hypogastric

Hypogastric is an anatomical term meaning “below the stomach.” In human anatomy, the hypogastric region is the lower middle part of the abdomen, lying inferior to the umbilical region and between the right and left iliac regions. This area commonly overlies the urinary bladder in adults and, in women, lies near the uterus and ovaries, making it a focus in abdominal and pelvic examinations.

The term is also used in vascular anatomy. The hypogastric artery is an older name for the internal iliac artery, and the hypogastric vein refers to the internal iliac vein. These vessels supply and drain the pelvic organs, the gluteal region, and parts of the lower abdominal wall.

Nerve supplies in the pelvis involve the hypogastric plexuses. The superior hypogastric plexus forms from preganglionic sympathetic fibers and continues as the inferior hypogastric (pelvic) plexus, where sympathetic and parasympathetic fibers mix to innervate pelvic organs such as the bladder, rectum, and reproductive organs.

Clinical relevance includes the localization of pain or tenderness in the hypogastric region, which can indicate conditions such as cystitis, pelvic inflammatory disease, gynecologic or urologic disorders, or postoperative nerve injury. Diagnostic considerations typically involve physical examination, imaging, and, when needed, targeted laboratory tests to distinguish pelvic and lower abdominal causes.