14.2 Female Reproductive System Flashcards
What are the female gonads?
paired ovaries
Where are the ovaries?
they lie in shallow depressions, one on each side of the upper pelvic cavity
What are ovaries?
female sex organs that produce oocytes and sex hormones
What is oognesis?
the production of an egg (oocyte)
What is an oocyte?
female egg, the female gamete
How are oocytes produced?
the ovaries usually alternate in producing one oocyte per month
What is ovulation?
the process by which an oocyte bursts from an ovary and usually enters an oviduct
What are the oviducts also called?
fallopian tubes, uterine tubes
Where are the oviducts?
they extend from the uterus to the ovaries, but are not attached to the ovaries
What do oviducts have?
fimbriae
What are fimbriae?
fingerlike projections that sweep over the ovaries
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
When may an oocyte burst?
from an ovary during ovulation
What is the function of the ovaries?
to produce oocyte and sex hormones
What is the function of oviducts?
- conduct oocyte
- location of fertilization
- transport early zygote
What is the function of uterus?
houses developing fetus
What is the function of the cervix?
contains opening to uterus
What is the function of the vagina?
- receives penis during sexual intercourse
- serves as a birth canal and as the exit for menstrual flow
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
