Female Reproductive System Anatomy

production, gametes, estrogen, ovaries, uterus

The Female Reproductive System

-The female reproductive system includes all organs that take part in the ___________ of an offspring

-Ovaries → female gonads

• Produce female _________ (ova)

• Secrete female sex hormones, _________ (estradiol, estrone, estriol), and progesterone 

-Internal genitalia → located in the pelvic cavity, including _________ and duct system (uterine tubes, _______, and vagina)

-External genitalia → external sex organs 

-Mammary glands

oocytes, hormones, maturation, fertilization, milk

Functions of the Female Reproductive System

-Produce secondary _________

-Produce __________

-Ensure sexual _____________

-Provide site of ____________, implantation, and development of fetus/embryo

-Synthesize, secrete, and eject ____ for newborn nourishment

pubic symphysis, coccyx, urethra, anus

Female Perineum

-Diamond-shaped area between the thighs

• Anterior border → _____ ___________

• Lateral border → ischial tuberosities

• Posterior border → ______

-Contains 2 distinct triangles

• Anterior triangle → urogenital triangle → contains ________ and vagina

• Posterior triangle → anal triangle → contains _____

Urogenital triangle 

#1

Anal triangle 

#2

uterus, bladder, uterus, rectum

Pouches of the Female Reproductive System

-Due to folds in the peritoneum, there are two major pouches created in the pelvic cavity in the female anatomy

• (1) Anterior Vesicouterine Pouch → forms space between ________ and urinary _______

• (2) Posterior Rectouterine Pouch → forms the space between the _______ and _________

Vesicouterine pouch

#1

-Important anatomical landmark for c-sections 

Rectouterine pouch

#2

-Very important landmark for the pelvic exam. Need to feel for a tumor or other abnormalities 

-Normally very minimal fluid in this region, so feeling fluid could be indicative of bleeding or an infection

-Endometriosis lesions can be detected here 

uterus, pelvic wall, uterus, fallopian, vagina, broad, uterus

Ligamentous Support of Female Reproductive System

-Ovarian ligament → anchors ovary to the ________, medially

-Suspensory ligament → anchors ovary to the ______ ____, laterally

-Mesovarium → suspends ovary

-Broad ligament → tent-like structure that covers the _______ and helps to provide it with support, along with support to the ________ tubes and ______

-Suspensory ligament and mesovarium are part of the _____ ligament that supports uterine tubes, ______, and vagina

mesovarium, peritoneum, hilum, broad

Reproductive Organs

-Ovaries anchored within the pelvic cavity by the ____________

• Meso = related to the mesentery

• A double fold of ____________

• Attaches to the ovary at the _____

• Secures the ovary to the _____ ligament → sheet of peritoneum that hangs over the uterus

Ovary

#1

Broad ligament

#2

Mesovarium

#3

cervix, anterior, labia majora, sacrum

Uterus Ligaments

-Cardinal ligament → attaches the ______ portion of the uterus to the lateral pelvic wall

-Round ligament → binds uterus to _______ body wall by attaching it to subcutaneous tissue of _____ ______

-Uterosacral ligaments → anchors uterus to ______, posteriorly

-Become very loose during menopause, which can lead to prolapse

Suspensory ligament

#1

Ovarian ligament

#2

Ureter

#3

Uterosacral ligament

#4

Cardinal ligament

#5

Round ligament

#6

cortex, medulla, gametes, vessels, nerves, cortex, oocyte, ovulation, progesterone

Ovaries

-Paired, female gonads that are almond shape and twice as large in size

-Has two layers → ______ (outer layer) and _______ (inner layer). The cortex contains forming _________, while the medulla contains large blood ________ and ______

-Ovarian follicles → tiny saclike structures embedded in _______. It contains immature eggs (_________) encased by one or more layers of very different cells

-Each month, a ripened follicle ejects oocyte in an event called __________

-The ovaries produce gametes, _____________, and estrogen 

ovaries, peritoneal, uterus

Female Duct System

-Uterine tube system does not have direct contact with __________

-Ovulated oocyte is released into ___________ cavity, where some oocytes never make it to the tube system

-Tube system includes uterine tubes, ________, and vagina

Fallopian, superior, oocytes, peristaltic, ciliated, fertilization, ampulla, isthmus

Uterine Tubes (AKA _________ tubes)

-Each tube is approximately 4 in long and extends from area of ovary to _________ region of the uterus, transporting secondary ___________ that were released by the ovaries to the uterus through ___________ contractions and movement of _________ cells 

-If ___________ occurs, it typically occurs in the fallopian tubes, specifically, the ________ portion

-The fallopian tube has different regions including fimbrae, infundibulum, ampulla, and _______

