Biology - fertilisation, menstruation and the reproductive system

Reproductive system

The system of organs involved in producing offspring, including the testes, ovaries, and associated ducts and glands.

glands

Produce fluid for sperm to swim in.

Testes/Testicles

The male reproductive organs that produce sperm, housed in the scrotum.

Scrotum

The pouch of skin that contains and protects the testes, helping to regulate their temperature for optimal sperm production.

Sperm duct

The tube that carries sperm from the testes to the urethra for ejaculation.

Penis

The male reproductive organ that delivers sperm during sexual intercourse and serves as a passage for urine to leave the body.

Urethra

The tube that carries urine from the bladder and sperm from the reproductive system to the outside of the body.

Ovaries

The female reproductive organs that produce eggs and hormones such as estrogen and progesterone.

Oviduct

Also known as fallopian tubes, they are the pathways through which eggs travel from the ovaries to the uterus, and where fertilization often occurs.

Uterus

The hollow muscular organ in the female reproductive system where a fertilized egg implants and develops during pregnancy.

Cervix

The lower part of the uterus that opens into the vagina, providing support and a passageway for sperm to enter the uterus and menstrual fluid to exit. It contracts when the baby is being born.

Vagina

The muscular canal that connects the cervix to the outside of the body, serving as the birth canal and the passage for menstrual fluid and intercourse.

Menstrual cycle

The regular biological process that prepares the female body for pregnancy each month, involving the shedding of the uterine lining in the form of blood when pregnancy does not occur.

Period

The phase of the menstrual cycle characterized by the discharge of blood and other materials from the inner lining of the uterus, typically lasting 3 to 7 days.

Ovulation

The release of a mature egg from the ovary, occurring mid-cycle, which is crucial for fertilization and pregnancy.

Fertilisation

The process in which a sperm cell successfully merges with an egg cell, resulting in the formation of a zygote, which can develop into an embryo.