Superior. The peritoneum covering the anterosuperior aspect of the bladder reflects onto the abdominal wall to form the paired supravesical fossae of the peritoneal cavity. These fossae are divided by the median umbilical ligament and bounded laterally by the obliterated umbilical arteries, which form the medial umbilical ligaments. The level of the supravesical fossae (and consequently, the superior extent of the retropubic space) changes with bladder emptying and filling.

Lateral. The walls of the bladder are covered by peritoneum to the level of the umbilical artery/medial umbilical ligament. The reflection of the peritoneum from the lateral walls of the bladder onto the lateral pelvic walls forms the shallow paravesical fossae of the peritoneal cavity. These fossae extend posteriorly to the vasa deferentia in males. In females, they extend to the anterior aspect of the broad ligament, which conveys the round ligaments of the uterus. Inferior to the paravesical fossae, the loose areolar tissue of the retropubic space continues laterally.