Female Reproductive System Flashcards
Why is there pain felt on ovulation
- During ovulation, a sharp pain is felt as the locate ruptures on surface of ovary and breaches the parietal peritoneum
- Parietal peritoneum innervated by somatic nerves
- Ovaries are enclosed by peritoneum but the fimbriae of the Fallopian tube are within the peritoneal cavity, so the peritoneum has to be broken in order for the egg to enter the tube
Why do women without intercourse more likely to get ovarian cancer
- Have the maximum number of ovulations
- Leads to accumulation of damage of the ovarian capsule
Describe ovarian cysts and its symptoms
- Ovarian cysts are fluid filled lesions in the ovaries
- Can be benign or malignant
- Symptoms - bloating
- Pain due to stretching of peritoneum
- Pain due to potential rupture of ovary
- Pain due to torsion of ovarian cyst
- When removing ovary, make sure not to rupture it as it can release cancer cells that spread through transcolemic route
Is cervix fibrous or muscular
Fibrous
Explain the difference in cervix for women who have not given birth to women who have
- If woman has not had baby, then small external os
- If woman has given normal birth through the cervix, then has slit like os rather than circular
What is cervical ectropian
- Cervical ectropian - unfurling of cervix causing uterus epithelium to line cervix
- Causes inflammation
- Happens under large oestrogen presence
List problems of uterine expansion during pregnancy
- Acid reflux due to compression of GI tract
- Hormone release
- Constipation - compression of large intestine
- Increase urine frequency - compression of bladder
- Stretching of ligaments
Describe the structures an egg passes through the fallopian tube
- Fimbriae located at the end of Fallopian tube and helps eggs move along groove through tube
- Infundibulum - wide funnel tube
- Big surface area to catch egg
- Ampulla site of fertilisation
- Most common site of ectopic pregnancies
- Abdominal pain from ectopic pregnancies can cause person to bleed to death
- Isthmus last part of Fallopian tube that connects it to uterus
Describe the two types of cells in fallopian tube
- Ciliated cells aid egg movement
- Peg (secretory) cells secrete factors that nourish egg
State the ligaments which are remnants of the gubernaculum
- Round ligament and ligament of ovary are the remnants of the gubernaculum
- Pull gonads down
- Ligament of ovary connects ovary to uterus
What is the suspensory ligament of the ovary
Neurovascular pathway bulging into the peritoneum
State the peritoneal ligaments in a woman
- Round ligament
- Ligament of ovary
- Suspensory ligament of the ovary
- Broad ligament
What is the broad ligament and its constituents
- Double fold peritoneum connecting uterus to pelvic wall
- Uterine artery runs in double fold of broad ligament to get to uterus
- Mesometrium - peritoneum between the lateral pelvic wall and the uterus
- Majority of broad ligament containing ureter
- Mesosalpinx - peritoneum hanging from Fallopian tube
- Mesovarium - peritoneum around ovary
State the blood supply to the female reproductive system
- Internal iliac vessels run on lateral wall
- Ovarian artery branches off descending aorta
- Uterine artery and vaginal artery branch off internal iliac artery
- Uterine artery runs in broad ligament to reach uterus
- Left ovarian vein drains into left pelvic vein and inferior vena cava at L1
- Right ovarian vein drains into inferior vena cava at L2
Explain angles of anteflexion and anteversion
- Angle of anteflexion - angle between axis of cervix and uterus
- If <180°, then cervix anteflexed
- If >180°, then cervix retroflexed
- Angle of anteversion - angle between cervical canal and vagina
- If <180°, then cervix anteverted
- If >180°, then cervix retroverted
- Normal uterus and cervix anteverted and anteflexed so uterus sits on bladder
