Perineum - wikipedia Perineum Not to be confused with peritoneum. Perineum The muscles of the female perineum The muscles of the male perineum Details System Musculoskeletal system Artery Perineal artery, dorsal artery of the penis and deep artery of the penis Nerve Perineal nerve, posterior scrotal nerves, dorsal nerve of the penis or dorsal nerve of clitoris Lymph Primarily superficial inguinal lymph nodes Identifiers Latin Perineum, perinaeum TA A09. 5.00. 001 FMA 9579 Anatomical terminology ( edit on Wikidata ) In human anatomy, the perineum ( / pɛrɪˈniːəm / ; late Latin, from Greek περίνεος perineos perinaeon, peri -, around + inein to discharge or defecate ), is the space between the anus and scrotum in the male and between the anus and the vulva in the female. The perineum is the region of the body between the pubic symphysis ( pubic arch ) and the coccyx ( tail bone ), including the perineal / pɛrəˈniːəl / body and surrounding structures. There is some variability in how the boundaries are defined. The perianal area ( peri - and anal ) is a subset of the perineum. The perineum is an erogenous zone for both males and females. Perineal tears and episiotomy often occur in childbirth with first - time deliveries, but the risk of these injuries can be reduced by preparing the perineum, often through massage. Contents 1 Structure 1.1 Body 1.2 Fascia 1.3 Areas of the perineum 2 Clinical significance 3 Society and culture 4 See also 5 References 6 External links Structure The perineum is generally defined as the surface region in both males and females between the pubic symphysis and the coccyx. The perineum is below the pelvic diaphragm and between the legs. It is a diamond - shaped area that includes the anus and, in females, the vagina. Its definition varies : it can refer to only the superficial structures in this region, or it can be used to include both superficial and deep structures. The perineum corresponds to the outlet of the pelvis. A line drawn across the surface connecting the ischial tuberosities divides the space into two triangles : The anterior urogenital triangle, contains the penis ( males ) or vagina ( females ) The posterior anal triangle containing the anus The formal anatomical boundaries of the perineum may be said to be : in front : the pubic arch and the arcuate ligament of the pubis behind : the tip of the coccyx on either side : the inferior rami of the pubis and ischial tuberosity, and the sacrotuberous ligament superiorly : pelvic floor inferiorly : skin and fascia Body The perineal body ( or central tendon of perineum ) is a pyramidal fibromuscular mass in the middle line of the perineum at the junction between the urogenital triangle and the anal triangle. It is found in both males and females. In males, it is found between the bulb of penis and the anus ; in females, is found between the vagina and anus, and about 1.25 cm in front of the latter. The perineal body is essential for the integrity of the pelvic floor, particularly in females. Its rupture during vaginal birth leads to widening of the gap between the anterior free borders of levator ani muscle of both sides, thus predisposing the woman to prolapse of the uterus, rectum, or even the urinary bladder. At this point, the following muscles converge and are attached : 1. External anal sphincter 2. Bulbospongiosus muscle 3. Superficial transverse perineal muscle 4. Anterior fibers of the levator ani 5. Fibers from male or female external urinary sphincter 6. Deep transverse perineal muscle Fascia The terminology of the perineal fascia can be confusing, and there is some controversy over the nomenclature. This stems from the fact that there are two parts to the fascia, the superficial and deep parts, and each of these can be subdivided into superficial and deep parts. The layers and contents are as follows, from superficial to deep : 1 ) foreskin 2 ) superficial perineal fascia : Subcutaneous tissue divided into two layers : ( a ) A superficial fatty layer, and ( b ) Colles ' fascia, a deeper, membranous layer. 3 ) deep perineal fascia and muscles : Superficial perineal pouch Contains superficial perineal muscles : transversus perinei superficialis, bulbospongiosus, ischiocavernosus Inferior fascia of urogenital diaphragm, or perineal membrane A membranous layer of the deep fascia. Deep perineal pouch Contains the deep perineal muscles : transversus perinei profundus, sphincter urethrae membranaceae Superior fascia of the urogenital diaphragm Considered hypothetical by some modern anatomists, but still commonly used to logically divide the contents of the region. 4 ) fascia and muscles of pelvic floor ( levator ani, coccygeus ) Areas of the perineum The region of the perineum can be considered a distinct area from pelvic cavity, with the two regions separated by the pelvic diaphragm. The following areas are thus classified as parts of the perineal region : perineal pouches : superficial and deep ( see above for details ) ischioanal fossa -- a fat - filled space at the lateral sides of anal canal. It is bounded laterally by obturator internus muscle, medially by pelvic diaphragm and anal canal. Its base is the skin. anal canal pudendal canal -- contains internal pudendal artery and the pudendal nerve. Clinical significance Extensive deformations of the pelvic floor structures occur in the course of a vaginal delivery. Approximately 85 % of women suffer some extent of perineal trauma during a vaginal delivery and in about 69 % suturing is required. Obstetric perineal trauma is a distressing event significantly contributing to postpartum morbidity and frustration of women after delivery. In many women the childbirth trauma is manifested in advanced age when the compensatory mechanisms of the pelvic floor become weakened making the problem more serious among the aged population. The anogenital distance is a measure of the distance between the anus and the base of the penis or vagina. Studies show that the human perineum is twice as long in males as in females. Measuring the anogenital distance in neonatal humans has been suggested as a noninvasive method to determine male feminisation and thereby predict neonatal and adult reproductive disorders. Over-zealous repair of the perineum after childbirth, using a so - called `` husband stitch '' to increase vaginal tightness can cause or exacerbate pain during intercourse. Society and culture There are a number of American slang terms commonly used for this area of the human body, such as `` taint. '' Additional images Female perineum highlighted in red square Annotated male perineum : 1. Perineum. 