Which nerve provides cutaneous sensation to the skin of the scrotum in males or the mons pubis in females and part of the upper medial thigh?

Which nerve provides cutaneous sensation to the skin of the scrotum in males or the mons pubis in females and part of the upper medial thigh?

• A. Iliohypogastric nerve
• B. Ilioinguinal nerve
• C. Genital branch of genitofemoral nerve
• D. Obturator nerve

Answer: (C)

The key idea is that the genitofemoral nerve carries the skin sensation from the genital region. This nerve comes from L1–L2 and divides as it travels near the inguinal region into a genital branch and a femoral branch. The genital branch travels with the spermatic cord in males (or with the round ligament in females) and provides sensory input to the skin of the scrotum in males and the skin of the mons pubis and labia majora in females, as well as motor to the cremaster muscle. The femoral branch of the same nerve supplies sensation to the upper anterior thigh. So, for cutaneous sensation to the scrotum or mons pubis and the nearby upper thigh region, the genital branch of the genitofemoral nerve is the best fit. Other nerves don’t cover this exact combination of regions.

The key idea is that the genitofemoral nerve carries the skin sensation from the genital region. This nerve comes from L1–L2 and divides as it travels near the inguinal region into a genital branch and a femoral branch. The genital branch travels with the spermatic cord in males (or with the round ligament in females) and provides sensory input to the skin of the scrotum in males and the skin of the mons pubis and labia majora in females, as well as motor to the cremaster muscle. The femoral branch of the same nerve supplies sensation to the upper anterior thigh. So, for cutaneous sensation to the scrotum or mons pubis and the nearby upper thigh region, the genital branch of the genitofemoral nerve is the best fit. Other nerves don’t cover this exact combination of regions.