reproductive system (female) Flashcards
what are the peritoneal folds that occur in females?
-rectouterine pouch
-vesicouterine pouch
during trauma, blood can pool in these areas
rectouterine pouch
a pouch of peritoneum that folds between the rectum and the uterus
vesicouterine pouch
a pouch of peritoneum that folds between the bladder and the uterus
what are the 3 layers of the uterus
-perimetrium
-myometrium
-endometrium
notable ligaments of the uterus
these ligaments hold the uterus in place
-broad ligament
-uterosacral ligament
-suspensory ligament
-ovarian ligament
function of the broad ligament
-strongest and largest ligament of the uterus
-keeps uterus in place
function of the suspensory and ovarian ligaments
hold the ovaries in place
what is the external os used to determine?
the external os is the opening of the cervix
dilation can be measured from this
1 finger = 2 cm
4 fingers = full dilation
what is the egg nest also know as?
primordial follicles
maturation of the egg cells
primordial follicles –> secondary follicles –> tertiary follicles
how can you tell secondary follicles apart from tertiary follicles
both follicles have a space inside the cell, but the tertiary follicle has a space that takes up 2/3 of the cell
corpus luteum and pregnancy
the corpus luteum stays in pregnancy and is destroyed when not pregnant
what hormone surge causes the release of the oocyte
LH from the anterior pituitary gland on day 14
the surge is also called ovulation and the egg is released into the fallopian tube
what are the 4 hormones produced by the corpus luteum?
-estrogen
-progesterone
-inhibin
-relaxin
what tissue takes over for the corpus luteum?
the placenta
what does inhibin inhibit?
FSH from the anterior pituitary gland
what does relaxin do?
relaxes uterine ligaments and uterine muscle of the myometrium during birth
what initiates the ovarian cycle?
FSH = follicle-stimulating hormone
what are the cells of the zona pellucida?
granulosa cells
these cells produce estrogen and aromatase to convert testosterone from thecal cells to estrogen
what are the functions of estrogen?
-stimulates bone growth
-maintains secondary sex characteristics
-affects sex-related behaviors
-maintains reproductive gland functions
-initiates uterine lining repair and growth
what does the corpus luteum become when not pregnant?
corpus albicans (white body)
how many primordial follicles are there per ovary? how many are actually ovulated?
-200,000 primordial follicles
-500 are ovulated
what are the four regions of the fallopian tubes?
-uterine part
-infundibulum (contains the fimbriae)
-ampulla
-isthmus
why does the uterine tube have ciliated and non ciliated columnar cells?
ciliated = pushes egg down tube
nonciliated = peg cells = produces secretions to nourish the egg
the uterine tubes contain smooth muscle for peristaltic movement
functions of the uterus
-protect the embryo
-nutritional support for the embryo
-removes waste from the embryo
what is the 5th hormone produced by the placenta
human placental lactogen (HPL)
gets the breast ready for lactation
what are the 3 suspensory ligaments of the uterus?
-uterosacral ligaments
-round ligaments
-cardinal ligaments
what do the uterine vessels branch from?
the internal iliac artery
what is the function of the rugae of the vagina?
to accommodate the baby during birth
can the thickness of the cervical mucous change?
yes, depending on the hormones, thickness of the mucous can change
it’s not ideal to not use protection when the mucous is thin because the sperm can travel much easier through watery mucous
what are the 3 muscle layers of the myometrium (similar to the stomach)
-inner circular
-outer longitudinal
-oblique
what happens to the functional layer of the endometrium?
it is shedded once a month during a woman’s period
what is the function of the basilar layer of the endometrium?
this layer participates in mitosis to replenish the functional layer
what are the 3 phases of the menstrual cycle
-proliferative phase
-secretory phase
-menses
what is the menarche?
the first uterine cycle of puberty
what is the proliferative phase?
thickening of the endometrium lining to prepare for implantation of a fertilized egg
what is the secretory phase?
enlargement and elongation of the endometrial glands and blood vessels (respectively)
what is the menses phase of the menstrual cycle?
a loss of excess endometrial cells due to constriction of blood vessels
a decrease in progestin and estrogen levels
this is menstruation
menopause
the last uterine cycle
happens at 45-50 years old
what are the recessed edges of the cervix called?
fornix
is there bacteria in the vagina?
yes, they are fed by the cervical mucus
-bacteria in the vagina create an acidic environment to prevent the growth of pathogenic organisms
what is moniliasis?
yeast infection due to acid imbalance of the vagina
what is the clitoris analogous to in males?
glans penis
what is the function of suspensory ligaments in the breasts?
-separates the glands
-stabilizes the breasts
what is the function of the lobes of the mammary glands?
milk leaves these lobes and empty into the lactiferous ducts
lactiferous sinuses
lactiferous ducts empty into the sinuses and store milk here
the sinuses empty out of the nipples
what are the hormones that contribute to the development of mammary glands during pregnancy?
-PRL = prolactin
-GH = growth hormone
-HPL = human placental lactogen
the mammary glands become developed by 6 months into pregnancy
how is oxytocin function different from HPL and PRL
oxytocin = milk ejection
HPL + PRL = milk production
can the milk be released even without the infant sucking on the nipple?
yes, this is called the milk let-down reflex
what forms from the zygote?
a blastocyst
this implants itself in the upper endometrial lining of the uterus
what does the placenta release when the blastocyst implants itself?
HCG = human chorionic gonadotropin
this keeps the corpus luteum active
HCG presence indicates if one is pregnant
what happens if the blastocyst implants itself in the lower uterine wall
results in an ectopic pregnancy –> needs a C-section (placenta praevia)
what is the male equivalent of menopause
andropause
