Human Female Sexual Anatomy & Physiology Flashcards
What is the upper region above the clitoris called?
mons veneris (pubis)
What are the outer lips called located on either side of the vaginal opening?
labia majora (outer lips)
What are the inner lips called located on either side of the vaginal opening, right beside the outer lips?
labia minora (inner lips)
At birth, the vagina opening is covered by a(n) ____.
hymen
Which glands are located directed under the vaginal opening and helps with lubrication?
Bartholin’s glands
What is the smooth region of skin called that stretches from the vagina to the anus?
perineum
What part of the vagina is composed of a small patch of erectile tissue and is a major point of stimulation?
clitoris
How can you describe the vagina in terms of it’s ability to secrete substances very easily?
vascularized
Some secretions from the vagina will ____ through the walls of the vagina.
sweat
Which kind of bacteria produce acid secretions in the vagina?
lactophilic bacteria (pH 4.5)
What do acid secretions in the vagina help with?
it helps kill bacteria
What can lead to a higher chance of contracting bacterial vaginosis?
- high sugar diet
- excessive douching
- antibiotics
- oral contraceptives
What is the part called where the vagina and the uterus meet?
cervix
What are the three layers of the uterus called?
1) perimetrium (outer)
2) myometrium (middle)
3) endometrium (inner)
What is the middle layer of the uterus composed of?
muscle
Why does the inner lining of the uterus change thinkness periodically?
because the inner lining of the uterus sheds at the end of menstration, beginning a new menstral cycle
What is the condition called where endometrium grows in other parts of the body, typically the abdomen, and causes pain?
endometriosis
What percentage of premenopausal women have endometriosis at some point in their lifetime?
15%
What hormone do women with endometriosis typically have a greater amount of in their body?
estrogen
What is the technical term for fallopian tubes?
oviducts
An ____ is moved into the oviduct during menstruation and is pushed along by the ____.
ovum; fimbrae
What structure lines the oviducts and, coupled with muscle movements, moves the ovum down the fallopian tubes?
cilia
In which region of the fallopian tubes does fertilization occur the most?
the upper third (near the ovaries)
What is the name of the cellular sac which surrounds each egg in the ovaries?
follicle
At birth, roughly how many eggs does a woman have in their body?
2 million
At sexual maturity, how many eggs does a women have in her body? How many of these are viable?
300,000; 400
Which structure in the ovaries first houses the oocyte and also releases estrogen?
primary follicle
Which structure in the ovaries houses the secondary oocyte and produces estrogen and progesterone?
secondary follicle
In what locations is estrogen found in a women’s body (preganant and non-pregnant)?
ovaries and placenta
When do the ovaries of a women begin producing estrogen?
when she begins puberty
The addition of estrogen to the body during puberty changes what factors for the body?
- growth in breasts
- increased blood supply
- fat deposits in legs and arms
- promotes vascularization
What can be used in the replacement of estrogen in women who have gone through menopause, and this helps to prevent oseteoporosis?
Estrogen replacement therapies (ERTs)
What is the site for hormone production in the ovaries?
corpus luteum
What is the hormone that is only present in pregnant women?
human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG)
hGC is a ____ hormone, therefore it can be picked up in the urine.
protein
What does hCG help maintain when it is secreted? What does it stop?
it helps maintain the corpus luteum; periods
In women, which hormone is responsible for sex drive, and influence hair and muscle development?
adrenal androgens
In women, where are androgens produced?
adrenal cortex
Which kind of hormone are adrenal androgens?
reductase hormone
What is inhibin?
It is secreted by the corpus luteum and prevents another mentral cycle from taking place.
What is relaxin?
It is produced by the placenta and relaxes the pubic symphysis.
Which hormone controls the size of the placenta?
human placental lactogen (hPL)
hPL is a very important hormone because it is ____ (promotes fat breakdown) and it will antagonize the effects of ____.
lypo-lytic; insulin
How does hPL regulate glucose levels in a pregnant woman?
it increases glucose levels for the fetus and depleats glucose levels in the mother
Where is GnRH produced and where is it sent?
produced in the hypothalamus
sent to the anterior pituitary
What is GnRH transformed in to in the anterior pituitary?
FSH and LH
What is an egg that has reached maturity called?
graffian follicle
How often does ovulation occur?
every three weeks
What happens leading up to ovulation?
- LH levels rise
- ovarian membrane ruptures
- estrogen levels drop
- progesterone is secreted from corpus luteum
Which kind of feeback inhibits the release of GnRH during ovulation?
negative feeback
Unless the ovum is fertilized, it will ____.
degenerate
How long does a normal cycle last?
28 days
What happens during menstration?
the uterine lining sheds, preparing for another egg to be released
What is considered an irregular cycle?
Any cycle lasting longer than 35 days or shorter than 28 days
What is the first menstral cycle a young girls through called?
menarche
What is the last period a woman has called?
menopause
What is the result of menopause?
- estrogen levels decrease
- ovaries begin to degerate
- thin skin
- risk of osteoporosis
What are these the symptoms of?:
Headache, abdominal bloating, emotions, anxiety, hostility, paranoia, depression, mood swings, irritability, increased alcohol consumption, binge eating, and crying spells.
pre-menstral syndrome (PMS)
What is the syndrome where women experince painful cramping during their period (only due to menstration)?
dysmenorrhea
What gland is endometriosis and dysmenorrhea linked to?
prostate gland
Women who work out a lot or train very hard can develop ____. This causes emotional stress and eating disorders.
ammenorrhea
What glands are affected by ammenorrhea?
thyroid and adrenal glands
What is the nipple on breasts surrounded by?
the areola
What are the small bumps on the areola called? What do they secrete?
sebacious glands; oils that help with lubrication during breastfeeding
How many mammary glands does each breast typically have?
15-25 mammary glands
What are the mammary glands separated by?
fatty tissues
What hormone(s) stimulate fat deposits to increase in the breasts during puberty?
estrogen and progesterone
What hormone(s) and organs stimulate the breasts to grow during pregnancy?
the placenta and prolactin (pituitary gland)
Lactation is stimulated by ____. What inhibits this hormone from inducing lactation during pregnancy?
prolactin; estrogen and progesterone
For the first 2-3 days following birth, the mammary glands produce ____.
colostrum
What hormone helps stimulate the letdown of milk after simulation from suckling of the nipple?
oxytocin
Menstration is halted for a few months during breastfeeding, when will menstration begin again?
when prolactin levels begin to drop
