Fancy Female Reproductive System OVARIES Main female sex

Fancy Female Reproductive System

OVARIES • Main female sex organ • Oogenesis: Eggs are made here! Only 23 chromosomes in these special cells • Production of hormones

Ovaries (cont. ) A. Estrogen • Enlargement of reproductive organs • Breast development • Increased fat deposits • Widening of pelvis • Vascularization of the skin • Onset of menstrual cycle

Ovaries (cont. ) • B. Progesterone (pregnancy) • Vascularization of uterus • Maintains the pregnancy • Prepares breast for milk production

Front View of Female Reproductive System

Side View of Female Reproductive System

FIMBRIAE • Funnels pull egg into the fallopian tube • Doesn’t touch the ovary

FALLOPIAN TUBE • Leads the egg to the uterus which takes five days • EGG and SPERM meet here !!

UTERUS • Size and shape of pear (with increasing power) • Double lining: • Myometrium: muscle • Endometrium: blood • Receives, retains, and nourishes the fertilized egg (zygote)

CERVIX • Opening between uterus and vagina • Pap Smears

VAGINA • Birth canal (8 -10 cm long) • Behind the urethra and in front of the rectum • Receives erect penis, sperm released • Acidic environment protects females from invasive bacteria and/or sperm

VULVA A. Labia majora & minora Folds of skin around urethral and vaginal openings Keeps yucky stuff out (like bacteria) B. Clitoris Erectile tissue, engorges with blood, glands for lubrication Equivalent to the male penis

BREAST • Secretion of milk

Moody Menstrual Cycle ><

Days 1 -5: Menses (period) • Endometrium lining sloughs off causing bleeding through vagina (1/4 -1/2 cup)

Days 6 -14 • Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) stimulates a follicle in the ovary to mature into an egg • Estrogen (made by ovary) rebuilds the endometrium and increases until…. .

Day 14: OVULATION • Estrogen causes the release of Leutenizing hormone (LH) • LH causes the rupture of a follicle, the egg is released (ovulation)

Days 15 -28 • The scar (where the follicle ruptured) becomes the corpus luteum and releases progesterone • Egg lives 24 hours (1 day) • Sperm lives about 48 -72 hours • Sperm needs about 1 -2 hours to get to the egg

BOTTOM LINE • Intercourse no more than 72 hours before ovulation • No later than 24 hours after ovulation

If no fertilization? • Hormone levels go down • Cycle returns to Day 1

If fertilization…. • Embryo secretes hormone that keeps ovary producing progesterone • Uterine lining (endometrium) doesn’t break down, develops into placenta

Tubal Ligation… • Fallopian tube is cut & tied, cauterized or clipped • The egg can no longer travel to the uterus • The egg is reabsorbed by the body each month