1. Female Reproductive Anatomy
The uterus is a pear shaped organ situated between the urinary bladder and the rectum
It serves as part of the pathway for sperm deposited
in the vagina to reach the uterine tubes
It is also the site of implantation of a fertilized ovum, development of the fetus during pregnancy, and
labor
During reproductive cycles when implantation does not occur, the uterus is the source of menstrual flow
The uterus is larger in females who have recently been pregnant, and smaller when sex hormone levels are low (menopause).

2. Female Reproductive Anatomy
Anatomical subdivisions of the uterus include:
A dome-shaped superior portion called the fundus
A central portion called the body, that tapers to a narrow isthmus
the inferior-most
cervix opens into
the vagina through
the cervical
canal

3. Female Reproductive Anatomy
The interior of the body of the uterus is called the uterine cavity
The cervical canal
has an internal os
and an external os
that opens into
the uterine
cavity and the
vagina, respectively

4. Female Reproductive Anatomy
The vagina is a fibromuscular canal lined with mucous membrane that extends from the exterior of the body to the uterine cervix. It is composed of both longitudinal and circular muscle, and has 3 basic functions:
Serve as a passageway
for menstrual flow
Receive sperm
Form the lower
birth canal
The vagina a normal flora, and organic acids are normally present.

5. Female Reproductive Anatomy
The vulva (female external genitalia) refers to the:
Mons pubis (created by adipose tissue)
Erectile tissue of the clitoris
Labia majora (outer limits of
vulva) and labia minora
(covers the vestibule)
Vestibule, the
area between the
labia minora
Vaginal orifice
(opening)
labia minora – in males, the penile urethra and skin of the penis

6. Female Reproductive Anatomy
Anterior to the vaginal orifice and posterior to the clitoris is the opening of the external urethral orifice
Mucus-secreting paraurethral glands flank the orifice (homologous to the prostate gland in males)
On either side of the vaginal orifice itself are the greater vestibular (Bartholin’s) glands which open by ducts into a groove between the hymen and labia minora. They produce a small quantity of lubricating mucous during sexual arousal
In males, the scrotum is the counterpart of the labia major in females; the penile urethra and skin of the penis is the counterpart of the labia minora in females.
The greater vestibular glands are homologous to the bulbourethral glands in males. Several lesser vestibular glands also open into the vestibule, and do the same thing as the greater vestibular glands.

7. Female Reproductive Anatomy
The perineum denotes the diamond-shaped area medial to the thighs and buttocks of females (and males) – the entire undersurface of the pelvis
It contains the external
genitalia and
anus

8. Female Reproductive Anatomy

9. Female Reproductive Anatomy
The breasts (mammary glands) are modified sudoriferous glands that produce milk: Each contains 15–20 lobes divided into lobules
Each lobule is
composed of milk-
secreting glands called
alveoli. The nipple has a
pigmented area (areola)
and openings for the
lactiferous ducts

10. Female Reproductive Anatomy

11. Female Reproductive Physiology
During reproductive years, nonpregnant females normally exhibit cyclical changes in the ovaries and uterus
Each cycle takes about a month and involves both oogenesis (ovarian cycle) and preparation of the uterus to receive a fertilized ovum with hormones secreted by the hypothalamus, anterior pituitary, and ovaries controling the main events

12. The Female Reproductive Cycle
The hormones secreted in the brain constitute the part
of the cycle called the hypothalamic/pituitary cycle. Those hormones are GnRH, FSH, and LH
The reproductive organs in the female pelvis respond to the brain hormones by cycling at two “lower” levels
the ovarian cycle occurs in the ovaries where 1o , 2o and 3o follicles are formed
the uterine cycle refers to the monthly cycling of
the endometrium when a woman is not pregnant

13. The Ovarian Cycle
The formation of gametes in the ovaries is termed oogenesis. In contrast to spermatogenesis, which begins in males at puberty, oogenesis is more complex and begins in females before they are even born
During early fetal development, primordial germ cells migrate from the yolk sac to the ovaries where they differentiate into oogonia
Oogonia are diploid (2n) stem cells that divide mitotically to produce millions of germ cells

14. The Ovarian Cycle
Even before birth, most oogonia degenerate, though a few develop into larger cells called 1o oocytes that enter prophase of meiosis I (during fetal development) but do not complete it until a fortunate few are called upon to do so during the reproductive years
During the interim (an arrested
stage of development), each 1o
oocyte is surrounded by follicular
cells in a primordial follicle
At birth, approximately 200,000 to 2,000,000 primary oocytes remain in each ovary. Of these, about 40,000 are still present at puberty, and around 400 will mature and ovulate during a woman’s reproductive years.

15. The Ovarian Cycle
At puberty, under the influence of LH and FSH (the brain gonadotropins), several primordial follicles will be stimulated each month, although only one will typically reach the maturity needed for ovulation
Maturing oocytes within maturing follicles undergo a series of developmental stages which ultimately brings one 2o oocyte within a 3o follicle to the point of ovulation
the ovulated 2o oocyte will have completed meiosis I, and so have the haploid number of chromosomes (1n)