During surgical repair of an indirect inguinal hernia in a woman, the surgeon encounters a fibromuscular band running from the ovary through the inguinal canal toward the labium majus. This structure and the ovarian ligament are together derived from which embryological structure?
- A Paramesonephric duct
- B Gubernaculum ✓
- C Mesonephric duct
- D Genital fold of the urogenital ridge
Correct answer: B. Gubernaculum
Explanation
The gubernaculum guides gonadal descent. In the male its distal part becomes the scrotal ligament; in the female it becomes two structures: the proper ovarian ligament proximally and the round ligament of the uterus passing through the inguinal canal to the labium majus distally. The paramesonephric duct forms the uterus, tubes, and upper vagina, and the mesonephric duct regresses largely in females.
Reference: Langman's Medical Embryology, 14th ed.
High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP
Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.