2. Raphe perinealis. 3. Anus. 4. Testicles, Scrotum. 5. Raphe scrotalis. Stages in the development of the external sexual organs in the male and female See also 101 Vagina Deep perineal pouch Erogenous zone Femalia Intimate part Mula Bandha Pelvic floor Perineal raphe Perineal tear classification Tactile Imaging References Jump up ^ OED 2nd edition, 1989 as / pɛrɪˈniːəm / and / pɛrɪˈniːəl /. Jump up ^ `` Perineum definition and meaning Collins English Dictionary ''. www.collinsdictionary.com. Jump up ^ Федеративе Коммиттее он Анатомикал Терминологий ( 1998 ). Terminologia anatomica : international anatomical terminology. Thieme. pp. 268 --. ISBN 978 - 3 - 13 - 114361 - 7. Retrieved 25 August 2010. Jump up ^ Winkelmann RK. The erogenous zones : their nerve supply and significance. Mayo Clin Proc. 1959 ; 34 ( 2 ) : 39 - 47. PMID 13645790. Jump up ^ Shipman, M.K., Boniface, D.R., Tefft, M.E., McCloghry, F. ( July 1997 ). `` Antenatal perineal massage and subsequent perineal outcomes : a randomised controlled trial ''. British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. 104 ( 7 ) : 787 -- 91. doi : 10.1111 / j. 1471 - 0528.1997. tb12021. x. PMID 9236642. CS1 maint : Multiple names : authors list ( link ) Jump up ^ Gray, Henry. Anatomy of the Human Body. Philadelphia : Lea & Febiger, 1918 ; Bartleby.com, 2000. Jump up ^ perineumboundaries Jump up ^ Daftary, Shirish ; Chakravarti, Sudip ( 2011 ). Manual of Obstetrics, 3rd Edition. Elsevier. pp. 1 - 16. ISBN 9788131225561. Jump up ^ Sleep J, Grant A, Garcia J, Elbourne D, Spencer J, Chalmers I. West Berkshire perineal management trial. Br Med J ( Clin Res Ed ). 1984 ; 289 ( 6445 ) : 587 - 90. Jump up ^ McCandlish R, Bowler U, van Asten H, Berridge G, Winter C, Sames L, Garcia J, Renfrew M, Elbourne D. A randomised controlled trial of care of the perineum during second stage of normal labour. Br J Obstet Gynaecol. 1998 ; 105 ( 12 ) : 1262 - 72. Jump up ^ Grant A, Sleep J. Repair of perineal trauma. In : Enkin M, Keirse MJNC, Chalmers I, Eds. A Guide to Effective Care in Pregnancy and Childbirth. Oxford : Oxford University Press, 1989 : 240 - 43. Jump up ^ Barrett G, Pendry E, Peacock J, et al. Women 's sexuality after childbirth : a pilot study. Archives of Sexual Behavior 1999 ; 28 ( 2 ) : 179 - 91. Jump up ^ Tinelli A, Malvasi A, Rahimi S, et al. Age - related pelvic floor modifications and prolapse risk factors in postmenopausal women. Menopause 2010 ; 17 ( 1 ) : 204 - 12. Jump up ^ `` Validity of anogenital distance as a marker of in utero phthalate exposure ''. Environmental Health Perspectives. 114 ( 1 ) : A19 -- 20. January 2006. doi : 10.1289 / ehp. 114 - a19b. PMC 1332693. PMID 16393642. Jump up ^ Michelle Welsh, et al. : `` Identification in rats of a programming window for reproductive tract masculinization, disruption of which leads to hypospadias and cryptorchidism ''. Journal of Clinical Investigation, 13 March 2008. Jump up ^ `` The Husband Stitch ''. www.mamabirth.com. 28 July 2013. Retrieved 15 October 2017. Jump up ^ Vinopal, Lauren ( 17 August 2017 ). `` Are Husbands and Doctors Conspiring to Sew New Moms Up Too Tight ? ''. Fatherly. Retrieved 15 October 2017. External links Wikisource has the text of the 1905 New International Encyclopedia article Perinæum. Perineum at The Anatomy Lesson by Wesley Norman ( Georgetown University ) Muscles of perineum Perineum Anal triangle sphincter ani external internal Ischioanal fossa Pudendal canal Middle Perineal body Urogenital triangle superficial perineal pouch superficial transverse perineal bulbospongiosus ischiocavernosus deep perineal pouch deep transverse perineal sphincter urethrae membranaceae Fascia Superficial perineal fascia Colles ' fascia ( in scrotum and penis : Dartos ) Deep perineal fascia Deep perineal fascia / superficial investing fascia ( Gallaudet 's ) ( in penis : Deep fascia of the penis ( Buck 's ) ) Urogenital diaphragm Inferior fascia ( Perineal membrane ) Superior fascia Pelvic diaphragm Inferior fascia Superior fascia Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Perineum&oldid=821622918 '' Categories : Perineum Pelvis Human surface anatomy Hidden categories : CS1 maint : Multiple names : authors list Medicine infobox template using GraySubject or GrayPage Use dmy dates from April 2017 Talk Contents About Wikipedia Afrikaans Azərbaycanca Български Brezhoneg Català Čeština Cymraeg Dansk Deutsch Eesti Ελληνικά Español Euskara فارسی Français 한국어 हिन्दी Ido Bahasa Indonesia Íslenska Italiano עברית Latina Lietuvių Magyar Македонски Nederlands 日本 語 Norsk Plattdüütsch Polski Português Română Русский Scots Simple English Suomi Svenska Tagalog Татарча / tatarça Türkçe Українська 粵語 中文 Edit links This page was last edited on 21 January 2018, at 16 : 52. 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Question: where is the perineum located on a woman
Answer: between the anus and the vulva