Female Reproduction Flashcards
Functions of ovaries?
- Produce eggs
- Produce estrogen and progesterone
- Contain follicles/follicle cells
Oviduct functions?
-Tubes to uterus
-Sweep up eggs from ovaries
-Site of fertalization
Fimbrae functions?
-Ends of oviducts
-Contract wafting egg towards uterus
What is Tubular Pregnancy?
Embryo implants in oviduct
What is Ectopic Pregnancy?
Implantation outside central body of uterus
Uterus functions?
-Nurtures embryo
-Fetus develops here
Endometrium functions?
-Lines uterus
-Forms placenta
Cycle days 1-5
-Low levels of hormones cause menstruation
-Endometrium thinnest point
-Hypothalamus releases GnRH
-GnRH makes anterior pituitary release FSH and LH
Cycle days 6-13
-FSH and LH increase
-As FSH is released the follicle in ovary matures
-Follicles produce estrogen
-High estrogen levels stimulate more GnRH and therefore LH release
-Rising estrogen thickens uterus lining
Day 14 (Ovulation)
- LH surge from pituitary
-Mature follicle releases egg
-High levels of estrogen reduce FSH
Cycle days 15-25
-Progesterone from corpus luteum causes lining to thicken and secrete mucus
Cycle days 25-28
-High progesterone causes pituitary to reduce LH
-As LH drops, corpus luteum breaks down
-Corpus luteum breakdown means less progesterone and estrogen
-Without high hormone levels endometrium will breakdown (thin)
-By day 28 menstruation begins, cycle repeats
Placenta functions?
-Exchange of molecules between fetus and mothers blood
-Produces HCG which maintains corpus luteum
-Makes it’s own progesterone and estrogen
Oxytocin functions?
-Made in hypothalamus, stored in anterior pituitary
-Causes uterus to contract
-Stimulates release of milk in mammary glands
Estrogen functions?
-Secondary sex characteristics (body hair, fat, breasts)
-Growth of uterus and vagina
-Egg maturation
