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Labia Majora

labia majora pudendi

The labia majora are two prominent folds of fatty skin running back from the mons pubis on either side of the vulva. Their outer surfaces carry pubic hair, while their inner surfaces are smooth with many sebaceous glands. They are the female counterpart of the scrotum, and the round ligament of the uterus ends in them.

Anatomical Data

Structure & Supply

Location	Lateral boundaries of the vulva, from the mons pubis to the perineum
Parts	Outer hair-bearing skin Inner smooth skin Fat and dartos-like smooth muscle Anterior and posterior commissures Termination of the round ligament
Nerve Supply	Ilioinguinal nerve (anterior labial nerves); Genital branch of the genitofemoral nerve; Pudendal nerve (posterior labial nerves); Perineal branch of the posterior femoral cutaneous nerve
Blood Supply	External pudendal arteries (anterior labial branches); Internal pudendal artery (posterior labial branches)
Venous drainage	External pudendal veins Internal pudendal veins
Lymphatic drainage	Superficial inguinal nodes

Biomechanics

Function & Actions

Protect and enclose the other structures of the vulva.

Clinical Relevance

Clinical Notes

Because the round ligament ends here, a hernia following the inguinal canal can present as a lump in a labium majus. Their skin drains to the superficial inguinal nodes. Bruising and swelling are common after childbirth or a straddle injury.

Pathology

Common Injuries & Conditions

Labial Haematoma

Bleeding into the loose tissue of the labium after trauma or delivery, causing painful swelling.

Bartholin Cyst or Abscess

A swelling in the back part of the labium majus from a blocked greater vestibular gland.

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