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PARTS AND THEIR FUNCTIONS
j Gonad: Ovaries
about 3 cm long, has bumps on the surface that
comprise a single egg cell surounded by layers of
cells. Also produce female sex hormones :
oestrogen and progesteron.
Oogenesis is a process when ovary produces
ovum.
j Tubes: Oviduct or Fallopian Tube

About 10 cm long, connecting the ovary and

womb.
j Uterus
muscular structure that will expand in
pregnancy to support growing zygote or embryo,
supporting a bag of liquid.
` Endometrium
inner lining of uterus that supplied by many
blood vessels. Placenta will develop in this
organ.
` Cervix
neck of uterus that usually kept almost closed
but will relax when child birthing to allow
baby out of the uterus.
j Vagina

is where sperms are deposited and the canal

which the baby must pass during birth.
ëENSTRUAL CYCLE
j Begins at puberty and is under the control of
hormones from the hypothalamus, pituitary
gland, and the ovary itself.

j Stage 1
menstrual flow: loss of blood and endometrial
tissue from uterin wall.
j Stage 2

pituary gland responds the low level of hormones

oestrogen and progesteron by producing
hormones that simulate development of follicles
in the ovary.
j Stage 3
cells of the follicles multiply and secretes more and
more oestrogen, peaks about 12 days after stage 1
begins.
j Stage 4

growth of uterin lining and production of hormones

that stimulate follicle development.
j Stage 5

Ovulation: one or more developed oocytes erupts

through the surface of ovary, about 14-28 days after
stage 1.
j Stage 6

Remains of erupted follicle becomes  #$%

%%& that produces hormone oestrogen and
progesterone, also stimulates further growth of
endometrium and prepare for possible fertilisation.
jStage 7
if fertilisation is absent the corpus luteum will
degenerate after 14 days, results in drop of
oestrogen and progesterone that will result in
break down of tissues in the lining of
endometrium. This exits the body as menstrual
flow.
Ovum can only be fertilised at most 24 hours after
it is released. Every female has their supply of
egg cells. Every day some of these die. When the
female reaches puberty, only 300 000 ² 400 000
egg cells are left. Only 400 ² 500 egg cells will
ovulate as a part of oocyte development.
When the number of oocytes in female body is
exhausted, the female reaches a phase of life
called menopause, usually in the age of 50s.
PëS (PREëENSTRUAL SYNDROëE)
j Consists of physical and emotional symptoms
that happened in female during the time before
the menstruation, and usually stopped when the
menstruation starts. Examples:
` Irritability
` Depression
` ëood swings
` Headache and stomachache

j These can be avoided by:

` Exercise regularly
` Avoiding stress during menstrual period
` Controling the amount of magnesium, vitamin B and
calcium in the body.
` Eat a balanced diet
FERTILISATION

j After the sperm fused with the egg and becomes

a fertilised egg, the outer membrane of the oocyte
thickens and preventing the entry of the other
sperms.
j The fertilised egg is called a zygote, then to be
grow as an embryo.
AFTER FERTILISATION
j Cleavage
is a process of cell division that occurs in the
zygote as it moves down to the uterus, happens
around 30 hours since the fertilisation happens.
Unlike normal divisions, the cytoplasm of the
cells produced is split up into smaller and smaller
cells. 4 to 6 days after fertilisation, the ´ball of
cellsµ called blastocyst reaches the uterus and
develop into every type of cell that are known as
stem cells.
j Implantation
Outer layer of blastocyst releases enzymes to
help it ´stickµ to the uterus. If it sticks in places
other than the uterus than it is called ectopic
pregnancy and it should be terminated, either
automatically by the body or surgically, because
of the danger posed to the mother.
j From embryo to feotus

feotus is when in the end of third month of

embryo (about 4 cm long) and certain parts of the
body starts to grow so it can be recognised as
human.
INTERESTING FACTS
j 4th week of pregnancy: embryo 5 mm in size
j 12th week of pregnancy: embryo·s eyelids and
eyes are still fused together
j 16th week of pregnancy: the mother can feel the
baby·s heartbeat
j ëenstrual flow in females can be affected by
factors such as diet, stress, health, and
travelling.
j The largest cell in female body is ovum.

j Female body is capable for giving birth to 35

children in one lifetime.
INTERESTING FACTS
j Female is born with all the ova (eggs) she will
ever have³about 2 million. These are immature.
By puberty, she will have only about 400,000 ova,
the rest having dwindled away. During her
reproductive life, a woman will only ovulate
about 400 eggs. Which eggs are selected to
mature or ripen to ovulation is still a biological
mystery.