Female Genitalia Flashcards
What is the mons pubis
Hair covered fat pad overlying the kyphosis pubis
What is the labia majora
Rounded folds of adipose tissue
What is the labia minora
- Hairless, thinner, pinkish-red folds
- Joint anteriorly to form prepuce and clitoris
What is the clitoris
Small bud of sensitive erectile tissue
What is the vestibule
Boat shaped fossa between labia minora
What can the vaginal opening be covered by?
- The hymen in virgins
- The vaginal opening is the inferior portion of the vestibule
What is the perineum,
- Tissue between the introitus and anus
What is the urethral meatus
- Opens into the vestibule
- Between the clitoris and vagina
What are skene’s glands
- Paraurethral gland
- Just posterior to urethral meatus
What are bartholin glands
- Inferior aspect of the vestibule
- On either side of the vaginal opening
* 4 and *8 o’clock - Usually not visible
- Secrete mucous into the inttroitus for lubrication
What are the ligament support of the internal genitalia
- Round ligaments
- Broad ligaments
- Cardinal ligaments
- Uterosacral ligaments
What does the vagina lie between ?
- The rectum and the urethra
What is the vesicovaginal septum
- Anterior wall separates the vagina from the bladder and urethra
What is the rectovaginal septum
Posterior wall that separates vagina from rectum
What is the function of the vagina
- Carries menstrual flow from the uterus
- Severed as the terminal portion of the birth canal
- Receptive organ for the penis during sexual intercourse
What is the internal os
- The upper part of the cervix that opens into the endometrium
What is the external os
- The lower part of the cervix that opens into the vagina
What is the ectocervix
The vaginal surface of the cervix, is seen during speculum exam
*opening is the external os
*round = nullipara
*silt = multipara
What are the two types of cervical epithelium ?
- Columnar epithelium
- Squamous epithelium
What is columnar epithelium
- Surrounds the external os
- Glandular type cells
- Plushy, red to resemble the lining of the endocervical canal
What is squamous epithelium
- Continuous with the vaginal lining
- Stratified squamous non-keratinized epithelium
- Shiny pink outer layer
What is the SCJ (squamocolumnar junction)
The area where the two types of epithelia meet
In childhood where is the SCJ located
Just inside the external os
What is metaplasia and how does it relate to the cervix
It is the process of tissue transformation
1. Under hormonal influence
2. Causes the SCJ to evert or roll out to a position on. The enlarged cervical surface
3. The columnar epithelium is gradually replaced by squamous epithelium
*SCJ will migrate toward the os
What is the transformation zone
- Represents the area between the original SCJ and the active SCJ
- Contains the newest and least mature cells in the cervix
- Most vulnerable tot ontogenetic change (dysplasia)
What is target in the Pap smear?
- The transformation zone
*rate of metaplasia is highest during adolescence and pregnancy
Where does the uterus lie?
- Lies between the bladder and the rectum consists of two parts that are joint at the isthmus
*cervix
*body or corpus (upper part is the fundus)
What is the outer, middle, and inner portion of the uterus
Perimetrium: outer, serous layer of visceral peritoneum
Myometrium: muscular layer middle
Endometrium: inner, shed during menstruation
What is the normal position of the uterus
Inclines forward at a 45 degree angle
*anterversion most commone
What is a mid-position uterus
- Slightly forward but functionally straight
What is an anterverison uterus
- Uterus bent forwards
What is an anteflexion uterus
Top of the uterus is folded forward
What is a retro vision uterus
Bent backwards
Wha is a retro flexion uterus
Top of the uterus is folded backward
What is a didelphic uterus
Double cervix and double vagina
What is an arcuate uterus
Concave fundus
What is a septate uterus
Normal uterus but wall of tissue creating two cavities
*can be partial or complete
What is a bicornuate uterus
- Heart-shaped
*composed of two “horns: separated by a septum