Chapter 4: sexual anatomy

Question 1

What are the external female organs (the vulva)?

Answer 1

The clitoris, the inner and outer lips, the mond pubis (venusheuvel) and the vagina opening.

Question 2

What does the clitoris consist of?

Answer 2

1. The glans / tip.
2. The shaft: consisting of 2 corpora cavernosa. Lie an inch into the body.
3. 2 crura: lie deep into the body. Run from the glans to either side of the vagina (under the major lips).
4. Vestibular bulbs: lie close to the crura.

Question 3

Homologous organs

Answer 3

Organs that develop form the same tissue before birth (like the penis and the clitoris).

Question 4

Fourchette

Answer 4

Where the inner lips come together underneath the vagina opening.

Question 5

Introitus

Answer 5

The vaginal opening.

Question 6

Urethra

Answer 6

The opening for urine.

Question 7

What are the internal female sex organs?

Answer 7

The vagina, the vestibular bulbs, the Skenes glands, the uterus, the ovaries and the fallopian tubes.

Question 8

Pubococcygeus muscles

Answer 8

Part of the pelvic floor muscles that can be stretched during birth, but can also be trained.

Question 9

The vestibular bulbs

Answer 9

Two bulbs that lie on either side of the vagina, under the inner lips. They contain erectile tissue.

Question 10

The Skene’s glands (female prostate)

Answer 10

Lies between the vaginal wall and the urethra. Can secrete female prostate (squirting).

Question 11

What does the uterus (womb) consist of?

Answer 11

1. The cervix: the opening into the vagina.
2. The fundus: the top (main part).
3. The os (the cervical canal): the opening from the cervix into the uterus.

Question 12

3 layers of the uterus

Answer 12

1. The endometrium (inner layer): supplied with blood vessels and glands, its state depends on the woman’s age and the phase of the menstrual cycle.
2. The myometrium (middle layer): strong elastic muscle. Contracts during orgasm.
3. The perimetrium (outer layer): external cover.

Question 13

Fallopian tubes / oviducts

Answer 13

Tubes extending out from the uterus. The eggs and sperm travels through these tubes

Question 14

Ovaries

Answer 14

Produce eggs and manufacture sex hormones (estrogen and progesterone). A woman is born with 1 million immature eggs (follicles) in the ovaries, they develop during each menstrual cycle.

Question 15

The breasts

Answer 15

Are not sex organs. They contain clusters of mammary glands, each with a opening to the nipple.

Question 16

The nipples

Answer 16

Have may nerve endings and are important for erotic stimulation. When the smooth muscle fibre of the nipple contract, it becomes erect. The darker surrounding of the nipples are called the areola.

Question 17

What are the male external sexual organs?

Answer 17

1. The glans / tip
2. The meatus / urethral opening.
3. The shaft / main part
4. The corona: raised ridge at the end of the glans.
5. The scrotum / the testes
6. The foreskin: covers the glans.

Question 18

What are the male internal sexual organs?

Answer 18

1. The urethra: pathway for urine and semen.
2. Corpora cavernosa: 2 spongy bodies lying on top of the urethra. Contain blood vessels for erection.
3. Corpora spongiosum: 1 spongy body at the body of the penis. The urethra runs through this. Also contains blood vessels for erection.

Question 19

Male penis mutilation

Answer 19

• Supercision: a slit in the length of the foreskin.
• Subincision: a slit along the lower side of the penis into the urethra.

Question 20

The testes / the gonads

Answer 20

Are the reproductive glands of the male. They manufacture sperm (germ cells) and sex hormones (testosterone).

Question 21

Where do the testes consist of?

Answer 21

1. Seminiferous tubules: store and manufacture sperm by spermatogenesis.
2. Interstitial cells: produce testosterone.

Question 22

The phases of spermatogenenis

Answer 22

1. Spermatogonium
2. Spermatocyte
3. Spermatid
4. Spermatozoa

Question 23

Seminal vesicles

Answer 23

2 saclike structures that lie above the prostate. They produce 60% of the seminal fluid (ejaculate). The other 40% is produced by the prostate.

Question 24

The prostate

Answer 24

Lies below the bladder. Secretes a milky alkaline fluid that is part of the ejaculate and is a good environment for the sperm.

Question 25

The Cowper’s glands

Answer 25

Lie below the prostate. Secretes alkaline fluid during arousal, which neutralises the acidic urethra, allowing a safe passage for sperm. The fluid often contains some stray sperm.

Question 26

Breast cancer

Answer 26

Seconds most common form of cancer among women (12%). Can be caused by:
- Obesity
- Genetic factors
- Menopausal hormone therapy
- Mutations of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes (can be prevented by screening, drugs and gene therapy).

Question 27

3 kinds of breast lumps

Answer 27

1. Cysts (not cancerous)
2. Fibroadenomas tumors (not cancerous)
3. Malignant tumors (cancerous)

Question 28

Needle asprition

Answer 28

A needle is inserted into the breast lump. If the lump is a cyst, the fluid wil drain out. Otherwise it’s a tumor.

Question 29

Treatments for cervical cancer

Answer 29

• Cryotherapy: extreme cold destroys the cells.
• Biopsy: surgical removal.
• Hysterectomy: surgical removal of the uterus.
• Radiation therapy
• Drug therapy
• For breast cancer: lumpectomy: removing the lump or the entire breast.

Question 30

Treatment for endometrial cancer

Answer 30

Hysterectomy: surgical removal of the uterus. Does not make the woman more masculine, only if the ovaries are also removed.

Question 31

Treatment for ovarian cancer

Answer 31

Oophorectomy: surgical removal of the ovaries and the uterus (hysterectomy). Often combined with chemo.

Question 32

Prostate cancer

Answer 32

Second most common cancer in men. Has high survival rates, because it’s often not wide spread.