Female Reproductive System Flashcards
What is Menopause?
When the ovaries in a female run out of follicles, typically measured by the last menstrual bleed
When does Menopause typically occur in Females?
50-52 years old
What happens to the Total Number Of Follicles that a Female has After Birth?
It gradually decreases until around the 40s, when it decreases faster until there are no more
Typically at what age do Regular Menstrual Cycles typically cease, being replaced by Irregular Menstrual Cycles?
Around the mid 40s
What is the Phase before Irregular Menstrual Cycles called?
Pre-menopause
What is the Phase between the beginning of Irregular Menstrual Cycles and the Last Menstruation (Menopause)?
The menopausal transition
What is the Phase after Menopause called?
Post-menopause
Typically how long after Menopause will the follicles within the Ovaries continue to produce Hormones?
1-2 years
What is the Phase after the Ovaries stop producing Hormones called?
Ovarian senescence
What is the Phase between the beginning of Irregular Menstrual Cycles and when the Ovaries stop producing Hormones called?
Peri-menopause
During which Phase do Perimenopausal Symptoms typically occur?
Peri-menopause
The main Oestrogen hormone Post-Menopause is what? Where is it produced?
Oestrone, produced in the stromal cells of adipose tissues
Vasomotor Perimenopausal Symptoms affect what? What are some examples?
Blood Vessels
Hot Flushes and Night Sweats
What is an example of a Genitourinary Perimenopausal Symptom?
Vaginal Dryness
What is an example of a Bone Metabolism Perimenopausal Symptom?
Osteoporosis
What are some Behavioural/Psychological changes that may occur during Menopause?
Depression, Tension, Anxiety, Mental Confusion and Loss of Libido
Severely debilitating Menopausal Symptoms can be Prevented or Arrested with what?
Menopausal hormone (oestrogen replacement) therapy
What is the Downside of Menopausal Hormone Therapy?
It slightly increases the risk of breast and endometrial cancers
Approximately how many Oocytes are released over the lifetime of a Female?
Around 400
How often is a Mature Oocyte released?
Approximately every 28 days
What are the Four Main Female Reproductive Organs?
- The Vagina
- The Uterus
- The Uterine (Fallopian) Tubes
- The Ovaries
Identify the Uterine/Fallopian Tube
Identify the Ovary
Identify the Uterus
Identify the Cervix
Identify the Vagina
Is the Uterus typically Anteflexed (front folding) or Retroflexed (back folding)?
Anteflexed (front folding)
What may occur with a Retroflexed uterus? When is this rectified?
May result in pain during menstruation or intercourse, usually rectified during pregnancy
How long is the Vagina? What are its Functions?
About 7.5-9cm long
To serve as a passage way for menstrual fluid
To recieve the penis and hold spermatozoa before they pass into the uterus
It is the lower part of the birth canal when delivering a fetus
Identify the Fundus of the Uterus
Identify the Body of the Uterus
Identify the Cervix
For the majority of the Menstrual Cycle, what is inside the Cervix? What is it’s Purpose?
A mucus plug to prevent the entry of sperm, bacteria or viruses into the reproductive tract
Just before Ovulation, what happens to the Mucus Plug in the Cervix?
It softens to allow the passage of sperm
What are the Functions of the Uterus?
To act as a pathway for sperm transport
To provide mechanical protection, nutritional support and waste removal for a developing embryo and fetus
To eject the fetus through muscular contractions in the myometrium at birth
What part of the Uterine/Fallopian Tube does Fertilisation typically occur in?
The ampulla
What are the Finger-Like Projections at the end of the Uterine/Fallopian Tube called?
Fimbriae
What covers the Surfaces of the Fimbriae? What do they do?
Cilia covering the surface of the fimbriae beat and sweep the Oocyte into the uterine/fallopian tube
What is an Ectopic Pregnancy? What are some possible Risk Factors of this?
When the embryo implants anywhere except the endometrium of the uterus
Smoking, Advanced maternal age and Prior tube damage may increase the risk of an Ectopic Pregnancy occuring
What are the 3 Parts of an Ovary?
