**5. Uterine blood supply**

The uterus is a highly vascular organ with two arterial and two venous systems intertwined.

The primary arterial system is composed of the *uterine* and *vaginal arteries*, which originate from the hypogastric artery. *The ovarian arteries*, which originate from the aorta on each side and the *funicular artery*, from the external iliac artery, form the second arterial system. The two systems communicate through *uteroovarian anastomotic* vessels.

Between the *uterine artery* and the *vaginal artery*, there are many anastomotic branches, and simple occlusion of the uterine and ovarian artery is not enough to stop blood flow in the uterine body.

The venous system is composed of the *uterine veins* (superficial and deep), which drain the blood in the *hypogastric veins* on each side, and *the ovarian veins* which drain on the right side into the vena cava inferior and on the left side into the left renal vein.
