THE FEMALE

REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM

Virginia A. Jupiter, RN, MAN, PhD, PhDNEd

 FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM:

EXTERNAL STRUCTURES ( VULVA/ PUDENDUM)

A. MONS PUBIS OR MONS VENERIS
= ROUNDED, SOFT FATTY LOOSE TISSUE OVER THE
SYMPHYSIS PUBIS. DARK & CURLY PUBIC HAIR GROWTH IN
TYPICAL TRIANGULAR SHAPE
B. LABIA MAJORA
= LENGTHWISE, TWO THICK FOLDS OF FATTY SKIN
EXTENDING FROM THE MONS TO THE PERINEUM THAT
PROTECTS THE LABIA MINORA, URINARY MEATUS AND VAGINAL
MUCOSA.
C. LABIA MINORA
= THINNER, LENGTHWISE FOLDS OF HAIRLESS
SKIN, ENCIRCLING THE CLITORIS ANTERIORLY
(PREPUCE) AND UNITE POSTERIORLY
( FOURCHETTE) WHICH IS HIGHLY SENSITIVE TO
MANIPULATION AND TRAUMA, THE REASON WHY
IT IS OFTEN TORN DURING DELIVERY.
D. VESTIBULE
= FLATTENED SMOOTH SURFACE INSIDE THE
LABIA MINORA. IT IS THE NARROW SPACE SEEN
WHEN LABIA ARE SEPARATED
E. GLANS CLITORIS
= SMALL ERECTILE STRUCTURE
LOCATED AT THE ANTERIOR JUNCTION
OF THE LABIA MINORA. CONTAINS
NERVE ENDINGS, SENSITIVE TO
TEMPERATURE AND TOUCH. IT IS THE
SEAT OF SEXUAL AROUSAL AND
EXCITEMENT IN FEMALES. IT IS THE
MOST SENSITIVE PART OF A WOMAN’S
BODY.IT IS ALSO THE STRUCTURE THAT
GUIDES THE NURSE TO THE URINARY
MEATUS.
F. URETHRAL MEATUS
= THE EXTERNAL OPENING OF THE URETHRA.
SLIGHTLY BEHIND AND TO THE SIDE ARE THE
OPENINGS OF THE SKENE’S GLANDS
(PARAURETHRAL GLANDS); THE SECRETIONS OF
WHICH HELP TO LUBRICATE THE EXTERNAL
GENITALIA

G. HYMEN
= A TOUGH BUT ELASTIC SEMICIRCLE OF TISSUE
THAT COVERS THE OPENING TO THE VAGINA
H. VAGINAL ORIFICE / INTROITUS
= EXTERNAL OPENING OF THE VAGINA,
COVERED BY A THIN MEMBRANE ( HYMEN)
IN VIRGINS.LOCATED LATERAL TO THE
VAGINAL OPENING ON BOTH SIDES ARE
THE BARTHOLIN’S GLANDS
( VULVOVAGINAL GLANDS). IT
LUBRICATES THE EXTERNAL VULVA
DURING COITUS AND THE ALKALINE PH OF
THEIR SECRETION HELPS TO IMPROVE
SPERM SURVIVAL IN THE VAGINA.
I. FOURCHETTE
= THIN FOLD OF TISSUE FORMED BY
MERGING OF THE LABIA MAJORA AND
LABIA MINORA BELOW THE VAGINAL
ORIFICE.
J. PERINEUM
= MUSCULAR SKIN COVERED AREA
BETWEEN VAGINAL OPENING AND ANUS.
CONTAINS THE PUBOCOCCYGEAL
MUSCLES AND LAVATOR ANI.
B. INTERNAL STRUCTURES
 INTERNAL STRUCTURES:

A. VAGINA

HOLLOW MEMBRANOUS CANAL, 3-4 INCHES LONG,

LOCATED POSTERIOR TO THE BLADDER AND
ANTERIOR TO THE RECTUM; CONTAINS RUGAE
(WHICH PERMITS CONSIDERABLE STRETCHING
WITHOUT TEARING).ITS UPPER PORTION IS
SEPARATED FROM THE RECTUM BY THE CUL-DE-
SAC OF DOUGLAS.
= PASSAGEWAY OF MENSTRUATION
= PASSAGEWAY OF FETUS
= ORGAN OF COPULATION
** DODERLIEN’S BACILLUS MAINTAINS THE NORMAL FLORA
OF THE VAGINA, WHICH MAKES THE pH OF VAGINA ACIDIC,
DETRIMENTAL TO THE GROWTH OF PATHOLOGIC BACTERIA.
B. UTERUS
= HOLLOW, MUSCULAR PEAR SHAPED ORGAN LOCATED
IN THE PELVIS. IT IS 3 INCHES LONG, 2 INCHES WIDE, 2
INCHES THICK AND WEIGHING 50-60 g IN A NON-PREGNAT
WOMAN. HELD IN PLACE BY BROAD LIGAMENTS. ABUNDANT
BLOOD SUPPLY FROM UTERINE AND OVARIAN ARTERIES.
Functions of the Uterus:
a. ORGAN OF IMPLANTATION ( NIDATION)
AND MENSTRUATION
b. RECEIVES THE OVA FROM THE
FALLOPIAN TUBE
c. FURNISH PROTECTION FOR A
GROWING FETUS
 DIVISIONS OF THE UTERUS

