Click on the structure to specify the target of your label
![]() |
01 | ![]() |
Pars pubovaginalis
Other Terms:
Pubovaginalis,
Levator prostatae,
Musculus pubococcygeus,
Musculus levator prostatae,
Musculus pubovaginalis,
Muscle pubo-coccygien,
Muscle pubovaginal
Muscle parts
Puboperinealis; Puboprostaticus or Levator prostate (male); Pubovaginalis (female); Pubo-analis; Puborectalis
Latin name
Musculus levator ani - Musculus pubococcygeus
Latin muscle parts
Musculus puboperinealis; Musculus puboprostaticus or Musculus levator prostatae (male); Musculus pubovaginalis (female); Musculus puboanalis; Musculus puborectalis
Group
Pelvis/perineal wall – lateral musculature – internal layer
Etymology
The English name of the levator ani is the muscle that lifts the ring. This muscle has two parts. The English equivalent of the pubococcygeus part of the muscle is the part between the adulthood bone and the cuckoo bone.Levator comes from the Latin verb levare meaning “to lift.”The word ani is the genitive form of anus, which comes from the Latin for “ring.” This describes the ring-like structure of the anus.Pubococcygeus comes from the Latin puber, which denoted “an adult of marriageable age.” The noun form of this word literally meant “the time of coming of hairs,” in reference to the appearance of hairs around the genitalia when a young man or woman became sexually mature. The word was later transferred to the bone of the os coxae the is positioned below the pubic hairs. The word coccygeus comes from the Greek kokkyx meaning “cuckoo,” because of the resemblance of the coccyx or tailbone to the beak of a cuckoo bird.
Origin
Posterior surface of the pubic body.
Insertion
Fibers merge into prostate (male) and vagina (female), into the perineal body and rectum, pass behind rectum to form a muscular sling, and attach onto the front of the coccyx via an aponeurosis.
Action
Compress the urethra, vagina, and anus; elevate the recto-anal junction; support pelvic viscera; increase intra-abdominal pressure; active in normal quiet inspiration
Nerve supply
Pudendal nerve (S2 and S3) or from small direct branches of sacral ventral rami (S2 and S3)
Blood supply
Internal pudendal artery and inferior gluteal artery from the internal iliac artery.
Latin
Musculus pubococcygeus
Latin
Musculus levator prostatae
Latin
Musculus pubovaginalis
French
Muscle pubo-coccygien
French
Muscle pubovaginal