Human Reproduction Flashcards
Ovaries
Store and release eggs
Fallopian tubes
Carries the egg to the uterus, fertilisation occurs here
Uterus
Is where the fertilised egg becomes implanted and find nourishment
Cervix
Leads from the vagina to the uterus
Vagina
Holds the male penis durning sexual intercourse
Ovulation
An egg is released from the ovary an average of every 28 days
When is the egg released?
On day 13-15 of the menstrual cycle and it passes along the fallopian tube to the uterus
Menstruation/period
The lining and a small amount of blood pass through the vagina (day-5)
Fertile period
These are the days of the menstrual cycle when the woman is most likely to become pregnant.
Menopause
Signals the end of a female’s ability to reproduce and also the end of her menstrual cycle. It happens at different ages for different people, typically in the late 40’s to early 50’s.
Testes
Produce sperm
Scrotum
is where the testes are, it is located outside the body to ensure the temperature is lower than body temperature for healthy sperm
epididymis
is a coiled tube on the outside of each testis that stores sperm and allows them to mature fully.
Vas deferens
(sperm duct) brings the sperm from the testes to the penis
seminal vesicles, prostate gland and Cowper’s gland
produces seminal fluid which mixes with sperm to form semen, it nourishes the sperm and allow them to swim.
Penis
enters the female and ejaculates semen
Puberty
describes when the body starts becoming sexually mature (reproductive organs develop). It normally happens between the ages of 10 and 16
Male puberty
In males, sex hormones (testosterone) are released causing the voice to deepen, hair grows around the sex organs, face, chest and underarms, the testes and penis grow bigger and start to produce sperm
Female puberty
In females when the sex hormones (estrogen and progesterone) are released the breasts develop, hips widen, and hair begins to grow on the body
• The first egg is released from the ovaries which leads to the first period occurring
Fertilisation
During intercourse the man’s penis fills with blood and becomes hard enough to be placed inside the woman’s vagina
• A mixture of sperm cells and seminal fluid called semen is released into the vagina
• The sperm swim up the uterus and into the fallopian tubes
If an egg is present in the fallopian tube, and a couple have sexual intercourse, then one of the sperm cells may fuse with it
• The nuclei of the sperm and egg fuse together to form a fertilised egg
• The woman is now pregnant
Embryo
The fertilised egg then divides a number of times and the tiny group of cells moves down the fallopian tubes to the uterus
• This group of cells settles into the lining of the uterus and continues to divide to form an embryo
The stages of the baby durning pregnancy
• Egg and sperm fuse to form a single
• → Zygote
• Cell division occurs and growth
• → Embryo, which attaches to the lining of the uterus (implantation) grows more, and after 8 weeks looks like a human
• →Foetus
• The uterus lining does not break down so menstruation stops during pregnancy
Pregnancy
The average length of a human pregnancy is 40 weeks
• As the embryo develops in the uterus it is protected inside a bag of fluid called amniotic fluid
• This fluid provides a cushion for the embryo
Amniotic fluid
As the embryo develops in the uterus it is protected inside a bag of fluid called amniotic fluid
