OB/GYN introduction Flashcards
obstetrics
specialty concerned with childbirth and the care of pregnant women
gynecology
branch of medicine that diagnoses and treats conditions of the female reproductive organs as well as provides general medical care for women
ovaries
produce egg cells called ova (singular ovum)
fertilization
the joining of the ovum and sperm; typically occurs in the uterine (or fallopian) tubes
uterus
the fertilized ovum implants in the lining of the uterus where the new embryo develops
vagina
the baby passes through the vagina as it enters the world
estrogen and progesterone
female sex hormones secreted by the ovaries; regulate the reproductive cycle and produce the female secondary sexual characteristics (i.e., the physical traits that develop at puberty that distinguish female from male bodies)