Ovarian Cortex
Ovarian Medulla
Inner Hilum/Hilus
What is found within the Ovarian Cortex?
The ovarian follicles
What is found within the Ovarian Medulla?
The ovarian stroma and steroid producing cells
What is found in the Inner Hilum/Hilus of the Ovary?
Nerves and blood vessels entering the ovary
How many Primordial Follicles reside in the Ovary at birth?
7-8 million
What does a Follicle consist of?
An oocyte surrounded by follicular/granulosa cells
A Primordial Follicle grows into what?
A primary follicle/pre-antral follicle
What do some Follicles do in response to FSH?
Some get larger by producing many layers of additional granulosa cells surrounding the oocyte
A Primary/Pre-Antral Follicle grows into what?
A Secondary/Antral Follicle
What fills the Antrum in the Secondary/Antral Follicle?
Viscous Follicular Fluid
What are the Layers of cells around the Oocyte?
The Zona Pellucida
The Corona Radiata
The Cumulus Oophorus
The Theca
The Theca in the Secondary/Antral Follicle develops into the Glandular and Vascular ___ and the Fibrous ___
The Theca in the Secondary/Antral Follicle develops into the Glandular and Vascular Theca Interna and the Fibrous Theca Externa
The Secondary/Antral Follicle produces what? What does this Trigger?
It produces Oestradiol (Oestrogen), triggering the Proliferative phase of the uterine/menstrual cycle
The Secondary/Antral Follicle grows into a what?
A mature/pre-ovulatory/graffian follicle
Inside a Mature/Graffian/Pre-Ovulatory Follicle, what happens to the Oocyte?
It becomes suspended in fluid
What is Ovulation?
The release of an oocyte from the ovaries
After Ovulation, the Mature/Graffian/Pre-Ovulatory Follicle breaks down into what?
The Corpus Luteum
If Fertilisation does not happen, the Corpus Luteum breaks down into what? Where does this then get reabsorbed into?
The Corpus Albicans, which gets reabsorbed into the stromal tissue in the ovarian medulla over weeks to months.
If Fertilisation occurs, does the Corpus Luteum break down into the Corpus Albicans?
No
What Hormone produced by a Fertilised Oocyte prevents the Corpus Luteum from breaking down?
Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin (hCG), produced 8 days after fertilisation (detected in pregnancy tests)
What does the Corpus Luteum produce if it does not break down into the Corpus Albicans? What does this cause?
It produces Progesterone (a Progestagen), triggering the secretory phase in the uterine/menstrual cycle
What are the 2 Phases of the Ovarian Cycle? How long are they?
The follicular phase (from day 1 to ovulation) and the luteal phase (from ovulation to menstruation)
What are the 3 Phases in the Uterine/Menstrual Cycle?
Menstruation, Proliferative and Secretory
As Progesterone and Oestrodiol levels fall during the Menstruation Phase of the Uterine/Menstrual Cycle, what Gonadotrophin Level begins to rise?
Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) levels begin to rise
The rising level of Follicle Stimulating Hormone after the Menstrual Phase of the Uterine/Menstrual Cycle triggers what?
Primordial follicles to begin developing into Primary follicles and further
As a Secondary/Antral Follicle begins to develop and produce Oestradiol, what happens to FSH Production?
It experiences negative feedback which begins to decrease FSH levels
The Negative Feedback of Oestradiol on Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) production suddenly turns into Positive Feedback for ___, called the ___, inducing ___
The Negative Feedback of Oestradiol on Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) production suddenly turns into Positive Feedback for Luteinising Hormone (LH), called the LH Surge, inducing Ovulation
After Ovulation, the Corpus Luteum begins to produce ___, inhibiting the release of ___ and therefore ___ and ___
After Ovulation, the Corpus Luteum begins to produce Progesterone, inhibiting the release of Gonadotroph Releasing Hormone (GnRH) and therefore Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) and Luteinising Hormone (LH)
