Bartholin's gland

Bartholin's gland
Female genital organs with Bartholin's gland opening circled
Details
PrecursorUrogenital sinus
ArteryExternal pudendal artery[1]
NerveIlioinguinal nerve[1]
LymphSuperficial inguinal lymph nodes
Identifiers
Latinglandula vestibularis major
MeSHD001472
TA98A09.2.01.016
TA23563
FMA9598
Anatomical terminology

The Bartholin's glands (named after Caspar Bartholin the Younger; also called Bartholin glands or greater vestibular glands) are two pea-sized compound alveolar glands[2] located slightly posterior and to the left and right of the opening of the vagina.[3] They secrete mucus to lubricate the vagina.[3]

They are homologous to bulbourethral glands in males. However, while Bartholin's glands are located in the superficial perineal pouch in females, bulbourethral glands are located in the deep perineal pouch in males. Their duct length is 1.5 to 2.0 cm and they open into navicular fossa.[2] The ducts are paired and they open on the surface of the vulva.[3]

  1. ^ a b Greater Vestibular (Bartholin) gland Archived January 12, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ a b Manual of Obstetrics. (3rd ed.). Elsevier. pp. 1-16. ISBN 9788131225561.
  3. ^ a b c Broach, Vance; Lawson, Barrett (2023). "Bartholin gland carcinomas". Diagnosis and Treatment of Rare Gynecologic Cancers. pp. 305–314. doi:10.1016/B978-0-323-82938-0.00018-5. ISBN 978-0-323-82938-0.