The cervix is the lower part of the uterus (womb). It is sometimes called the uterine cervix. It is part of the female reproductive system. The cervix is a passageway and it connects the uterus to the vagina. During menstrual flow, blood flows from the uterus through the cervix into the vagina (birth canal). The body (upper part) of the uterus is where a fetus grows.
The cervix connects the body of the uterus to the vagina (birth canal), the vagina leads to the outer part of the body. The cervix produces mucus and during sexual intercourse, the mucus helps the sperm move from the vagina through the cervix into the uterus. During the pregnancy, the cervix is tightly closed to keep the baby inside the uterus, (womb).
It opens during childbirth to allow the baby pass through the vagina. The part of the cervix closest to the body of the uterus is called the endocervix. The part next to the vagina is the exocervix. The place where these 2 parts meet is called the transformation zone. Most cervical cancers start in the transformation zone. Cervical cancer might spread (metastasize) towards the vagina or towards the uterus.