Some Aspects of the Innervation of the Abdominal and Pelvic Organs in the Human Female Fetus

Abstract

The autonomic abdominal and pelvic nerve plexuses of the human female fetus, were studied by an in toto acetylcholinesterase method in order to obtain data on innervation of the ovaries, uterus, ureter and umbilical cord. The results of this study indicate that in the human fetus there is no anatomical evidence for the concept of a distinct regional nervous supply towards the organs of the abdomen and the pelvis. The ureteric nerve plexus contains small ganglia and the input for this plexus is found along the entire ureter. In the umbilical cord nerve plexuses were found along the blood vessels and urachus up to 30 mm from the umbilicus. The innervation of the skin does not continue in the superficial layer of the umbilical cord.