Lec 2- The Female Reproductive System

Question 1

Where is the female reproductive system found?

Answer 1

found in the pelvic cavity.

Question 2

What happens at the hilum?

Answer 2

vessels come in and out of the ovary.

Question 3

What happens during ovulation?

Answer 3

The follicle ruptures
Oocyte is released from the ovary.
It then enters the peritoneal cavity.

Question 4

Why is a sharp pain felt at ovulation?

Answer 4

This is due to the rupture of the capsule of the ovary due to the oocyte being released.

Question 5

Why do nuns tend to get ovarian cancer?

Answer 5

This is because they don’t have children or sex, so they undergo more ovulations.

• In ovulation, the follicle ruptures through the capsule of the ovary.
• This means that there is an increased rate of mitosis which may result in metaplasia etc.

Question 6

What is an ovarian cyst and why should you not burst it?

Answer 6

It is an epithelial lying fluid filled cavity.

- It shouldn’t be burst as the fluid in the cyst may be full of cancer cells and these can spill out if burst.

Question 7

How might a person with an ovarian cyst present?

Answer 7

• mass effect - compresses adjacent structures.

- Bulky ovary can twist - ovarian torsion.

Question 8

Where is the fundus?

Answer 8

It is the top of the uterus.

Question 9

Where is the cervix and what is it like?

Answer 9

• It is more fibrous than muscular.

- It is The lower part of the uterus and it plugs into the vagina.

Question 10

Why do you pee a lot when pregnant?

Answer 10

• This is because the bladder is anterior to the uterus.

- Hence when pregnant, the uterus presses onto the bladder.

Question 11

What structure is posterior to the uterus?

Answer 11

The rectum.

Question 12

What does a small pinpoint hole in the cervix mean?

Answer 12

That the woman has not had any children.

Question 13

What is cervical eversion?

Answer 13

The cervix has been turned inside out.

You can see the epithelium lining the cervical canal.

Question 14

What happens at the transformation zone in the cervix?

Answer 14

• Start to get changes here that can lead to cervical cancer.
• start to have more columnar epithelium

Question 15

What does the round ligament do?

Answer 15

• It tethers the uterus to the pelvis.

- As the uterus grows, it pulls on the ligament resulting in pain and discomfort.

Question 16

What happens to the abdominal viscera during pregnancy and what effect does this have?

Answer 16

• The abdominal viscera have been displaced and squashed.

- This splints the diaphragm, stopping it from descending normally.

Question 17

What happens in the ampulla?

Answer 17

fertilisation

Question 18

What is the isthmus?

Answer 18

It is the narrow part of the uterine tube.

Question 19

What is an ectopic pregnancy?

Answer 19

This is when the egg tries to implant into the tube itself and there is not enough space.

• This can rupture and cause a huge amount of haemorrhage.
• it may be life threatening and the woman can die from hypovalaemic shock quickly.

Question 20

What is the infundibulum?

Answer 20

It is the funnel shaped part.

it is there to funnel the egg into the tube.

Question 21

What are fimbriae?

Answer 21

They are projections on the end.

• They are motile
• They are involved in attracting the egg released from the ovary into the tube.

Question 22

How is the structure of the ampulla related to function?

Answer 22

• It is highly folded surface
• –provides a large SA and a cosy environment for the egg and sperm.
• It has cilia, which move the egg down.
• There are also peg cells, which release nutrients for egg and sperm function.

Question 23

Describe the differences in peritoneum between men and women?

Answer 23

• The uterine tubes in women open into the peritoneal cavity.
• In men the peritoneum is continuous.

Question 24

Where is the viscicouterine recess?

Answer 24

-This is between the bladder and uterus.

Question 25

Where is the rectouterine pouch?

Answer 25

-This is between the rectum and uterus.

Question 26

What is the broad ligament?

Answer 26

It is the peritoneal fold.

• It is basically a sheet dropped on to the pelvic viscera.
• It tethers the uterus to the lateral pelvic walls.

Question 27

What is the origin of the round ligament and the ligament of the ovary?

Answer 27

• They are remnants of the gubernaculum.
• The ligament of the ovary is where the gubernaculum attaches to the ovary.
• The round ligament is continuous with the ligament of the ovary, it goes from the uterus to labia major, which is the female version of the scrotum.

Question 28

What is the suspensory ligament of the ovary?

Answer 28

It is the neurovascular pathway bulging into the peritoneum.

-The ovarian artery and vein pass through here.

Question 29

What is the angle of anteversion and what does it indicate?

Answer 29

-It is the angle between the axis of the cervix and the axis of vagina.

-<180 = anteverted.
>180 = retroverted, means the cervix is pointing backwards.

Question 30

What is the angle of ante flexion and what does it indicate?

Answer 30

-It is the angle between the axis of the uterine body and the axis of cervix.

<180 = anti flexed uterus.
>180 = retroflexed.

Question 31

How is vaginal pH maintained?

Answer 31

• Glycogen and lactobacilli are needed to maintain vaginal pH.
• The epithelial cells of the vagina is stratified squamous epithelium.
• They are very rich in glycogen.
• The breakdown of glycogen happens in the vagina providing the required low pH.

Question 32

What part of the vulva is equivalent to the scrotum?

Answer 32

The labium majus.

Question 33

Describe the three different types of FGM.

Answer 33

Type 1 - clitoris is removed.
Type 2 - Clitoris and both labia are removed.
Type 3 - everything is removed and the vulva is sewn in the midline, only a small opening is left for urine.