Abdomen and pelvis: greater vestibular gland: practice question

A Anatomy question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Anatomy · Abdomen and pelvis: greater vestibular gland

Sample item

A 28-year-old woman has a painful, tender swelling in the posterior part of the left labium majus. The gland involved is the female counterpart of which male structure?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

D. Bulbourethral gland

The greater vestibular glands (Bartholin glands) lie on either side of the vaginal orifice and open into the vestibule. They are homologous with the male bulbourethral glands (Cowper glands) and produce a lubricating mucus. Duct blockage causes a cyst or abscess.

Option by option

  • A. Prostate gland

    The female homologue of the prostate is the paraurethral (Skene) glands.

  • B. Seminal vesicle

    Seminal vesicles have no direct counterpart in the female and are mesonephric duct derivatives.

  • C. Epididymis

    The epididymis corresponds to the female epoophoron, a vestigial structure.

  • D. Bulbourethral gland (correct)

    Correct. Greater vestibular glands are homologous with the bulbourethral glands.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

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Questions about this Anatomy question

What is the answer to this Anatomy question?

The best answer is D, Bulbourethral gland. The greater vestibular glands (Bartholin glands) lie on either side of the vaginal orifice and open into the vestibule.

Why is "Prostate gland" not the answer?

The female homologue of the prostate is the paraurethral (Skene) glands.

Why is "Seminal vesicle" not the answer?

Seminal vesicles have no direct counterpart in the female and are mesonephric duct derivatives.

Why is "Epididymis" not the answer?

The epididymis corresponds to the female epoophoron, a vestigial structure.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Abdomen and pelvis: greater vestibular gland in Anatomy. They are homologous with the male bulbourethral glands (Cowper glands) and produce a lubricating mucus. Duct blockage causes a cyst or abscess.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Abdomen and pelvis: greater vestibular gland?

Learn every nerve by its route, its muscles and what a lesion looks like at the bedside. That one habit answers a large share of questions. Then use the flashcards and the other Anatomy questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.