1. Female Reproductive System

3. Adolescence  Puberty  Burst of hormones activate maturation of the ovaries  Begins: 8-13 yrs of age

4. Function of Female Reproductive System  Produce sex hormones  Produce functioning gametes [ova]  Support & protect developing embryo

7. General Physical Changes An increase in hormone production causes:  Pubic hair growth  Widening of hips, Development of breasts  Onset of first menstrual period

8. ovaries  Each ovary is the shape of an almond. In young women the ovaries are about 1½ - 2 inches long, 1 inch wide  they produce eggs and release one per every 28 day cycle.  they also produce hormones: Estrogen & Progesterone month in fertile women..

9. fallopian tubes [uterine tubes]  stretch from the uterus to the ovaries  About the diameter of a strand of thin spaghetti.  The ends of the fallopian tubes lying next to the ovaries feather into ends called fimbria  Millions of tiny hair-like cilia line the fimbria and interior of the fallopian tubes. The cilia beat in waves hundreds of times a second catching the egg at ovulation and moving it through the tube to the uterus.  Fertilization typically occurs in the fallopian tube

10. Ovulation

11. uterus  pear-shaped muscular organ in the upper female reproductive tract.  The cervix is the lower portion of the uterus; serves as a sphincter to keep the uterus closed during pregnancy until it is time to deliver a baby.  the uterus grows to from 10 to 20 times its normal size during pregnancy.

12. uterus  firm outer coat of muscle (myometrium) and an inner lining (endometrium).  The endometrium thickens during the menstrual cycle to allow implantation of a fertilized egg.  Pregnancy occurs when the fertilized egg implants successfully into the endometrial lining. If fertilization does not occur, the endometrium sloughs off and is expelled as menstrual flow.

14. The Vagina  functions as a two-way street, accepting the penis and sperm during intercourse and roughly nine months later, serving as the avenue of birth through which the new baby enters the world

16. Mammary Glands [ breasts]  Present in both sexes - normally only functional in females  Slightly below center of each breast is a ring of pigmented skin, the areola - this surrounds the nipple  Each lobe is composed of smaller lobules- these contain alveoli that produce milk when a women is lactating  non-pregnant women – glands are undeveloped - hence breast size is largely due to the amount of fat deposits