14.2 Female Reproductive System Flashcards by Sarah L

What are the female gonads?

paired ovaries

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Where are the ovaries?

they lie in shallow depressions, one on each side of the upper pelvic cavity

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What are ovaries?

female sex organs that produce oocytes and sex hormones

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What is oognesis?

the production of an egg (oocyte)

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What is an oocyte?

female egg, the female gamete

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How are oocytes produced?

the ovaries usually alternate in producing one oocyte per month

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What is ovulation?

the process by which an oocyte bursts from an ovary and usually enters an oviduct

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What are the oviducts also called?

fallopian tubes, uterine tubes

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Where are the oviducts?

they extend from the uterus to the ovaries, but are not attached to the ovaries

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What do oviducts have?

fimbriae

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What are fimbriae?

fingerlike projections that sweep over the ovaries

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What happens when an oocyte bursts from an ovary during ovulation?

it is usually swept into an oviduct by the combined action of the fimbriae and the beating of the cilia that lines the oviducts

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When may an oocyte burst?

from an ovary during ovulation

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What is the function of the ovaries?

to produce oocyte and sex hormones

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What is the function of oviducts?

conduct oocyte
location of fertilization
transport early zygote

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What is the function of uterus?

houses developing fetus

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What is the function of the cervix?

contains opening to uterus

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What is the function of the vagina?

receives penis during sexual intercourse

- serves as a birth canal and as the exit for menstrual flow

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What happens to the oocyte once it’s in the oviduct?

it is propelled slowly by ciliary movement and tubular muscular contraction toward the uterus

How long does an oocyte live?

~6-24 hours unless fertilization occurs

What is fertilization?

the formation of a zygote in the oviduct

What is a zygote?

cell formed by the union of two gametes

Where does a developing embryo go?

arrives at the uterus after several days and then embeds, or implants, itself in the uterine lining, which has been prepared to receive it

What is an ectopic pregnancy?

occasionally, the embryo may implant in the oviduct or elsewhere instead of the uterine lining

What is the uterus?

a thick-walled, muscular organ about the size and shape of an inverted pear

What do the oviducts join?

- joins the uterus at its upper end | - at the lower end, the CERVIX connects with the vagina nearly at a right angle

What is the cervix?

narrow end of the uterus, which leads into the vagina

Where does the development of the embryo take place?

in the uterus (womb) which is ~5 cm wide in usually state, but can stretch up over 30cm for the baby

What is the endometrium?

the lining of the uterus that participates in the formation of the placenta, which supplies nutrients needed for embryonic and fetal development

Describe the endometrium in nonpregnant females?

varies in thickness according to a monthly cycle of events called the uterine cycle

What leads to a vaginal canal?

a small opening in the cervix

What is a vagina?

a tube that lies at a 45 degree angle to the small of the back

What is the mucosal lining of the vagina?

it lies in folds and can extend, which is especially important when the vagina serves as the birth canal, and it facilitates sexual intercourse

What is the vulva?

the external organs of the female

What does the vulva inclide?

- 2 large, hair-covered folds of skin called the labia majora - 2 small folds lying just inside the labia majora called labia minora

Where is the labia majora?

extends backward from the 'mons pubis' (fatty prominence underlying the pubic hair

What is the glans clitoris?

the external portion of the clitoris

What is the clitoris?

the organ of sexual arousal in females

What does the clitoris contain?

like the penis, it contains a shaft of erectile tissue that becomes engorged with blood during sexual stimulation

What does the cleft between the labia minora contain?

openings of the urethra and the vagina

What is hymen?

a ring of tissue that may partially close the vagina, usually ruptured by sexual intercourse or by other types of physical activity

What happens upon sexual stimulation?

- labia minora and the clitoris become engorged with blood - breasts swell - nipples become erect - labia majora enlarges, reddens, and spreads away from the vaginal opening

What happens to the vagina during sexual stimulation?

- expands and elongates

What lubricates the vagina?

- blood vessels in the vaginal wall release small droplets of fluid that seep into the vagina and lubricate it - mucus-secreting glands beneath the labia minora on either side of the vagina

What stimulates the clitoris?

thrusting of the penis and the pressure of the pubic symphyses of the partners act to stimulate the clitoris, which may swell 2-3 times it's usual size

When does an orgasm occur?

at the height of sexual response

What happens during an orgasm?

- blood pressure and pulse rate rise - breathing quickens - walls of the vagina, uterus, and uterine tubes contract rhythmically - sensation of intense pleasure is followed by relaxation when organs return to their normal size