Parenting/Child Development terms

Arrowhead Child Development Terms

Urethra

Moves sperm/semen from the prostate gland to the outside of the body via the penis

Prostate Gland

Secretes a fluid to neutralize vaginal acids; acts as a lubricant to help sperm move

Penis

Male organ for reproduction and urination

Seminal Vesicles

Secretes fluid containing fructose (food for sperm), mucus (to protect sperm) and prostaglandin (triggers uterine contractions to help sperm move to the egg)

Epididymis

Site where sperm matures and develops – mature sperm are stored here until ejaculation

Scrotum

Sac-like pouch located behind the penis that holds each testicle; helps regulate temperature for sperm production

Testicles

Two organs located inside the scrotum; responsible for the production of sperm and testosterone

Vas Deferens

Two long, thin tubes which move sperm from the epididymis to the prostate gland during ejaculation

Cervix

Dilates (get larger/opens) during childbirth and during ovulation

Ovaries

Where egg cells mature prior to release; responsible for estrogen and progesterone secretion

Uterus

A hallow, muscular organ where a fertilized egg will implant and develop throughout pregnancy

Endometrium

A mucous membrane lining of the uterus

Fimbria

A fringe of tissue next to each ovary that sweeps an egg cell into the fallopian tube

Fallopian Tubes

Two tubes that transport the egg cell to the uterus and/or the sperm cell to the egg cell; typically where fertilization occurs

Vagina

Organ of intercourse (sex) and organ of childbirth

Labia Majora

Fleshy folds of tissue that enclose and protect the external (and internal) female reproductive organs

Clitoris

Primary function is sexual arousal and pleasure; location of thousands of nerve endings

Labia Minora

Skin folds that protect the opening of the urethra and the vagina

Vulva

General term to describe all external female sex organs

Vaginal Opening

The entrance or opening to the internal organs

Implantation

When a fertilized egg attaches to the uterine wall

Progesterone

Hormone responsible for building up the lining of the uterus to prepare it for a fertilized ovum; synthetic (man-made) form of this hormone is called progestin

Testosterone

Reproductive hormone made by the testicles that causes the changes of puberty and regulates male sex drive

Ovulation

When an ovary releases an egg into the fallopian tube

Semen

Sperm that has been mixed with a variety of fluids and mucus

Estrogen

Hormone responsible for egg production, secondary sex characteristics, and female sex drive

Sperm

Male reproductive cell

Ejaculation

The action of ejecting semen from the body through the tip of the penis

Fertilization

When sperm and egg come together to form a zygote

Placenta

An organ that attaches to the wall of the uterus during pregnancy to provide nourishment/oxygen to the baby and remove waste via the mother’s bloodstream

Surfactant

A substance within the lungs of a developing fetus that allows the lungs to expand and contract properly while in the womb

Amniotic sac/fluid

A fluid-filled sac that forms inside the uterus during pregnancy to protect the growing fetus until birth

Mucus plug

Mucus that accumulates in the cervix during pregnancy to protect the baby from bacteria and infection

Umbilical cord

Forms between the embryo and the placenta

Lanugo

Soft, fine hair that covers a fetus’s body during pregnancy to hold the vernix in place on the skin

Vernix

Slick, greasy coating that protects the skin while in the amniotic sac