myometrium

9.9

A muscle layer in the wall of the womb that tightens during birth

noun
/ˌmaɪəˈmiːtriəm/

Specialized

: miometrio

Contractions of the myometrium are responsible for labor during childbirth.

Examples

During pregnancy, the myometrium undergoes significant changes to accommodate the growing fetus.
Doctors examined the thickness of the patient's myometrium using ultrasound imaging.
The myometrium contracts during childbirth.
She studied the structure of the myometrium in her anatomy class.
Contractions of the myometrium are responsible for labor during childbirth.
Doctors examined the thickness of the patient's myometrium using ultrasound imaging.
During pregnancy, the myometrium undergoes significant changes to accommodate the growing fetus.

Surface Forms

myometrium singular

myometra plural

Morphology

myometrium = myo + metrium

The components 'myo' (muscle) and 'metrium' (related to the uterus) are not standalone English words, making the term opaque for learners without specialized knowledge.

Etymology

The word myometrium comes from Greek parts myo- meaning 'muscle' and -metrium meaning 'womb' or 'uterus'. So, myometrium literally means the 'muscle of the uterus', which explains why it is the smooth muscle layer that makes the wall of the uterus.