioscrotal folds.

Anatomy

The labia majora constitute the lateral boundaries of the pudendal cleft, which contains the labia minora, interlabial sulci, clitoral hood, clitoral glans, frenulum clitoridis, the Hart's Line, and the vulval vestibule, which contains the external openings of the urethra and the vagina. Each labium majus 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 majora are thicker in front, where they form by their meeting the anterior commisure of the labia majora. Posteriorly, they are not really joined, but appear to become lost in the neighboring integument, ending close to, and nearly parallel to, each other. Together with the connecting skin between them, they form the posterior commisure of the labia majora or posterior boundary of the pudendum. The interval between the posterior commissure of the labia majora and the anus, from 2.5 to 3 cm. in length, constitutes the perineum. Between the labia majora and the inner thighs are the labiocrural folds. Between the labia majora and labia minora are the interlabial sulci. Labia majora atrophy after menopause.

Use in grafting

The fat pad of the labia majora can be used as a graft, often as a so-called "Martius labial fat pad graft", and can be used, for example, in urethrolysis.

See also

• Labium
• Labia minora
• Cleft of venus

References

1. Manual of Obstetrics. (3rd ed.). Elsevier. pp. 1-16. ISBN 9788131225561.
2. Attention: This template ({{cite doi}}) is deprecated. To cite the publication identified by doi:10.1016/S0090-4295(03)00117-1, please use {{cite journal}} (if it was published in a bona fide academic journal, otherwise {{cite report}} with |doi=10.1016/S0090-4295(03)00117-1 instead.

External links

• Labia Majora Medical Definition

This article incorporates text in the public domain from page 1265 of the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)

• Articles to be merged from March 2014
• Misplaced Pages articles incorporating text from the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)
• Mammal female reproductive system