Chapter 16 Lesson 3 The Female Reproductive System

Chapter 16, Lesson 3 The Female Reproductive System 1

Female Reproductive Organs • The system has several functions: – Producing female sex hormones – Storing eggs • Female gametes or ova (singular: ovum) • Ovaries – The female sex glands that store the ova and produce female sex hormones – Located on each side of the uterus • The hollow, muscular, pear-shaped organ that nourishes and protects a fertilized ovum until birth • At birth a female has over 400, 000 immature ova • At puberty, the pituitary gland produces hormones that cause these ova to mature • Ovulation • The process of releasing a mature ovum into the fallopian tube each month 2

Female Reproductive Organs • Figure 16. 8 – Cervix • Opening of the uterus – Uterus • Protects and nourishes a developing fetus – – – Urinary bladder Uretha Labia minora Labia majora Ovaries • Contain ova and produce hormones – Fallopian tubes • Ova travel from the ovaries to the uterus – Endometrium • Tissue that lines the uterus – Vagina • Passageway from the uterus to the outside of the body, aka the birth canal 3

Female Reproductive Organs cont. , • Ovum is released from an ovary and moves into one of the two fallopian tubes • A pair of tubes with fingerlike projections that draw in the ovum • Cilia helps to move the ovum in the fallopian tubes • Sperm enters through the vagina • Muscular, elastic passageway that extends from the uterus to the outside of the body • If the sperm is present in the fallopian tubes, the sperm and ovum might unite, resulting in fertilization – Produce a zygote, which moves through the fallopian tubes, enters the uterus, where it attaches itself to the uterine wall, blood thickens to nourish the zygote, fetus remains in the uterus until birth 4

Menstruation • If pregnancy does not occur, the thickened lining of the uterus, called the endometrium, breaks down into blood, tissue, and fluids • Cycle of Menstruation – The shedding of the uterine lining – The endometrium tissue pass through the cervix, the opening to the uterus, and into the vagina – Most females begin their menstrual cycles between the ages of 10 -15 – At first the period might be irregular but then should become more predictable • Endocrine hormones control the cycle • Stress, poor nutrition, excessive exercise, low body weight, and illness can influence your period 5

The Menstrual Cycle • Figure 16. 9 6

Maintaining Reproductive Health • Bathe regularly • Have regular medical exams • Practice abstinence 7

Breast Self-Exam • • • One week after your menstrual cycle Look in the mirror using different views Tips of three fingers as memory pads Vertical patterns Light, medium, hard pressure 8

Female Reproductive System Problems • Menstrual Cramps – Sometimes occur in the beginning of a menstrual period – Light exercise and heat help to relieve them • Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) – Caused by a hormonal change – Symptoms include: anxiety, irritability, bloating, weight gain, depression, mood swings, fatigue • Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS) – Rare, but serious bacterial infection caused by use of tampons • Use low absorbency and change them often 9

Infertility and Other Disorders • Endometriosis – Uterine tissue grows in the ovaries, fallopian tubes, or the lining of the pelvic cavity • Sexually Transmitted Diseases – Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) • Untreated STDs • Vaginitis – Discharge, odor, pain, itching, or burning • Yeast infections • Ovarian cysts – Fluid filled sac on the ovary • Some may disappear on their own, larger ones tend to be removed surgically • Cervical, Uterine, and Ovarian Cancers 10