Overview
Introduction
The vulva comprises all external female genitalia and serves as the anatomical boundary between the internal reproductive structures and the external environment.
The vulva comprises all external female genitalia and serves as the anatomical boundary between the internal reproductive structures and the external environment. A confident, systematic understanding of vulvar anatomy is foundational to maternal-newborn nursing because the external genitalia are inspected at nearly every point along the reproductive journey: during antepartum visits, throughout labor and birth, and during the postpartum recovery period. Components of the vulva include the mons pubis, the labia majora, the labia minora, the clitoris (glans, hood or prepuce, body, and crura), the vestibule (which contains the urethral meatus, the vaginal introitus, and the openings of the Bartholin and Skene glands), and the perineum (the tissue between the vaginal introitus and the anus). Why this matters clinically: During the intrapartum period, the perineum is assessed continuously for integrity, distension, and laceration as the presenting part descends. Postpartum, the episiotomy or laceration repair site is evaluated for healing using the REEDA scale (Redness, Edema, Ecchymosis, Discharge, Approximation). The external genitalia also reveal early signs of pregnancy, infection, trauma, and benign variation, so the nurse must be able to distinguish...