Care of Mother and Child: Human Sexuality and Reproductive Health

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering human sexuality, male and female reproductive anatomy and physiology, menstrual and ovarian cycles, fertilization, germ layers, and early embryonic development.

Human Sexuality

The complex way individuals express and experience themselves as sexual beings, encompassing biological, psychological, emotional, social, and cultural aspects of sex, gender identities, sexual orientations, desires, eroticism, behaviors, relationships, pleasure, intimacy, and reproduction.

Unitive Aspect

The 'love-giving' aspect of sexual intimacy focused on deepening mutual love, fostering psychological and emotional bonding, and expressing complete self-giving commitment between partners.

Procreative Principle

The 'life-giving' aspect of sexual intimacy that remains open to the creation, transmission, and welcoming of new human life.

Biological Sex

The anatomical, hormonal, and chromosomal characteristics assigned at birth (male, female, or intersex).

Gender Identity

An individual's deeply felt, internal sense of being male, female, a blend of both, or neither.

Gender Expression

How a person publicly demonstrates their gender through behavior, clothing, hairstyles, and voice.

Sexual Orientation

An individual's enduring physical, romantic, and emotional attraction to others (e.g., heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual, asexual).

Penis

A vascular shaft containing erectile tissues, measuring $4\text{ to }8\text{ inches}$ long, consisting of the glans penis and shaft, serving functions in copulation and passage of urine and semen.

Scrotum

A skin-covered muscular pouch suspended from the groin or perineum that protects the testes, epididymides, and lower end of the vas deferens.

Epididymis

Tightly coiled tubes located on top of each testis measuring $20\text{ feet}$ ($6\text{ meters}$) long that secrete $10\%$ of semen, store sperms, and conduct semen from testes to the vas deferens.

Vas Deferens

A pair of ducts (also known as ductus deferens) that conduct fluid and sperm from the epididymis to the ejaculatory duct; commonly ligated during a vasectomy.

Seminiferous Tubules

Long, narrow coiled tubes inside the testes that produce sperms.

Interstitial Cells of Leydig

Cells located within the testes that produce testosterone and inhibin.

Seminal Vesicles

Convoluted pouches on the posterior surface of the bladder that secrete an alkaline fluid ($\text{pH } 7.25\text{--}7.50$) containing fructose that makes up $30\%$ of semen.

Prostate Gland

A walnut-sized gland with ducts opening into the urethra that secretes an alkaline fluid containing albumin, forming $60\%$ of semen.

Cowper's Glands

Small, pear-shaped glands with ducts leading into the urethra that secrete an alkaline fluid to lubricate the urethra prior to ejaculation.

Hyaluronidase

An enzyme released by the acrosome of the sperm head to break the ovum's Zona pellucida during fertilization.

Mons Veneris / Pubis

A pad of adipose tissue situated on top of the symphysis pubis that becomes covered with pubic hair after puberty.

Labia Majora

Skin-covered lips with abundant nerve endings extending from the symphysis pubis to the perineum.

Labia Minora

A pair of thin lips with abundant nerve endings extending from the prepuce anteriorly to the fourchette posteriorly.

Clitoris

The seat of female sexual excitement, measuring $2\text{ cm}$ with a highly sensitive glans of around $2\text{ mm}$.

Fourchette

The union of the labia minora posteriorly, which is commonly lacerated during delivery.

Skene's Glands

Two glands with ducts opening on each side of the female urethra that secrete alkaline mucus.

Bartholin's Glands

Two glands with ducts opening on each side of the vagina that secrete alkaline mucus to act as a lubricant.

Carrunculae Myrtiformes

The remnants of the ruptured hymen, serving as an outlet for menstrual blood and fetus, and an inlet for the penis.

Döderlein's Bacilli

Normal bacterial flora of the vagina that produce lactic acid, maintaining an acidic vaginal $\text{pH}$ of $3.5\text{ to }6.0$.

Endometrium

The inner layer of the uterus that serves as the site of menstruation and implantation, and produces prostaglandin.

Endometriosis

A condition that occurs when endometrial tissue extends beyond the uterus.

Placenta Previa

A condition where implantation occurs in the cervix or lower segment of the uterus.

Ampulla of Fallopian Tube

The outer third portion of the fallopian tube, serving as the site of conception, fertilization, impregnation, or fecundation.

Fimbriae

Fingerlike projections on the terminal end of the infundibulum of the fallopian tube that help guide the ovum.

Menarche

The onset of first menstruation, typically occurring between $10\text{ to }15\text{ years}$ old (average $12\text{ years}$ old).

Menopause

The cessation of menstruation, occurring between $45\text{ to }55\text{ years}$ old (average $47\text{ years}$ old).

Menorrhagia

Excessive menstruation defined as blood loss greater than $80\text{ mL}$ or lasting longer than $8\text{ days}$.

Dysmenorrhea

Painful menstruation accompanied by abdominal cramps, dizziness, or faintness (also termed menorrhalgia).

Mittelschmerz

Lower abdominal pain on one side accompanying ovulation.

Ovarian Cycle

The series of monthly events in the ovary involving follicle development, ovulation of a secondary oocyte, and formation of the corpus luteum.

Capacitation

The entry of a sperm into an ovum by breaking the glycoprotein matrix called the Zona pellucida using the enzyme hyaluronidase.

Morula

An early embryonic stage consisting of $16\text{ to }64$ blastomere cells.

Blastocyst

An embryonic stage of $128$ cells or more that undergoes implantation, consisting of an outer trophoblast layer and an inner embryoblast.

Early Embryo Development Stages

The sequence of developmental stages following fertilization, progressing from 2-cell, 4-cell, 8-cell, morula, and blastocyst stages prior to implantation in the endometrium.

Cytotrophoblast

The inner layer of the trophoblast (also known as Langhans layer) that protects the conceptus against syphilis during the first trimester.

Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG)

A hormone secreted by the trophoblast that maintains the corpus luteum and is responsible for a positive pregnancy test, peaking at $2\text{ to }3\text{ months}$ post-fertilization.

Ectoderm

The outer primary germ layer of the embryoblast that develops into the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord), skin, hair, nails, and sebaceous, salivary, sweat, and lacrimal glands.

Mesoderm

The middle primary germ layer of the embryoblast that develops into the cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, genitourinary, and reproductive systems.

Endoderm

The inner primary germ layer of the embryoblast that develops into the inner lining of the gastrointestinal tract, respiratory system, liver, pancreas, spleen, gallbladder, thyroid, and parathyroid.

Umbilical Cord (Funis)

A gray, soft, coiled structure measuring $30\text{ to }90\text{ cm}$ (average $55\text{ cm}$) long and $1\text{ inch}$ thick that connects fetus and placenta, containing one umbilical vein and two umbilical arteries.

Quickening

Fetal movements first felt by a multigravida mother around $16\text{ weeks}$ of gestation.