NOTES – UNIT 11 part 2: Female Reproductive System

FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM Functions include: Produce egg cells; Produce female hormones; Nurture & protect developing fetus.

Female Secondary Sexual Characteristics: 1) breasts 2) pubic & body hair 3) increase of body fat 4) widening of hips 4) soft skin

FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM – Internal Anatomy ● OVARIES: -About size & shape of almonds -Contains many FOLLICLES…

 The follicles… *Surround, nourish, protect egg cells; *Produce estrogen; *Mature and release egg during monthly cycle (1 follicle per month, starting at puberty and ending at menopause)…this is OVULATION; *Each follicle becomes a CORPUS LUTEUM following ovulation; *Disintegrate if egg is not fertilized.

● OVIDUCTS (“FALLOPIAN TUBES”): -Cilia “pull” the egg cell in and convey the egg down the duct; -Fertilization occurs HERE!!! ● UTERUS (“womb”): -Thick, muscular organ; expands during pregnancy; -Inner lining = ENDOMETRIUM, which contains many blood vessels

● CERVIX (neck of uterus) ● VAGINA (birth canal) -Thin-walled chamber where sperm are deposited; -Hymen = vascularized membrane which covers vaginal opening from birth until it is ruptured

FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM – External Anatomy ● VESTIBULAR GLANDS (a.k.a. BARTHOLIN’S GLANDS) -Small glands near vaginal opening; -Secrete mucus during sexual arousal response ● LABIA MINORA / LABIA MAJORA -Enclose and protect vaginal opening / urethral opening

Hormones Involved in Reproduction - FEMALES ● OVARIAN CYCLE = changes that occur in ovaries (hormones produced in ovaries lead to changes in uterus) ● MENSTRUAL CYCLE = changes that occur in uterus

Ovarian Cycle: Three Phases Follicular phase: time during which several follicles in ovaries begin to grow (stimulated by FSH) Ovulatory phase: follicle & adjacent wall of ovary rupture, releasing the egg (Stimulated by LH) (now called a secondary oocyte) (Follicular phase)

Ovarian Cycle: 3) Luteal phase: the remaining follicular tissue in ovary after ovulation becomes the CORPUS LUTEUM which is endocrine tissue that secretes hormones (estrogen & progesterone) (Luteal phase)

Menstrual cycle occurs in 3 phases: Menstrual flow phase (3-5 days): time during which endometrium is being shed from uterus 2) Proliferative phase (1-2 weeks): involves regeneration & thickening of endometrium (stimulated by estrogen from growing follicles) (menstrual flow phase) (proliferative phase)

Menstrual cycle occurs in 3 phases: 3) Secretory phase (2 weeks): endometrium continues to thicken, becomes more vascularized & develops glands which secrete a glycogen rich fluid which serves as nutritional fluid for the embryo (IF embryo does NOT implant in uterine lining by the end of this phase, a new menstrual flow phase begins due to decreased levels of estrogen and progesterone) (proliferative phase)

MENOPAUSE Menopause: cessation of ovulation and menstruation -Between ages of 46 and 54 -Ovaries lose their responsiveness to FSH/LH -Decline in production of estrogens

ENDOMETRIOSIS: painful disorder in which tissue that normally lines the inside of your uterus — the endometrium — grows outside your uterus (cause may be retrograde menstruation) Retrograde menstruation: menstrual blood containing endometrial cells flows back up fallopian tubes