Which body cavity contains both the sigmoid colon and the reproductive organs?

• A. Abdominal
• B. Thoracic
• C. Spinal
• D. Pelvic

Answer: (D)

The pelvis is the body cavity that contains both the sigmoid colon and the reproductive organs. The pelvic cavity is the lower subdivision of the ventral (anterior) body cavity and houses the reproductive organs (uterus, ovaries, testes, etc.) as well as the lower part of the large intestine that descends into the pelvis, including the sigmoid colon as it moves toward the rectum. The abdominal cavity mainly holds most of the digestive organs but not the reproductive organs, the thoracic cavity houses the heart and lungs, and the spinal cavity contains the spinal cord. So the pelvic cavity is where these structures share the space.