Anatomy of the vagina

The female vagina, in its anatomy, is an elastic tube consisting of an extensible muscle tissue. The vagina starts from the cervical part of the uterus and ends with the external genitalia (vulva).

The dimensions of the vagina are about 7 - 12 cm in length and 2-3 cm in width. The thickness of the walls of the vagina is about 3 - 4 mm.

The structure of the walls of the vagina

Anatomy of the structure of the walls of the vagina is represented by three layers:

1. Mucous layer - is an epithelial folded shell, capable of stretching and contracting. This property allows women to have sex and it is necessary in childbirth for the passage of the child through the birth canal.
2. The middle layer of the vaginal wall is muscular, composed of smooth longitudinal muscle fibers. The second layer of the vagina is attached to the uterus and the tissues of the vulva.
3. The outer layer of connective tissue protects the vagina from contact with the intestine and bladder.

The vagina has a pale pink coloration, its walls are soft and warm.

The microflora of the vagina

Vaginal mucosa is filled with microflora, mainly bifidobacteria and lactobacilli , peptostreptococci (less than 5%).

The norm is the acidic environment of the vagina: with it the vital activity of a healthy microflora is maintained, and pathogenic bacteria are destroyed. Alkaline environment, on the contrary, causes a violation in the bacterial balance of the vagina. This leads to vaginal bacteriosis , as well as the development of fungal flora that causes candidiasis.

Another function of the acidic environment of the vagina is the natural selection of spermatozoa. Weak, non-viable male sex cells under the influence of lactic acid die and do not have a chance to fertilize the egg with unhealthy genes.

Maintaining the normal bacterial composition of the vagina and the level of acidity is the key to the health of female genital organs. In the case of inflammatory diseases and the need for antibiotic therapy, it is necessary to take bacterial preparations to restore normal vaginal biocenosis.