1.CERVIX
= LOWER PORTION CALLED THE NECK
a. EXTERNAL CERVICAL OS = DISTAL
OPENING TO THE VAGINA
b. CERVICAL CANAL = THE CAVITY
c. INTERNAL CERVICAL OS = OPENING TO
THE UTERUS
2. FUNDUS
= UPPER PORTION WITH TRIANGULAR
PART AND CAN BE PALPATED TO DETERMINE
UTERINE GROWTH DURING PREGNANCY AND
FORCE OF CONTRACTIONS

MOST VASCULAR PORTION

= NORMAL IMPLANTATION SITE
 3. CORPUS
= CENTRAL PART CALLED THE BODY
4.CORNUA – THE UPPER PORTION WHERE
THE FALLOPIAN TUBES ARE ATTACHED.
LAYERS OF THE UTERUS:
1.ENDOMETRIUM
INNER LAYER, HIGHLY VASCULAR,SHEDS DURING
MENSTRUATION AND FOLLOWING DELIVERY
2. MYOMETRIUM
MIDDLE LAYER , EXPELS FETUS DURING BIRTH
PROCESS THEN CONTRACTS AROUND BLOOD
VESSELS TO PREVEMT HEMORRHAGE ( OXYTOCIN
SITE)
3. PERIMETRIUM
OUTERMOST LAYER OF THE UTERUS; OFFERS ADDED
STRENGTH AND SUPPORT TO THE STRUCTURE
C. FALLOPIAN TUBES / OVIDUCTS / UTERINE TUBES
= TWO SLENDER MUSCULAR TUBES WHICH ARISES
FROM EACH OF THE UPPER CORNER OF THE UTERINE
BODY AND EXTEND OUTWARD. PROVIDES A PLACE
FOR FERTILIZATION ( CONCEPTION, FECUNDATION,
IMPREGNATION) OF OVA BY THE SPERM. IT IS ALSO
THE COMMON SITE OF ECTOPIC PREGNANCY,
GONOCOCCAL INFECTIONS (ex. SALPHINGITIS)
PARTS:
1.INTERSTITIAL = LIES WITHIN THE UTERINE
WALL. IT HAS THE SMALLEST LUMEN.
2. ISTHMUS = PORTION CUT OR SEALED DURING
TUBAL LIGATION.
3. AMPULLA = LONGEST PORTION, EXACT SITE
OF FERTILIZATION ( DISTAL 3RD, OUTER 3RD)
4. INFUNDIBULUM =MOST DISTAL PORTION; RIM
OF THE FUNNEL IS COVERED BY FIMBRAE THAT
HELPS GUIDE THE OVA INTO THE FALLOPIAN
TUBE.
D. OVARIES
= RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PRODUCTION,
MATURATION AND DISCHARGE OF OVA AND
SECRETION OF ESTROGEN AND
PROGESTERONE
= ORGAN OF OVULATION
 2. THE MALE
REPRODUCTIVE
SYSTEM
Virginia A. Jupiter RN, MAN, PhD, PhDNEd
 MALE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM
EXTERNAL STRUCTURES:
A. MONS PUBIS
FIRM, CUSHION-LIKE ELEVATION OF ADIPOSE
TISSUE OVER THE SYMPHYSIS PUBIS.
PATTERN OF HAIR GROWTH IS DIAMOND IN
SHAPE.
B. PENIS
MALE ORGAN OF COPULATION
INSTRUMENT BY WHICH SEMINAL FLUID IS
BROUGHT INTO THE VAGINAL CAVITY
C. SCROTUM
RUGGATED SKIN COVERED MUSCULAR POUCH
SUSPENDED FROM THE PERINEUM. IT CONTAINS
THE TESTES
INTERNAL STRUCTURES:
A. TESTES
TWO OVOID SHAPED BODY THAT LIE INSIDE THE
SCROTUM
ENCASED BY A PROTECTIVE WHITE FIBROUS
CAPSULE AND COMPRISES A NUMBER OF LOBULES
= EACH LOBULE CONTAINS INTERSTITIAL
CELLS ( LEYDIG’S CELLS) AND SEMINIFEROUS
TUBULES
= SEMINIFEROUS TUBULES PRODUCE
SPERMATOZOA
= LEYDIG’S CELLS PRODUCE THE HORMONE
TESTOSTERONE
FUNCTIONS OF THE TESTES:
