MedTerms Ch8: Female Reproductive System

ovaries

pair of almond-shaped organs located in the pelvic cavity. Egg cells are formed and stored in the ovaries

ovum (pl. ova)

female egg cell

graafian follicles

100,000 microscopic sacs that make up a large portion of the ovaries; each follicle contains an immature ovum

uterine, or fallopian, tubes

pair of tubes attached to the uterus that provides a passageway for the ovum to move from the ovary to the uterus

fimbria (pl. fimbriae)

finger-like projection at the free end of the uterine tube

uterus

pear-sized and pear-shaped muscular organ that lies in the pelvic cavity, except during pregnancy when it enlarges and extends up into the abdominal cavity. Its functions are menstruation, pregnancy, and labor

endometrium

inner lining of the uterus

myometrium

muscular middle layer of the uterus

perimetrium

outer thin layer that covers the surface of the uterus

corpus, or body

large central portion of the uterus

fundus

rounded upper portion of the uterus

cervix (Cx)

narrow lower portion of the uterus

vagina

a 3-inch tube that connects the uterus to the outside of the body

hymen

fold of membrane found near the opening of the vagina

rectouterine pouch

cavity between the posterior wall of the uterus and the anterior wall of the rectum that is closed at the inferior end

Bartholin glands

pair of mucus-producing glands located on each side of the vagina and just above the vaginal opening

mammary glands, or breasts

pair of milk-producing glands of the female. Each breast consists of 15 to 20 divisions, or lobules

mammary papilla

breast nipple

areola

pigmented area around the breast nipple

vulva, or external genitalia

two pairs of lips (labia majora and labia minora) that surround the vagina

clitoris

highly erogenous erectile body located anterior to the urethra

perineum

pelvic floor in both the male and female; in females it usually refers to the area between the vaginal opening and the anus

arche/o

first, beginning (combining form)

cervic/o

cervix (combining form)

colp/o, vagin/o

vagina (combining form)

culd/o

cul-de-sac (combining form)

episi/o, vulv/o

vulva (combining form)

gynec/o, gyn/o

woman (combining form)

hymen/o

hymen (combining form)

hyster/o, metr/o, metr/i

uterus (combining form)

mamm/o, mast/o

breast (combining form)

men/o

menstruation (combining form)

oophor/o

ovary (combining form)

perine/o

perineum (combining form)

salping/o

uterine tube (fallopian tube) (combining form)

peri-

surrounding (outer) (prefix)

-atresia

absence of a normal body opening; occlusion; closure (suffix)

-salpinx

uterine tube (fallopian tube) (suffix)

amenorrhea

absence of menstrual flow

Bartholin adenitis

inflammation of a Bartholin gland (also called bartholinitis)

cervicitis

inflammation of the cervix

colpitis, vaginitis

inflammation of the vagina

dysmenorrhea

painful menstrual flow

endocervicitis

inflammation of the inner lining of the cervix

endometritis

inflammation of the inner (lining) of the uterus (endometrium)

hematosalpinx

blood in the uterine tube

hydrosalpinx

water in the uterine tube

hysteratresia

closure of the uterus (uterine cavity)

mastitis

inflammation of the breast

menometrorrhagia

rapid flow of blood from the uterus at menstruation (and between menstrual cycles; increased amount)

menorrhagia

rapid flow of blood at menstruation (increased amount)

metrorrhagia

rapid flow of blood from the uterus (between menstrual cycles)

myometritis

inflammation of the uterine muscle (myometrium)

oligomenorrhea

scanty menstrual flow (less often)

oophoritis

inflammation of the ovary

perimetritis

inflammation surrounding the uterus (perimetrium)

pyosalpinx

pus in the uterine tube

salpingitis

inflammation of the uterine tube

salpingocele

hernia of the uterine tube

vulvovaginitis

inflammation of the vulva and vagina

adenomyosis

growth of endometrium into the muscular portion of the uterus

breast cancer

malignant tumor of the breast

cervical cancer

malignant tumor of the cervix, which progresses from cervical dysplasia to carcinoma. Its cause is linked to human papillomavirus (HPV) infection

endometrial cancer

malignant tumor of the endometrium (also called uterine cancer)

endometriosis

abnormal condition in which endometrial tissue grows outside of the uterus in various areas in the pelvic cavity, including ovaries, uterine tubes, intestines, and uterus

fibrocystic breast condition (FCC)

disorder characterized by benign cysts in one or both breasts; may cause discomfort (also called fibrocystic breast disease)

fibroid tumor

benign tumor of the uterine muscle (also called myoma of the uterus or leiomyoma)

ovarian cancer

malignant tumor of the ovary

pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)

inflammation of some or all of the female pelvic organs; can be caused by many different pathogens. If untreated, the infection may spread upward from the vagina, involving the uterus, uterine tubes, ovaries, and other pelvic organs. An ascending infection may result in infertility and, in acute cases, fatal septicemia

prolapsed uterus

downward displacement of the uterus into the vagina (also called hysteroptosis)

toxic shock syndrome (TSS)

severe illness characterized by high fever, rash, vomiting, diarrhea, and myalgia, following by hypotension, and in severe cases, shock and death; usually affects menstruating women using tampons, caused by staphylococcus aureus and streptococcus pyogenes

vesicovaginal fistula

abnormal opening between the bladder and the vagina

cervicectomy

excision of the cervix

colpoperineorrhaphy

suturing of the vagina and perineum (performed to mend perineal vaginal tears)

colpoplasty

surgical repair of the vagina

colporrhaphy

suturing of the vagina (wall of the vagina)

culdocentesis

surgical puncture to aspirate fluid from Douglas cul-de-sac

episioperineoplasty

surgical repair of the vulva and perineum

episiorrhaphy

suturing of (a tear in) the vulva

hymenectomy

excision of the hymen

hymenotomy

incision of the hymen

hysterectomy

excision of the uterus

hysteropexy

surgical fixation of the uterus

hysterosalpingo-oophorectomy

excision of the uterus, uterine tubes, and ovaries

mammoplasty

surgical repair of the breast (performed to enlarge or reduce in size, or to reconstruct after removal of a tumor)

mastectomy

surgical removal of a breast

mastopexy

surgical fixation of the breast (performed to lift sagging breast tissue or to create symmetry)

oophorectomy

excision of an ovary

perineorrhaphy

suturing of (a tear in) the perineum

salpingectomy

excision of a uterine tube

salpingo-oophorectomy

excision of a uterine tube and ovary

salpingostomy

creation of an artificial opening in a uterine tube (performed to restore patency)

vulvectomy

excision of the vulva

total hysterectomy

excision of the uterus (abdominal, vaginal, or laparoscopic)

bilateral hysterosalpingo-oophorectomy

excision of the uterus, ovaries, and uterine tubes

radical hysterectomy

excision of the uterus, ovaries, uterine tubes; lymph nodes, upper portion of the vagina, and the surrounding tissues (abdominal)

laparoscopically-assisted vaginal hysterectomy

vaginal excision of the uterus with the use of the laparoscope to view the abdominopelvic cavity

radical mastectomy

removal of breast tissue, nipple, lymph nodes, and underlying chest wall muscle; also called Halsted mastectomy

modified radical mastectomy

removal of breast tissue, nipple, and lymph nodes

simple mastectomy

removal of breast tissue and nipple (also called total mastectomy)