Female Anatomy and Physiology

vulva

an umbrella term for external genitals

mons pubis/veneris

latin for mountain of Venus, fatty tissue area that covers pubic bone

vagina

latin for sheath, “birth canal”

labia majora

“large lips”

labia minora

“small lips”

clitoris

greek for “that which is closed in”

hymen

greek for membrane, semi-circular strip of mucous membrane tissue lying across the lower portion of the vaginal opening, can be quite obvious or hardly apparent, not always associated with virginity

imperforate hymen

complete blockage of vaginal opening (rare and correctable)

urethra meatus

urethral opening

fourchette

area beneath vaginal opening where labia minora meet

bartholin’s glands

provide a small amount of lubrication during arousal

ovaries

produce eggs

fallopian tubes

place where sperm and egg meet

fimbria

finger-like projections

uterus

latin for womb, hosts developing egg

cervix

between uterus and vagina, opening called cervical os

estrogen

promotes the maturation of the reproductive organs, development of the secondary sex characteristics and growth spurt at puberty, regulates menstrual cycle, sustains pregnancy

progesterone

breast development, uterine lining, regulates menstrual cycle, sustains pregnancy

fsh

regulate ovarian function and maturation of ovarian follicles

lh

assists in the production of estrogen and progesterone, regulates maturation of ovarian follicles, triggers ovulation

the follicular phase

fsh and lh initiate, during the first 10 days ovarian follicles begin to grow, usually only 1 follicle matures (98%), developing follicles secrete estrogen, oocyte matures bulges to ovarian surface

ovulation

the ballooning follicle wall thins and ruptures and the oocyte enters the abdominal cavity, picked up by the fimbriae

luteal phase

estrogen drops and the ruptured follicle becomes a corpus luteum, which secretes progesterone and a small amount of estrogen, hormones inhibit fsh and lh in case of pregnancy, if no pregnancy, corpus luteum degenerates

menarche

first period

% of student who have had a gynecological/testicular exam in the last year

47

% of women and men who had exam in last year

54% of women and 32% of men

% of people vaccinated for HPV

70

% of women and men for vaccination

73% of women and 63% of men

% of people tested for STIs in last year

37

% of women vs men for STI testing

42% of women and 26% of men

% of people who will develop antibodies in the first 3 months after they are infected by HIV

97

window period

period after infection but before the test becomes positive

menstrual phase

with low hormone levels from luteum degeneration, the endometrium lining sheds, this material as well as vaginal secretions and blood are released through the cervix and vagina over a 3-5 day period

proliferative phase

lasts about 9 days, increased estrogen causes the buildup of the endometrium, cervix secretes a clear, thin mucus that facilitates the passage of sperm, phase ends with ovulation

secretory phase

progesterone helps the endometrium prepare for a fertilized ovum, the cervical mucus thickens and starts to form a plug to seal off the uterus in the event of pregnancy. this phase lasts 14 days and ends with the shedding of the endometrium

2.5 billion a year

amount families spend a year on breast milk substitutes such as infant formula

740 million a year

usda wic programs spends this much to buy formula for babies not breast feeding

1.6 billion a year

insurers like medicaid spend this much a year to cover sick child office visits and prescriptions related to disease that may have been prevented

4.6 to 9 billion

money spent on conditions and preventable diseases

gynecology

the science of women, the medical practice dealing with the health of the female reproductive system, vagina, uterus, vulva, breast

age 9+

eligible for HPV vaccine

ages 13-15

most young women should get their first appointment which usually includes a visual exam but not a full pelvic exam

age 21

the pelvic exam and the pap test

age 30

HPV test

21-29

women age _____ get a pap test every 3 years

30-65

women age _____ get a pap test every 3 years, an HPV test every 5 years, or are co-tested every 5 years

65

most women ages ____ and older don’t need a pap test

the external exam

doctor will look at your vulva and the opening of vagina, looking for signs of cysts, abnormal discharge, genital warts, irritation, or other issues

the speculum exam

doctor will gently slide a speculum into vagina, separates walls of vagina when it opens, doctor uses a tiny spatula to brush pr wipe a small sample of cells from cervix

the bimanual exam

doctor will put 1 or 2 fingers into vagina while gently pressing on lower abdomen to check size, shape, and position of uterus

the rectovaginal exam

doctor may also put a finger into rectum, checks muscles between vagina and anus, checks for tumors behind rectum

anal fissures

tears in the anal lining

20 to 40%

% of women that will contract a UTI at least once in their lifetimes, some reoccurring

10 million

utis account for ____ doctor visits in the US every year

85-90%

e-coli accounts for ____ of utis due to physiology and infection

yeast infection

irritation of the vagina and the area around the vulva, caused by candida albicans

75%

__ of women have a yeast infection during their lives

itchiness in and around the vagina

most common symptom of a yeast infection

polycystic ovary syndrome

condition in which the ovaries produce an abnormal amount of androgens (male sex hormones)

10%

endometriosis affects __ of people globally