Reproductive System Flashcards
Testes
One of two egg-shaped glands inside the scrotum that produce sperm and male hormones.
Vas Deferens
The duct which conveys sperm from the testicle to the urethra.
Prostate
A gland surrounding the neck of the bladder in male mammals and releasing prostatic fluid.
Penis
the male genital organ of higher vertebrates, carrying the duct for the transfer of sperm during copulation. In humans and most other mammals, it consists largely of erectile tissue and serves also for the elimination of urine.
Epididymis
A highly convoluted duct behind the testis, along which sperm passes to the vas deferens.
Vasectomy
A vasectomy is surgery to cut the vas deferens.
Circumcision
The removal of the sleeve of skin and mucosal tissue which normally covers the glans of the penis, known as the foreskin.
Ovary
A female reproductive organ in which ova or eggs are produced, present in humans and other vertebrates as a pair.
Uterus
The organ in the lower body of a woman or female mammal where offspring are conceived and in which they gestate before birth; the womb.
Fallopian Tubes
Either of a pair of tubes along which eggs travel from the ovaries to the uterus.
Vagina
The muscular tube leading from the external genitals to the cervix of the uterus in women and most female mammals.
Cervix
The narrow passage forming the lower end of the uterus.
Fraternal Twins
Either of a pair of twins who, as a result of developing from separate fertilized ova, are genetically distinct and not necessarily of the same sex or more similar in appearance than other siblings.
Zygote
A diploid cell resulting from the fusion of two haploid gametes; a fertilized ovum.
testosterone
a steroid hormone that stimulates development of male secondary sexual characteristics, produced mainly in the testes, but also in the ovaries and adrenal cortex.
menstruation
the process in a woman of discharging blood and other materials from the lining of the uterus at intervals of about one lunar month from puberty until menopause, except during pregnancy.
barrier method
A barrier method is any type of birth control that puts, well, a barrier between the penis and vagina to block sperm from reaching an egg.
placenta
The placenta is an organ that develops in your uterus during pregnancy.
ultrasound
sound or other vibrations having an ultrasonic frequency, particularly as used in medical imaging.
amniocentesis
the sampling of amniotic fluid using a hollow needle inserted into the uterus, to screen for developmental abnormalities in a fetus.
pap test
a test carried out on a sample of cells from the cervix to check for abnormalities that may be indicative of cervical cancer; a Pap smear.
epidural
on or around the dura mater, in particular (of an anesthetic) introduced into the space around the dura mater of the spinal cord.
trimester
a period of three months, especially as a division of the duration of pregnancy.
umbilical cord
a flexible cordlike structure containing blood vessels and attaching a human or other mammalian fetus to the placenta during gestation.
IUD
Intrauterine devices (IUDs) are small contraceptive devices that are inserted into the uterus (womb) to prevent pregnancy. The 2 types available are the copper IUD and the hormonal IUD (sold as Mirena™).
ovulation
discharge of ova or ovules from the ovary.
caesarean section
a surgical operation for delivering a child by cutting through the wall of the mother’s abdomen.
fertilization
the action or process of fertilizing an egg, female animal, or plant, involving the fusion of male and female gametes to form a zygote.
Plan B
Plan B One-Step is a type of morning-after pill that can be used after unprotected sex to prevent pregnancy.
contractions
a shortening of the uterine muscles occurring at intervals before and during childbirth.
diaphragm
A diaphragm is a reusable rubber or silicone cup that covers the cervix. The diaphragm is inserted into the vagina with spermicide before sex to prevent pregnancy. The diaphragm is a birth control (contraceptive) device that prevents sperm from entering the uterus.
