Ovarian ligament

Ovarian ligament
Uterus and right broad ligament, seen from behind. The broad ligament has been spread out and the ovary drawn downward. The ligament of ovary is labeled at the center top. The suspensory ligament of the ovary (not labeled), which may be confused with ligament of ovary, is shown incompletely and in section; it surrounds the ovarian vessels (labeled).
Ovary of a sheep. 1: ovary 2: tertiary follicle 3: proper ovarian ligament 4: fallopian tube 5: ovarian artery and ovarian vein
Details
Precursor	upper gubernaculum
Identifiers
Latin	ligamentum ovarii proprium
TA	A09.1.01.017
FMA	55422
Anatomical terminology []

The ovarian ligament (also called the utero-ovarian ligament or proper ovarian ligament) is a fibrous ligament that connects the ovary to the lateral surface of the uterus.

This ligament should not be confused with the suspensory ligament of the ovary, which extends from the ovary in the other direction.

The ovarian ligament is composed of muscular and fibrous tissue; it extends from the uterine extremity of the ovary to the lateral aspect of the uterus, just below the point where the uterine tube and uterus meet.

The ligament runs in the broad ligament of the uterus, which is a fold of peritoneum rather than a fibrous ligament. Specifically, it is located in the parametrium.

Embryologically, each ovary (which forms from the gonadal ridge) is connected to a band of mesoderm, the gubernaculum. This strip of mesoderm remains in connection with the ovary throughout its development, and eventually spans this distance by attachment within the labium majus. During the latter parts of urogenital development, the gubernaculum forms a long fibrous band of connective tissue stretching from the ovary to the uterus, and then continuing into the labium majus. This connective tissue span, the remnant of the gubernaculum is separated into two parts anatomically in the adult; the length between the ovary and the uterus termed the ovarian ligament, and the longer stretch between the uterus and the labium majus, the round ligament of uterus.