1. Internal Organs of the Female Reproductive System

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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)

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

32. 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