Palatovaginal sulcus

With age, the palatal folds decrease. Their reduction begins in the sixth month of the intrauterine period, and in newborns it ends. After birth, only the development of folds begins, which are completed in the first half of the year. The transverse septum muscle of the oral cavity also decreases. By the age of 12-15, it falls out of the fibrous ring, which corresponds to a decrease in the palatal folds. At 8-9 years of age, the height of the nasal septum increases in boys and decreases in girls.

Vaginal blood supply. The superior labial artery (a. labialis superior), as a rule, easily vulnerable, accompanies the lower lip and goes around it under the skin. Sometimes it goes inside the lip. The inferior labial artery also runs under the lower lip between the transverse folds of the mucous membrane. In girls it accompanies the upper lip. The thickest and most powerful arterial arch is located behind the upper lip, near the upper edge of the frenulum, i.e., on the vertical border of the middle third. During pregnancy, an attempt to put your thumb into the vagina in order to find the uteroplacental artery causes sharp pain, since the nerve branch accompanying this artery is easier to stretch in pregnant women than the venous plexus of the middle third. When examining a pregnant woman, it is necessary to pay attention to the position of both legs, the degree of dilation of the cervix, the shape of the uterus and the condition of the abdominal wall, the condition of the vagina. Often external examination turns out to be sufficiently informative for correct diagnosis and determination of the timing of pregnancy. Often this method allows, for example, to establish polyhydramnios in mild degrees of fetal anemia, in macrosomia. Movements of the uterus in the presenting section may indicate weak mobility.

The vagina can expand due to the expansion of the surrounding muscle and fascial spaces, but when it expands, the wall cannot be felt. As a true sign of a congenital anomaly, it can only be increased in size. In all cases where there is a suspicion of vaginal dilatation, the hormonal profile is examined and histological preparations are examined after excision.