Female Urethra: What is it? Anatomy, Function and Pathologies

Remarkably different from the male urethra, the female urethra is a musculomembranous canal, usually about 4-5 centimeters long, which originates from the neck of the bladder and, in a downward and forward direction, passes through the pelvic floor, up to reach the vulvar vestibule, where it opens outwards through the urinary meatus.
With the fundamental support of the internal urethral sphincter and external urethral sphincter muscles, the female urethra ensures the emptying of the bladder.
The female urethra can be the victim of various medical conditions, including urethral stricture, urethritis, urethral cancer and iatrogenic urethral lesions.