Chapter 46 Flashcards
What is the function of the female reproductive cycle?
- production of offspring
- nutrition to the offspring
What are the essential organs of the female reproductive cycle? Function?
- ovaries
- make gametes aka oocytes
What are the accessory organs?
- ducts or modified ducts such as uterine tubes, uterus, vagina
- vulva (external genitalia)
- additional glands such as mammary glands
What is the perineum?
-skin covered muscular region between the vaginal opening and the anus
What is the clinical significance of the perineum during childbirth?
- can be torn
- tearing can result in anal leakage and partial uterine or vaginal prolapse
Where are the ovaries?
-the sit on either side of the uterus
What holds the ovaries in place?
- the broad ligament
- the ovarian ligament
What does the broad ligament do?
-holds the posterior surface
What does the ovarian ligament do?
-holds the ovaries to the uterus
What is the clinical significance of the uterine tubes not being directly connected to the ovaries?
- pregnancy can occur in the pelvic area (ectopic pregnancy)
- loose configuration allows bacteria to spread from the genital tract to the pelvis
What is the microscopic structure of the ovaries?
- cortex
- medulla
What is found in the cortex?
- thousands of ovarian follicles
- immature sex cells and their supporting cells
What is found in the medulla?
- connective tissue cells
- blood vessels
- nerves
- lymphatics
What attracts the sperm to the ovum?
-progesterone
What are the functions of the ovaries?
- oogenisis (egg production)
- secretion of estrogen and progesterone which helps regulate the reproductive cycle in females
What is the corpus luteum and what does it do?
- a Graafian follicle without an oocyte
- yellow mass
- secretes progesterone (stops uterine shedding) and inhibin which stops the releasing of eggs
- secretes relaxin to prevent uterus from contracting
- secretes estrogen which maintains uterine wall for implantation
What are the uterine tubes?
-two tubes that extend off the corners of the uterus
What are the three layers of the uterine tubes?
- inner mucous layer
- muscle layer
- serous layer
What are the three divisions of the uterine tube?
- infundibulum: has fimbrae
- ampulla: where fertilization occurs
- isthmus: where it attaches to the uterus
How long does it take for the egg to implant after fertilization?
-7 to 10 days