ABSTRACT
The ovaries are paired pelvic organs, each measuring on average 3 × 2 × 2 cm. They are attached to the cornua of the uterus by a condensation of fibrous tissue called the ligament of the ovary (utero-ovarian ligament). This is the remnant of the gubernaculum, which plays a role in the descent of the ovary during embryogenesis, and is the homologue of the gubernaculum testis in the male. The suspensory ligament of the ovary runs from the pelvic side wall to the ovary. The fallopian tubes extend from the angle of the uterus laterally and end in the expanded fimbriated portion called the uterine infundibulum (funnel). They lie in close proximity to the ovaries. The mesovarium is a double fold of peritoneum that is attached to the back of the ovary and carries the neurovascular bundle to the ovary across the top of the suspensory ligament. The ureters, gonadal vessels, and bifurcation of the iliac vessels lie deep into the ovaries (Figure 5.1).