1. SPERMATOGENESIS
= PROCESS BY WHICH THE SPERMATOCYTES
ARE DEVELOPED INTO MATURE SPERMATOZOA
2. HORMONE PRODUCTION
a. TESTOSTERONE = AN ANDROGEN OR
MUSCULINIZING HORMONE RESPONSIBLE FOR
** GROWTH & DEVELOPMENT OF SECONDARY
SEX CHARACTERISTICS
b. FSH = FOLLICLE STIMULATING HORMONE
CAUSES RAPID SPERM PRODUCTION BY THE TUBULE
c. ICSH – INTERSTITIAL CELL STIMULATING HORMONE
STIMULATES LEYDIG’S CELLS TO INCREASE
TESTOSTERONE PRODUCTION
B. PROSTATE GLAND:
= FUNCTIONS TO SECRETE AN ALKALINE FLUID
WHICH IS BELIEVED TO NEUTRALIZE THE ACID
ENVIRONMENT ON THE VAGINA WHERE THE
SPERMATOZOA IS FIRST DEPOSITED
C. BULBOURETHRAL
GLANDS/COWPER’S GLANDS
= COUNTERPART OF
BARTHOLIN’S GLANDS IN FEMALES.
SECRETES SUBSTANCE WHICH IS
AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE
SEMINAL FLUID
THE DUCT SYSTEM:
1. EPIDIDYMIS = APPROXIMATELY 20 FT. LONG,
CONDUCTS SPERM FROM TESTIS TO THE VAS
DEFERENS. SPERM TAKES 12 TO 20 DAYS TO TRAVEL
THE LENGTH OF THE EPIDIDYMIS & A TOTAL OF 64
DAYS FOR THEM TO REACH MATURITY.
2. VAS DEFERENS = CARRIES SPERM FROM EPIDIDYMIS
THROUGH THE ABDOMINAL CAVITY.THE BLOOD
VESSELS & VAS DEFERENS TOGETHER ARE
REFERRED TO AS THE SPERMATIC CORD.
3. SEMINAL VESICLES OR SEMINAL DUCTS:
= TWO POUCHES THAT THAT LIE ALONG THE
PORTION OF THE POSTERIOR SURFACE OF
BLADDER AND EMPTY INTO URETHRA BY WAY OF
EJACULATORY DUCTS.
4. EJACULATORY DUCTS = CONVEYS THE SEMINAL
FLUID TO THE URETHRA
5. URETHRA = 8-10 INCHES CANAL THROUGH WHICH
THE SEMINAL FLUID IS TRANSMITTED. SERVES
BOTH URINARY AND REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM IN
MALES.
SEMINAL FLUID:
A GRAYISH WHITISH SUBSTANCE SAID TO BE THE
PROCREATIVE MATERIAL OF THE MALE GENERATIVE
ORGANS.
AT THE TIME OF EJACULATION, APPROXIMATELY 3-
5 ML OF SEMEN IS SECRETED WITH ABOUT 100
MILLION SPERMATOZOA PER MILLILITER, OR ABOUT
250-500 MILLION SPERMATOZOA AT EACH
EJACULATION. IF THE SPERM COUNT DROPS TO LESS
THAN 20 MILLION PER MILLILITER OF SEMEN, THE
RATE IS CONSIDERED INFERTILE.
PUBERTAL DEVELOPMENT:
PUBERTY = PERIOD OF LIFE IN WHICH THE REPRODUCTIVE
ORGANS BECOME FUNCTIONAL
GIRLS = 9-12 YEARS OLD
BOYS = 12-14 YEARS OLD
SEQUENTIAL ORDER OF PUBERTAL
CHANGES IN BOYS:
1. INCREASE IN WEIGHT
2. GROWTH OF TESTES
3. GROWTH OF FACE, AXILLARY & PUBIC
HAIR
4. VOICE CHANGES
5. PENILE GROWTH
6. INCREASE IN HEIGHT
7. SPERMATOGENESIS
MENSTRUATION AND
OVULATION video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdG51DIAyFU
 Graded Recitation
Signs and symptoms of Pregnancy
 Fertilization to Child Birth
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-Xpa5UZAZs