Cervical canal - what is it and what are its functions?

Pregnancy is the most exciting and important period in the life of any woman. At this time, the work of all organs and systems of the body is aimed at preserving the life of the unborn child. The cervical canal is not an exception . What it is? This is one of the most important parts of the female genitalia, which connects the vagina and the uterine cavity. During childbirth, the cervical canal (pictured below) opens and forms together with the vagina and the uterus a single ancestral pathway.

Cervical canal - what is it and what are its functions?

The main function of the canal is to protect against infection and ensure the penetration of spermatozoa into the uterine cavity during the period of ovulation.

The uterine cavity is absolutely sterile. This is possible due to the mucosa of the canal, in which a large number of cells that produce mucus are formed. Its chemical and physical properties are directly influenced by the level of female sex hormones. At the beginning of the menstrual cycle, as well as at the end, mucus has a more viscous consistency and has an acidic environment. Viscous mucus serves as a stopper and closes the cervical canal of the uterus. In an acidic environment, as is known, microbes are killed, and spermatozoa lose their mobility and become incapable of fertilization. Due to the acidic environment, infection can not penetrate into the uterine cavity. In the middle of the cycle, the level of estrogen (female sex hormones) is maximal, due to this, the mucus becomes more liquid and acquires an alkaline medium. It is in these few days that spermatozoa have the ability to fertilize a mature egg.

Congenital pathologies

Wrong formation of organs can provoke various anomalies:

• Formation of the second cervical canal. Such an anomaly is observed when during development all internal genital organs are doubled: two uterus with appendages, two cervical uteri and two cervical canals. The vagina can be one, although it is possible to develop the second one. Such a pathology can not interfere with normal pregnancy and normal childbirth. Surgery is required if this anomaly is the cause of infertility.

• Atresia or infection of the cervical canal. With this pathology, the functional connection between organs is broken, the vagina does not communicate with the uterine cavity. For this reason, during menstruation, blood will collect in the uterine cavity, this can lead to peritonitis (inflammation in the abdominal cavity) or rupture of the fallopian tubes or uterus. Also, with such an anomaly, spermatozoa can not enter the uterine cavity, which can provoke infertility. In this situation, surgical intervention is inevitable.

Cervical canal - what effect does pregnancy have on it?

With the onset of pregnancy, the cervical canal (what it is, already discussed above) changes color from pale pink to cyanotic. It is this feature that enables the doctor to diagnose pregnancy in the early stages. After conception, the hormone progesterone begins to be produced in the ovaries, due to which the mucus in the cervical canal becomes even thicker and more durable. Due to the mucous plug closing the channel, the future baby is reliably protected from penetration of pathogens. Cork departs shortly before birth, some women in two weeks, others - for two or three hours. A woman can observe yellowish or transparent mucus, sometimes with veins of blood. Before the birth, the diameter of the cervical canal widens to 10 cm.

From this article, you learned about such an important area of the cervix as the cervical canal: what is it and its main functions in the female body.