1. Female Reproductive System

2. Today you’ll learn about the organs that make up the female reproductive system and how they function. During puberty, females become capable of becoming pregnant and having a baby. Each of the organs you’ll learn about today plays a role.

3. The external female reproductive organs—the labia majora, labia minora, clitoris, urinary opening, and vaginal opening—are collectively referred to as the vulva.

4. Female Reproductive Organs - External

5. The mons pubis is the fatty tissue covering the pubic bone.

6. Female Reproductive Organs - External

7. The labia majora (outer lips) and the labia minora (inner lips) are folds of skin that surround and protect the other external reproductive parts: the clitoris, vaginal opening, and urethral opening.

8. Female Reproductive Organs - External

9. The clitoris is about the size of a pea and is full of sensitive nerve endings. Its purpose is to provide sexual pleasure.

10. Female Reproductive Organs - External

11. Below the clitoris is the urinary opening
Below the clitoris is the urinary opening. Urine leaves the body through this opening.

12. Female Reproductive Organs - External

13. Below the urethral opening is the opening to the vagina—a muscular tunnel that is about 4 inches long. The vagina connects the female’s external and internal sex organs. This is where menstrual fluid leaves the body. It’s where the male’s penis is inserted during intercourse. It’s also the passage through which a baby is born, so it’s sometimes called “the birth canal”.

14. Female Reproductive Organs - External

15. The internal female reproductive organs include the vagina, uterus, fallopian tubes and ovaries.

16. The uterus is a pear-shaped organ, about the size of a fist
The uterus is a pear-shaped organ, about the size of a fist. It is one of the strongest muscles in the body. It’s where a fertilized egg grows and develops while a woman is pregnant.

17. Female Reproductive Organs - Internal

18. The ovaries are almond-sized organs that make female hormones and hold the female’s eggs. At birth, the ovaries contain more that 300,000 egg cells.

19. Female Reproductive Organs - Internal

20. The fallopian tubes come out of each side of the uterus
The fallopian tubes come out of each side of the uterus. An egg travels from an ovary through a fallopian tube into the uterus. Fertilization happens when a male sperm enters the female egg while it is in the fallopian tube.

21. Female Reproductive Organs - Internal

22. The cervix is the end of the uterus that opens into the vagina
The cervix is the end of the uterus that opens into the vagina. During pregnancy, it stays tightly closed to help protect the fetus.

23. Female Reproductive Organs - Internal

24. Turn to “Female Reproductive Organs” on page 6
Turn to “Female Reproductive Organs” on page 6. Take a card that will either have a term, or a definition on it. Find right term or definition to match your card. Sit in a desk next to that person. When everyone is done we will go through the worksheet together based on your definitions.