The female
reproductive system is responsible for the production of the female gamete (
ovum) and the production of
sex hormones. The female reproductive
tract also receives the male gamete during copulation (mating).
Anatomy of the female reproductive system
The
ovaries produce the female gamete, the
ovum. Each
ovarian cycle, a single
ovum is released from a mature
follicle in one of the
ovaries. The
ovum is swept into the
oviduct (fallopian tube) by the
fimbriae, a fringe of thin
projections that make up the
distal opening to the
oviduct. The
ovary is not physically connected to the
oviduct.
The
oviduct connects to the
superior part of the
uterus. The
uterus is a muscular, hollow
organ that houses a developing fetus if
fertilization occurs. The
uterus consists of three
tissue layers: The
endometrium,
myometrium and
perimetrium. The
endometrium is a layer of
mucosa that
secretes an acidic
mucus and serves as the site of implanatation for a developing
embryo. The
myometrium is a layer of
smooth muscle that contracts during the
delivery of an infant. The
perimetrium is an outer
serous membrane that surrounds and protects the
uterus.
The
inferior opening to the
uterus is the muscular
cervix. The cervix is constricted for the duration of a pregnancy and dilates during
delivery to allow the passage of the infant.
The
vagina is the canal that joins the
uterus to the external environment. It is lined with mucosa. The
vaginal opening is surrounded by two external protective
structures: the inner labia minora and the outer
labia majora. The
labia majora also protects the opening to the
urethra; the
external urethral opening, which is found anterior to the vaginal opening. Anterior to the
external urethral opening is the
clitoris, a sensitive area rich in
capillaries and
erectile tissue that engorges with
blood during sexual arousal. Together the external features of the female
reproductive system make up the
vulva.
Female Reproductive Anatomy
Figure 10.3.1 - Female reproductive anatomy.
Modified from "Female anatomy" By Tsaitgaist (Female_anatomy.png) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL (www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], via Wikimedia Commons
Except where otherwise noted, content on this site is licensed under
1 - Anatomy and Physiology Basics