---
title: "Sphincter Urethrovaginalis | Anatomy and Physiology I"
description: "Sphincter urethrovaginalis is a female pelvic floor muscle that squeezes the urethra and vagina to support urinary continence in Anatomy and Physiology I."
canonical: "https://fiveable.me/anatomy-physiology/key-terms/sphincter-urethrovaginalis"
type: "key-term"
subject: "Anatomy and Physiology I"
unit: "Unit 11"
---

# Sphincter Urethrovaginalis | Anatomy and Physiology I

## Definition

The sphincter urethrovaginalis is a pelvic floor muscle in females that wraps around the urethra and vagina and helps keep urine from leaking. In Anatomy and Physiology I, it comes up when you study continence and the muscles of the perineum.

## What It Is

In Anatomy and Physiology I, the sphincter urethrovaginalis is a skeletal muscle in the female perineum that helps compress the urethra and support urinary continence. You can think of it as part of the body’s voluntary “closing system” for the outlet of the bladder.

Its job is mechanical rather than glamorous: when it contracts, it narrows the urethral passage and adds support around the vaginal opening. That squeeze helps resist pressure changes from coughing, laughing, lifting, or exercising. Without that extra support, urine would be more likely to leak when pressure inside the abdomen rises.

This muscle is usually discussed with the external urethral sphincter region and other pelvic floor muscles. Different anatomy sources may group these muscles a little differently, but the idea is the same, the urethra needs both closure and support from the surrounding pelvic floor. The sphincter urethrovaginalis is one of the structures that contributes to that support in females.

It is not the bladder itself doing the work. The bladder stores urine, but continence depends on the outlet staying closed until you decide to void. The sphincter urethrovaginalis helps maintain that closure at the end of the urinary tract, where the urethra passes through the pelvic floor.

A useful way to picture it is as part of a layered support system. The pelvic floor muscles form a sling under the pelvic organs, while this sphincter-like muscle adds local squeezing around the urethra and vaginal opening. During normal urination, the muscle relaxes along with the rest of the outlet muscles so urine can pass.

## Why It Matters

This term matters because urinary continence is a body-function topic that shows up again and again in Anatomy and Physiology I, especially when you move from organ structure to muscle action. The sphincter urethrovaginalis is one of the cleanest examples of how muscle anatomy connects directly to a daily function you can feel in real life.

It also helps you separate the roles of nearby structures. The urethra is the tube that carries urine out, the pelvic floor supports the pelvic organs, and the sphincter urethrovaginalis adds targeted compression around the outlet. When a professor asks why someone leaks with a cough or jump, this is the kind of anatomy you use to explain the mechanism.

The term also fits into lab practicals and diagrams of the perineum. If you are labeling muscles, identifying passageways, or tracing how the urinary system stays closed during storage, this structure gives you a concrete landmark instead of a vague “muscle in the pelvis” answer.

It can also help you compare female pelvic anatomy with the broader idea of sphincters elsewhere in the body. The same basic principle shows up in the digestive and urinary systems: a circular or sling-like muscle contracts to control flow through an opening. Here, that opening is the urethra, and the job is continence.

## Connections

### Urinary Continence

The sphincter urethrovaginalis is one of the muscles that supports continence by keeping the urethral outlet closed until urination is voluntary. If continence is the function, this muscle is part of the anatomy behind that function. It helps you connect a symptom, like leakage, to a structure-level explanation.

### Urethra

This muscle surrounds and supports the urethra, so you need to know the urethra’s path to understand what the muscle is controlling. In diagrams, the urethra is the tube carrying urine out of the bladder, and the sphincter urethrovaginalis acts near its distal outlet in the pelvic floor region.

### Pelvic Floor Muscles

The sphincter urethrovaginalis is part of the pelvic floor support system rather than a lone structure doing all the work. The pelvic floor stabilizes the pelvic organs, resists downward pressure, and helps maintain continence. This muscle adds a more local, compressive action around the urethra and vagina.

### [compressor urethrae](/anatomy-physiology/key-terms/compressor-urethrae)

These terms are closely related and can be treated as overlapping or variant names in some anatomy sources. If you see both in class, focus on the shared idea, a muscle complex that compresses the urethra to help control urine release. Your instructor may prefer one label, but the function stays the same.

## On the AP Exam

A labeled diagram question may ask you to identify the muscle around the female urethra and explain what happens if it contracts or relaxes. In a short-answer item, use the term to connect structure to function: contraction supports urinary continence, while relaxation allows voiding. If you get a case about stress incontinence, this is one of the muscles you can name when explaining why coughing, laughing, or lifting can cause leakage. In a practical, be ready to locate it in the pelvic floor region and distinguish it from the urethra itself. A strong answer uses the anatomy plus the action, not just the name.

## sphincter urethrovaginalis vs compressor urethrae

These names are often mixed up because they point to very similar or overlapping anatomy in the female urethral sphincter region. In many classes, the safe takeaway is that both refer to muscles that help compress the urethra and support continence. If your instructor uses one term, match their label on quizzes and diagrams.

## Key Takeaways

- The sphincter urethrovaginalis is a female pelvic floor muscle that helps close the urethral outlet.
- Its main job is to support urinary continence, especially when abdominal pressure rises during coughing or lifting.
- It works with other pelvic floor muscles, so continence is a support system, not a single-muscle job.
- In Anatomy and Physiology I, the term usually appears in pelvic floor, urinary system, or perineum material.
- If you can explain what happens when it contracts and what happens when it relaxes, you know the core idea.

## FAQs

### What is sphincter urethrovaginalis in Anatomy and Physiology I?

It is a muscle in the female pelvic floor that helps compress the urethra and support urinary continence. You usually see it when studying the perineum, pelvic floor muscles, or the muscular control of urination.

### Does sphincter urethrovaginalis control urination?

Yes, it contributes to control of urination by helping keep the urethra closed between voids. It does not replace the bladder or the nervous system, but it adds muscular support that helps prevent leakage.

### Is sphincter urethrovaginalis the same as compressor urethrae?

They are very closely related, and some anatomy sources treat them as overlapping terms or parts of the same sphincter complex. In class, follow the naming used by your instructor or textbook, but focus on the shared function of urethral compression.

### Why does sphincter urethrovaginalis matter for stress incontinence?

Stress incontinence happens when pressure in the abdomen forces urine out before the outlet muscles can fully resist it. A weak or poorly functioning sphincter urethrovaginalis can make that leak more likely because it helps close and support the urethra.

## Related Study Guides

- [11.4 Axial Muscles of the Abdominal Wall, and Thorax ](/anatomy-physiology/unit-11/4-axial-muscles-abdominal-wall-thorax/study-guide/CisJDZEKv0MQe4ra)

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