Fimbrae

#1

-Feather-like projections off of the most distal aspect of the fallopian tubes

-Pick up egg once it has been released, no direct contact with the ovary

Infundibulum

#2

-Distal-most aspect of the fallopian tubes, trumpet shaped in appearance

-Egg goes here after being picked up by the fimbrae

Ampulla 

#3

-Middle and longest part of the fallopian tubes

Isthmus

#4

-Narrow region closest to the uterus

Lateral fornix 

#1

Internal os

#2

Cervical canal

#3

External os

#4

Vagina

#5

anteverted, implantation, sperm, fundus, mucus, sperm

Uterus

-Hollow, thick-walled, muscular organ

-Position of the uterus 

• ____________ → inclined forward (normal position) 

• Retroverted → inclined backward

-Site of ____________, sustains embryo/fetus, forms placenta, transports _____ to fallopian tubes and in times of no egg fertilization, is the source of menstrual flow

-Regions of the uterus → body, _______, isthmus, cervix, and cervical canal 

-Cervical glands secrete ______ that blocks _____ entry except midcycle

outermost, visceral, middle, muscle, mucosal, columnar

Uterus

-The uterine wall consists of three layers:

• (1) Perimetrium → ___________ serous layer (______ peritoneum)

• (2) Myometrium → bulky _______ layer consisting of interlacing layers of smooth _______

• (3) Endometrium → _______ lining. Made of simple ________ epithelium on top of a thick lamina propria. Fertilized egg burrows into endometrium and resides there during development

functionalis, hormone, shed, new, hormones

Endometrium

-Stratum ____________ (functional layer) → changes in response to ovarian ________ cycles, _____ during menstruation

-Stratum basalis (basal layer) → forms ____ stratum functionalis after menstruation. Unresponsive to ovarian ______________. Remains steady

internal, myometrium, endometrium, spiral, spasms, menstruation

Blood Supply: Uterine Wall

-Vascular supply plays key role in cyclic changes 

-Uterine arteries → arise from _______ iliacs and branch into….

-Arcuate arteries → ____________, branch into …

-Radial arteries → in ____________, branch into …

• Straight arteries in stratum basalis and 

• _______ arteries in stratum functionalis, which degenerate and regenerate. ______ cause shedding of functionalis layer during ____________

birth canal, rugae, squamous, acidic, hymen, fornix

Vagina

-Outlet for menstrual flow, also the site to receive sperm 

-Connects uterus with outside world and functions as _____ _____, approximately 8-10 cm in length 

-Contains ______. Tissue there is stratified ___________ epithelium, which secretes an _______ fluid

-The _________ partially covers the vaginal opening 

-The _______ is a narrow space between the wall of the cervix and wall of the vagina 

vulva, clitoris, majora

External Genitalia

-Collectively known as the _____

-Consists of the mons pubis, __________, labia ________, and labia minora

Mons pubis

#1

Labia majora

#2

Labia minora

#3

Clitoris

#4

symphysis, pubic hair, adipose, external, scrotum, vestibular, mucus, sexual

Mons Pubis and Labia

-Mons Pubis

• Rounded are overlying the pubic __________

• Covered with _____ ____ in post-pubescent women

• Consists mostly of adipose tissue

-Labia

• Elongated, fatty folds which enclose the _________ openings of the urethra and vagina

• The labia majora is the equivalent of the _________, for they come from the same embryonic tissue e

• The labia minor contains the __________ glands, which secrete _____ into the area during ________ stimulation

minora, posterior, opening, mucus, sexual

Vestibule

-Vestibule → recess within labia _______

-Fourchette → ridge formed by joining of __________ vestibule and labia minora 

-Greater vestibular glands → flank vaginal ________, homologous to bulbo-urethral glands, and release ______ into vestibule for lubrication

-Bulbs of the vestibule → lie along each side of the orifice that engorge with blood during ________ stimulation

erectile, prepuce, sensory

Clitoris

-Found anterior to vestibule

-Protrusion of ________ tissue anterior to external urethral orifice and vagina, which is covered by a fold of tissue called the ________

-Contains a large number of ________ nerve endings

sweat, milk, nutrients, immature, nipple, oil, sebaceous, inhibits, production, alveoli, lactiferous, sinuses

Breasts and Mammary Glands

-Mammary glands → modified ______ glands found within the breast tissue that produce and secrete ____ in pregnant and nursing mothers

-Milk contains proteins, fats, and sugar → provides ________ to infants

-Both females and males have mammary glands, but males have __________ ones

-______ → cylindrical projection in the center of the breast, containing multiple tiny openings for breast milk to leave the mammary gland

-The areola is pigmented skin around the nipple → contains numerous ____ glands, normally a rose-pink to brown color

-Progesterone → causes development of alveolar ___________ glands, also ______ milk production in early months of pregnancy

-Prolactin → released toward end of pregnancy and after to cause milk __________

-Lobules within lobes contain glandular _______ that produce milk, which is passed into ___________ ducts and then into lactiferous __________