FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM

EXTERNAL FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS

Vulva Means covering Covers the opening of the vagina and other reproductive organs located inside the body Consists of : Mons Pubis Labia Minora Labia Majora Clitoris Vaginal Opening

MONS PUBIS Rounded fatty pad of tissue, covered with pubic hair. Located directly on top of the pubic bone.

LABIA MAJORA Outer fold of tissue on either side of the vaginal opening. Covered with pubic hair on the outside and mucous membrane on the inside.

LABIA MINORA The inner folds of tissue on either side of vaginal opening. The inner folds extend forward, forming a hood-like covering over the clitoris (a small knob of tissue in front of the vaginal opening.)

LABIA MAJORA/LABIA MINORA Both the inner and outer labia are rich in nerve endings and blood vessels. The labia serve as a line of protection against pathogens entering the body and have a function in sexual arousal.

VAGINAL OPENING Just inside the vaginal opening may be a thin membrane called the hymen. This membrane stretches across the opening of the vagina. It has no function and is not present in all females. Also known as the maidenhead, and falsely thought to be proof of virginity.

INTERNAL FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS

VAGINA Muscular, hollow tube that extends from the vaginal opening to the uterus. About 3-5 inches long in a grown woman. Because it has muscular walls, it can expand and contract. In its resting state, the walls touch each other. The vaginal walls are lined with mucous membranes, which keep it protected and moist.

3 PURPOSES OF VAGINA Pathway for baby. Route for menstrual flow to leave body. Penis inserted during sexual intercourse

UTERUS Shaped like an upside-down pear, with thick lining and muscular walls. The uterus contains some of the strongest muscles in a woman’s body. They contract during labor and push out the baby. When a woman is not pregnant, the uterus is only 3 in. long and 2 in. wide. The inner lining of the uterus is called the endometrium, which is richly supplied with blood vessels… brings food to baby This lining builds up and sheds monthly.

CERVIX The vagina connects with the uterus at the cervix, which means “neck” The cervix has strong thick walls and the opening is the size of a straw. During childbirth the cervix dilates to allow for the passage of a baby. The cervix secretes mucous - consistency varies with stage of menstrual cycle. During ovulation mucous is clear and conducive to sperm. Post ovulation, mucous gets thick and pasty to block sperm. If a woman becomes pregnant cervical mucous forms a plug to seal off uterus and protects baby.

FALLOPIAN TUBES They are narrow and lined with cilia. About 4 in. long and as wide as a piece of spaghetti. Within each tube there is a tiny passage no wider than a sewing needle. This is where fertilization occurs. Scar tissue from infection can lead to a tubal pregnancy.

Fallopian Tubes / Fimbria Finger-like projections at the end of the tubes, that surround the ovaries and pick up eggs when they are released. Fertilization of the ovum usually occurs in the widest part of the fallopian tube near the ovary. Fimbria wrap around the ovary but never actually attach.

Ovaries Two oval shaped organs that lie to the upper right and left of the uterus. They produce, store and release eggs in to the fallopian tubes in a process called ovulation. Each is about 2 in. long. They are part of the endocrine system because they produce female sex hormones called estrogen and progesterone. Two functions: House the ova Produce estrogen progesterone 400,000 eggs formed before birth- only several hundred release during reproductive years.

OVULATION The process of releasing 1 mature ovum each month into the fallopian tube. At birth, the female usually has about 200-300,000 immature ova in her ovaries. At puberty, hormones from the pituitary gland cause the ovaries to begin producing female sex hormones. Ova mature Ovum can live about 2 days in the tube where fertilization can occur.

Menstruation Menstruation is the shedding of the uterine lining. A girl usually gets her first cycle between the ages of 10-14. When girls first menstruate their cycles are irregular. Usually by the third year the periods are regular. Periods usually last 3-5-7 days Menstruation may cause: Cramps caused by uterine contractions resulting from chemicals and hormones. These contractions force the unneeded uterine lining out. Bloating-usually caused by the body holding onto water. The body needs the extra water to build up the uterine lining.

Menstruation Day 1- Menstrual flow Low levels of estrogen cause the hypothalamus in the brain to send a message to the pituitary gland to secrete FSH into the bloodstream. The ovaries react by maturing an egg inside the follicles of the ovaries. As the follicle grows it produces estrogen, causing the endometrium to multiply and the lining gets thicker.

Menstruation cont. As the follicle develops- estrogen levels continue to rise for about 10 days until it is high enough to stimulate the pituitary gland to release LH- this triggers the release of the egg from inside the follicle(Ovulation) Chance of fertilization This is the point at which FSH and LH levels are highest, but estrogen levels fall for about 2-3 days after ovulation.

Menstruation/Corpus Luteum After an egg is released, the cells that had lined the ovarian follicle change shape and color and become the corpus luteum produces both estrogen and progesterone. (yellow body) The progesterone changes the lining to support pregnancy. The presence of progesterone causes the level of LH & FSH to gradually drop When the level of LH is low enough, the corpus luteum is no longer stimulated and gradually stops producing progesterone and estrogen. This drop causes the uterus to shed its lining.