The vulval vestibule (or vulvar vestibule or vestibule of vagina) is a part of the

vulva The vulva (plural: vulvas or vulvae; derived from Latin for wrapper or covering) consists of the external female sex organs. The vulva includes the mons pubis (or mons veneris), labia majora, labia minora, clitoris, vestibular bulbs, v ...

between the

labia minora The labia minora (Latin for 'smaller lips', singular: ''labium minus'', 'smaller lip'), also known as the inner labia, inner lips, vaginal lips or nymphae are two flaps of skin on either side of the human vaginal opening in the vulva, situated be ...

into which the

urinary meatus The urinary meatus, (, ) also known as the external urethral orifice, is the opening of the urethra. It is the point where urine exits the urethra in both sexes and where semen exits the urethra in males. The meatus has varying degrees of sensiti ...

(urethral opening) and the vaginal opening open. Its edge is marked by Hart's line. It represents the distal end of the urogenital sinus of the embryo.Manual of Obstetrics. (3rd ed.). Elsevier. pp. 1–16. .

Structure

Structures opening in the vulval vestibule are the

urethra The urethra (from Greek οὐρήθρα – ''ourḗthrā'') is a tube that connects the urinary bladder to the urinary meatus for the removal of urine from the body of both females and males. In human females and other primates, the urethra c ...

vagina In mammals, the vagina is the elastic, muscular part of the female genital tract. In humans, it extends from the vestibule to the cervix. The outer vaginal opening is normally partly covered by a thin layer of mucosal tissue called the hy ...

, Bartholin's glands, and Skene's ducts. The external urethral orifice is placed about 25–30 millimetres (1–1.2 in) behind the

clitoris The clitoris ( or ) is a female sex organ present in mammals, ostriches and a limited number of other animals. In humans, the visible portion – the glans – is at the front junction of the labia minora (inner lips), above the o ...

and immediately in front of that of the vagina; it usually assumes the form of a short, sagittal cleft with slightly raised margins. Nearby are the openings of the Skene's ducts. The vaginal orifice is a median slit below and behind the opening of the urethra; its size varies inversely with that of the

hymen The hymen is a thin piece of mucosal tissue that surrounds or partially covers the external vaginal opening. It forms part of the vulva, or external genitalia, and is similar in structure to the vagina. In children, a common appearance of the ...

. To the left and right of the vulval vestibule are the

. Anterior to it are the clitoral hood, frenulum clitoridis, and the clitoral glans. Posterior to it is the posterior commissure of the labia minora and the frenulum of labia minora. The sides of the vestibule are visible as Hart's line on the inside of the inner lips. Hart's line is the outer edge of the area and marks the change from vulvar skin to the smoother transitional skin of the vulva.

Clinical significance

The prevalence of pain at the vulvar vestibule is relatively common. A study by the

University of Michigan , mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth" , former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821) , budget = $10.3 billion (2021) , endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...

found that about 28% of women have experienced vulvar vestibular pain in the past, and about 8% had the pain in the last 6 months.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Vulval Vestibule Vagina