Female Reproductive Organs Flashcards
What are the functions of the uterus?
- Implantation
- Development and nourishment of fetus
- Childbirth
What are the functions of the ovary?
- Production of ovum
- Maintenance of menstraul cycle
Describe the shape/structure of the ovary?
- Almond-shaped
- 3 x 1.5 x 1 cm
- Smooth surface in young girls but scarred and pitted after puberty
Where is the ovary located?
- True intraperitoneal
- Located in ovarian fossa
- Attached to the back of the broad ligament by the mesovarium, supported by the ovarian ligament and suspensory ligaments
What is at risk during surgery of the ovary?
The ureter is at risk as it lies posterior to the ovary
Where does the obturator nerve lie in relation to the ovary?
Lateral
What anchors the ovary?
- Round (ovarian) ligament
- Supsensory (infundibulopelvic) ligament of the ovary
- Mesovarium
What is the round ligament of the ovary?
- Extends between cornu of uterus and ovary
- Keeps ovary close to uterus
- Remnant of upper part of gubernaculum
Where can ovarian disease refer pain to due to the obturator nerve’s position?
Medial thigh
What happens to the ovary after pregnancy?
Less stable and position is more varibale
What is the suspensory (infundibulopelvic) ligament of ovary?
- In the broad ligament
- Carries the ovarian blood vessels
What is the mesovarium?
- Short peritoneal fold that attaches to the ovary to the back pf the broad ligament
What are the areas of the fallopian tube from ovary in towards the uterus?
- Infundibulum
- Ampulla
- Isthmus
What are the finger-like projections called that pick up the ovum and into the fallopian tubes?
Fimbria
Where does fertilisation usually take place?
Ampulla
What cause the ovum to move towards the uterus?
- Cilia
- Circular and longitudinal smooth muscle peristaltic movements
Where do ectopic pregnancys usually take place?
Ampulla
Where is the uterus located?
Anterior to the rectum and posterosuperior to the urinary bladder
What are the 3 main parts of the uterus?
- Body
- Isthmus
- Cervix
Where is the fundus of the uterus located?
Superior to the corner of the uterus at the top of the body
WHere is the internal os located?
Isthmus
How can the cervix be divided?
- Supravaginal cervix
- Vaginal cervix
What is the uterine cavity?
Inside of uterus (tringular shaped)
What is the consistancy of the cervix like?
Changes
- Unpregnant cervix = firm, softened during pregnancy
What are the 2 openings of the cervical canal?
- Internal os (orifice)
- External os
What is the epithelium of the cervical canal?
Columnar epithelium
What is the boundary between the supravaginal and vaginal cervix?
squamocolumnar junction, cervical transformation zone external os opens up and becomes exposed after puberty , can be seen when ooking into vagina
What is the vaginal cervix also known as?
Ectocervix
What is the epithelium of the ectocervix?
Non-keratinizing stratified squamus epithelium, which contains glycogen
When can the columnar epithelia of the cervix become squamus?
Metaplasia can devolp into cervical intraepithelial neoplasia
What happens to the external os after someone has given birth?
Becomes slit-like instead of circular
What are the layers of the uterus from the outer layer to the innermost layer?
- Perimetrium
- Myometrium
- Endometrium
What layer of the uterus is thin visceral peritoneum?
Perimetrium
What are the layers of the myometrium?
Smooth muscle fibres arranges in 3 layers
- Longitudinal
- Spiral (figure of 8 around vessels)
- Circular -> sphincter around uterine tubes and internal orifice
What is the endometrium and whar are the layers?
Innermost layer of uterus
Mucous membrane and spiral arteries
- Basal (deep) layer (regenerates the functional layer)
- Functional (superficial) layer (shed as menses)
What happens if the basal layer is destroyed (eg in abortion)?
Woman becomes infertile is it cannot produce the functional layer
At what angle does the adult uterus sit?
- Bent forward on itself at about the level of the internal os to form an angle of 170 degrees, lies on superior surface of uterus (anteflexion of the uterus)
- Axis of cervix forms an angle of 90 degrees with the axis of the vagina (antevertion of the uterus)
What can retroversion and/or retroflexion cause?
Backache and difficulty in conception
What are the other names for round ligament of the uterus?
- Ligamentum teres
- Ligamentum rotundum
What does the round ligament pass through and where does it go to?
Passes within the broad ligament from the cornu of the uterus through the inguinal canal to the labia majora