reproductive system
Function of the Reproductive System
- Purpose: To produce life
- Components:
- Gonads (Sex glands)
- Ducts (tubes) to carry sex cells and secretions
- Accessory Organs
Male Reproductive System
Gonads: Testes
- Produce sperm and testosterone.
- Located in the scrotum
- Produce sperm (spermatozoa)
- Produce testosterone (secondary male sex characteristics: body hair, facial hair, deep voice, muscle growth)
Scrotum
- Sac that holds testes and regulates temperature.
- Sac that holds testes
- Maintains a lower temperature to protect sperm
Epididymis
- Stores and matures sperm.
- Tightly coiled tube above the testes
- Stores and matures sperm
Vas Deferens
- Transports sperm from epididymis to urethra.
- Transports sperm from testes
- Site of vasectomy (sterility procedure)
Seminal Vesicles
- Add fluid to sperm to form semen.
- Produce fluid that nourishes sperm
- Largest contributor to semen composition
Ejaculatory Ducts
- Formed by the union of the vas deferens and seminal vesicles
- Carries semen through the prostate
Prostate Gland
- Adds fluid to nourish sperm.
- Produces alkaline secretion to increase sperm mobility
- Neutralizes acidity in urethra
Cowper's Glands (Bulbourethral)
- Secretes mucus for lubrication and neutralizes residual urine
Urethra
- Carries urine and semen out of the body
Penis
- Organ for urination and sexual intercourse.
- External organ for copulation and semen deposition in the vagina
Female Reproductive System
Gonads: Ovaries
- Produce eggs and hormones (estrogen, progesterone).
- Located in the pelvic cavity
- Produce eggs and hormones (estrogen, progesterone)
- Responsible for female secondary sex characteristics (breasts, wider hips)
Fallopian Tubes
- Site of fertilization; transport egg to uterus.
- Site of fertilization
- Egg moves through the tube post-ovulation
Uterus
- Muscular organ where a fertilized egg implants and grows.
- Divided into three parts:
- Fundus (top)
- Body (middle)
- Cervix (bottom)
- Endometrium thickens in the luteal phase to prepare for pregnancy
- Menstruation occurs if fertilization does not happen
Cervix
- Opening between uterus and vagina.
Vagina
- Muscular canal for menstrual flow, intercourse, and childbirth.
- Passageway for menstrual flow and intercourse
- Birth canal during delivery
Bartholin’s Glands
- Secrete mucus for lubrication during intercourse
Vulva
- External female genitalia, including:
- Mons pubis
- Labia majora/minora: External folds that protect the vaginal opening.
- Labia minora
- Clitoris: Highly sensitive organ involved in sexual arousal.
- Clitoris
Breasts (Mammary Glands)
- Secrete milk after childbirth
PELVIC EXAM COMPONENTS
The Speculum Exam
- Done before the bimanual exam to avoid tissue/sample disruption.
- Usually performed without lubricant; warm water is used to warm speculum blades.
- Inserted closed at a 45° posterior angle.
Cervix Observation
- Position: anteverted, deviated → tells uterine position.
- Color: normal is pink to brown; blue or pale is abnormal.
- Surface: cysts, erythema, discharge.
- Size/Shape of os: varies.
The Pap Exam
- Developed by Dr. George Papanicolaou.
- Samples: cervical cells + vaginal secretions.
- Also screens for STDs.
- Focuses on the "transitional zone".
- Decreases cervical cancer deaths by ~75%.
- False positives: 10%-40%, false negatives: 1%-15%.
Vaginal Secretion Samples
- Collected for further analysis depending on symptoms.
The Bimanual Exam
- Second part of the pelvic exam.
- Assesses cervix, uterus, ovaries, fallopian tubes.
- Used to detect PID/endometriosis.
- Performed even if patient is not sexually active.
Recto-Vaginal Exam
- Final part of pelvic exam.
- Evaluates uterus position (esp. retroverted) and rectal walls.
- Can screen for colorectal cancer or polyps.
Hormones Involved in Reproduction
Estrogen
- Secreted by ovaries
- Responsible for female secondary sex characteristics (breast development, widened hips)
Progesterone
- Regulates the endometrium
- Released after ovulation to prepare for implantation
Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH)
- Stimulates egg growth in ovaries
- Regulates menstrual cycle
Luteinizing Hormone (LH)
- Triggers ovulation
- Stimulates progesterone production
Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG)
- Detected in pregnancy tests
- Produced after implantation of a fertilized egg
Oxytocin
- Causes uterine contractions during labor
Menstrual Cycle Overview
- Follicular Phase: First half of the cycle; FSH stimulates egg growth
- Ovulation: Occurs on day 14 of a 28-day cycle; LH surge causes the egg to be released
- Luteal Phase: After ovulation; progesterone thickens the uterine lining for implantation
- Menstruation: Occurs if no fertilization happens; shedding of the uterine lining
Ovulation
- Occurs on the 14th day of a 28-day cycle
- Egg released into the fallopian tube, available for fertilization
Common Diseases & Conditions
Male Reproductive System
- Epididymitis: Inflammation of the epididymis due to infection
- Symptoms: Pain, swelling, fever
- Orchitis: Inflammation of the testes, often caused by mumps
- Can lead to sterility
- Symptoms: Swelling, pain, fever
- Prostatic Hypertrophy (Hyperplasia): Enlarged prostate
- Common in men over age 50
- May be benign or cancerous
- Screening: PSA test for cancer
Female Reproductive System
- Endometriosis: Growth of uterine tissue outside the uterus
- Leads to pain and potential infertility
- Ovarian Cancer: Leading cause of cancer death in women
- Early symptoms are vague
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