FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE

SYSTEM
SYSTEMA GENITALE FEMININUM
The female reproductive system
is made up of the INTERNAL and
EXTERNAL sex organs that
function in reproduction of new
offspring. In the human the female
reproductive system is immature at
birth and develops to maturity at
puberty to be able to produce
gametes, and to carry a foetus to
full term.
The EXTERNAL part of the female
reproductive organs is called the
vulva, which means covering. Located
between the legs, the vulva covers the
opening to the vagina and
other reproductive organs inside the
body. A female’s INTERNAL reproductive
organs are the vagina, uterus, fallopian
tubes, and ovaries.
EXTERNAL SEX ORGANS
EXTERNAL SEX ORGANS

The external genital organs include the mons pubis, labia majora, labia minora,
bartholin glands, and clitoris. The area containing these organs is called the vulva.
The external genital organs have three main functions:
• Enabling sperm to enter the body
• Protecting the internal genital organs from infectious organisms
• Providing sexual pleasure
EXTERNAL SEX ORGANS

The mons pubis is a rounded mound of fatty tissue that covers the pubic bone.
During puberty, it becomes covered with hair. The mons pubis contains oil-secreting
(sebaceous) glands that release substances that are involved in sexual attraction
(pheromones).
The labia majora (literally, large lips) are relatively large, fleshy folds of tissue that
enclose and protect the other external genital organs. They are comparable to the
scrotum in males. The labia majora contain sweat and sebaceous glands, which
produce lubricating secretions. During puberty, hair appears on the labia majora.
EXTERNAL SEX ORGANS

The labia minora (literally, small lips) can be very small or up to 2 inches wide. The labia minora lie just
inside the labia majora and surround the openings to the vagina and urethra. A rich supply of blood
vessels gives the labia minora a pink color. During sexual stimulation, these blood vessels become
engorged with blood, causing the labia minora to swell and become more sensitive to stimulation.
The area between the opening of the vagina and the anus, below the labia majora, is called the
perineum. It varies in length from almost 1 to more than 2 inches (2 to 5 centimeters). The labia majora
and the perineum are covered with skin similar to that on the rest of the body. In contrast, the labia
minora are lined with a mucous membrane, whose surface is kept moist by fluid secreted by specialized
cells. The opening to the vagina is called the introitus. The vaginal opening is the entryway for the penis
during sexual intercourse and the exit for blood during menstruation and for the baby during birth.
EXTERNAL SEX ORGANS

When stimulated, Bartholin glands (located beside the vaginal opening) secrete a
thick fluid that supplies lubrication for intercourse. The opening to the urethra, which
carries urine from the bladder to the outside, is located above and in front of the
vaginal opening.
The Clitoris, located between the labia minora at their upper end, is a small
protrusion that corresponds to the penis in the male. The clitoris, like the penis, is
very sensitive to sexual stimulation and can become erect. Stimulating the clitoris
can result in an orgasm.
INTERNAL SEX ORGANS
INTERNAL SEX ORGANS

The ovary is a ductless reproductive gland in which the female reproductive cells are produced. Females have a pair
of ovaries, held by a membrane beside the uterus on each side of the lower abdomen. The ovary is needed in
reproduction since it is responsible for producing the female reproductive cells, or ova.

The uterus or womb is a major female hormone-responsive secondary sex organ of the reproductive system in humans
and most other mammals. In the human, the lower end of the uterus, the cervix, opens into the vagina, while the upper
end, the fundus, is connected to the fallopian tubes.

The uterine cavity is the inside of the uterus. It is triangular in shape, the base (broadest part) being formed by the
internal surface of the fundus between the orifices of theuterine tubes, the apex by the internal orifice of
the uterus through which the cavity of the body communicates with the canal of the cervix.

The primary function of the uterine tubes (fallopian tubes) is to transport sperm toward the egg, which is released by
the ovary, and to then allow passage of the fertilized egg back to the uterus for implantation.
INTERNAL SEX ORGANS

The cervix is the lower part of the uterus in the human female reproductive system. The cervix is usually 2 to 3 cm long (~1 inch) and
roughly cylindrical in shape, which changes during pregnancy.

The ectocervix (also known as the vaginal portion of the cervix) has a convex, elliptical shape and projects into the cervix between the anterior and
posterior vaginal fornices. On the rounded part of theectocervix is a small, depressed external opening, connecting the cervix with the vagina.

The endocervix (endocervical canal) is a luminal cavity within. the cervix forming a passageway between the external os and the internal
os. The upper limit of the endocervicalcanal called the internal os or isthmus, marks the transition from the endocervix to the endometrium
(uterine cavity)

Internal OS is the opening in the lower part of the cervix between the uterus and vagina.

The vagina receives the penis during sexual intercourse and also serves as a conduit for menstrual flow from the uterus. During childbirth, the baby
passes through the vagina (birth canal). The hymen is a thin membrane of tissue that surrounds and narrows the vaginal opening. It is also called
EXTERNAL OS.