Internal Organs of the Female Reproductive System

Vagina Fibromuscular tube Connects internal and external organs of reproduction in the female Runs obliquely upwards and backwards at an angle of 45 ° Between the bladder in front and rectum and anus behind 8 cm

Structure Outer covering of areolar tissue A midle layer of smooth muscle Inner lining of stratified squamous epithelium – ridges and rugae No secretory glands surface kept moist by cervical secretions Blood supply Arterial plexus around the vagina Uterine and vaginal arteries – both from the internal iliac artery Venous plexus – in the muscular wall  internal iliac vein Lymph  superficial and deep iliac glands Nerve supply : parasympathetic fibres from the sacral outflow Sympathetic fibres from the lumbar outflow Somatic sensory fibres from the pudendal nerves

Uterus Definition Hollow organ Muscular Pear shaped Flattened anteroposteriorly Situation In the pelvic cavity Between the urinary bladder and the rectum Position It is anteverted (leans forward) and anteflexed (bent forward almost at right angles to the vagina with its anterior surface resting on the urinary bladder; as the bladder fills the degree of anteflexion is reduced slightly. (anteversion, anteflexion)

When the body is in upright position the uterus lies in an almost horizontal position Size 2.5 cm thick, 5 cm wide, 7.5 cm long Parts : Fundus – dome like Body - narrowest inferiorly at the internal os Cervix – protrudes through the anterior wall of the vagina opening into it at the external os Structure Three layers Perimetrium – peritoneum – anteriorly forms vesicouterine pouch – posteriorly forms rectouterine pouch (Pouch of Douglas) – laterally forms the broad ligaments which attach the uterus to the lateral wall of the pelvis.

Contains blood vessels and nerves Columnar epithelium Myometrium Thickest layer Smooth muscle fibres Contains blood vessels and nerves Endometrium Columnar epithelium Mucus secreting tubular glands Thickness of this layer varies during the monthly menstrual cycle The upper two thirds of the cervical canal is lined with mucous membrane and the lower third with squamous epithelium – continuous with that of the vagina.

Supports of the uterus In the pelvic cavity the uterus is supported by surrounding organs, muscles of the pelvic floor and the ligaments that suspend it from the walls of the pelvis The ligaments Broad ligament – containing the fallopian tubes – blood vessels and nerves pass to the uterus between the two layers of the ligment Round ligament – in the two layers of the broad ligament – attached to the sides of the uterus – pass to the sides of the uterus – crosses the inguinal canal and ends by fusing with the labium majus Uterosacral ligament – originates from the posterior walls of the cervix and vagina and extends backwards, one on each side of the rectum, to the sacrum

The transverse cervical ligament (cardinal ligaments) extends from the side of the cervix and vagina to the side wall of the pelvis The pubocervical fascia extends forward from the transverse cervical ligaments on each side of the bladder and is attached to the posterior surface of the pubic bones

Uterine arteries from the internal iliac artery Arterial supply Uterine arteries from the internal iliac artery Venous drainage into the internal iliac veins Lymph drainage Aortic lymph nodes Iliac lymph nodes Nerve supply Parasympathetic fibres from the sacral outflow Sympathetic fibres from the lumbar outflow

Uterine Tubes 10 cm From the sides of the uterus between the body and the fundus. Lie in the upper free border of the broad ligament Lateral ends have finger shaped projections called fimbriae. The longest of these projections is called the ovarian fimbria. It is in close association with the ovary Structure Outer peritoneum (broad ligament) Middle smooth muscle Inner ciliated epithelium Blood supply Uterine arteries Uterien veins Lymph  iliac nodes and paraaortic lymph nodes

Ovaries Female gonads (glands) Lie in the iliac fossa 1 cm x 2 cm x 3 cm Attached to the upper part of the uterus by the ovarian ligament and to the back of the broad ligament by a broad band of tissue the mesoovarium Vessels and nerves pass to the ovary in the mesovarium

Stroma lined by germinal epithelium Structure Two layers Medulla – in the center – consists of fibrous tissue blood vessels and nerves Cortex – surrounds the medulla – it has framework of connective tissue called the stroma Stroma lined by germinal epithelium Germinal epithelium contains ovarian follicles Ovarian follicles – in various stages of maturity Each follicle contains an ovum

Before puberty ovaries are inactive but the stroma already contains immature (primordial follicles) follicles. During child bearing years the follicles mature (Graafian follicle) and then rupture one by one releasing the ovum into the peritoneal cavity – ovulation – one during each menstrual cycle

Maturation is stimulated by follicle stimulating hormones tourism (FSH) from anterior pituitory While maturing the follicle lining cells produce the hormone oestrogen After ovulation the follicle lining cells develop into the corpus luteum (yellow body), under the influence of the luteinising hormone (LH ) from the anterior pituitary. The corpus luteum produces the hormone progesterone. Fertilised ovum embeds inte uterus – grows and develops and produces the hormone human chorionic gonadotrophin which stimulates the corpus luteum to continue secreting progesterone for the first 3 months . If not fertilized the corpus luteum degenerates – becomes a mass of fibrous tissue called corpus albicans