Female Reproductive System Terms you should know In this power point, we will be explaining some of the female reproductive terms that a person should be familiar with. Click To Begin

Female Reproductive System In this power point, we will be explaining some of the female reproductive terms that a person should be familiar with. Click To Continue

The woman’s reproductive system is more complex than the male system. Female Reproduction The woman’s reproductive system is more complex than the male system. The woman must produce the ovum. The woman prepares for pregnancy. The woman receives fertilization. As we mentioned in the male reproductive system, the female RS is a much more complex system. It involves the woman producing an ovum and the woman’s body preparing for the pregnancy. The woman must receive the fertilization and her body must carry the unborn child. This is the reason why this system has many more hormones involved and many more activities for these hormones to accomplish. Now that we’ve explained how complex a female reproductive system is, let’s talk about some of the structures and the organs within the reproductive system and go through some of those complex processes. The woman carries the unborn child. Click To Continue

The vagina is the muscular tube where sexual intercourse takes place. It is also known as the birth canal. The first structure that we’re going to talk about is called the vagina. The vagina is a muscular tube where sexual intercourse takes place. It is also known as the birth canal. Click To Continue

Clitoris The clitoris is a small bean shaped organ outside the vaginal opening that is stimulated during foreplay and or sexual intercourse. The next structure that we’re going to talk about is the clitoris. The clitoris is a small bean-shaped organ just outside the vaginal opening. It is stimulated during foreplay and/or sexual intercourse. Click To Continue

Orgasm An orgasm is defined as the climax of sexual intercourse in which the peak of sexual excitement occurs and the body releases endorphins producing a sense of well being. The term orgasm means the climax of sexual intercourse which is brought to a peak of sexual excitement. It occurs when the body releases chemicals called endorphins. Endorphins are pleasure-producing hormones that give a sense of well-being. Click To Continue

The ovary is the organ that produces the female sex cell. It also produces the estrogen and additional hormones during pregnancy. The next structure is called the ovary. The ovary has two main functions. First, this is the female sex cell. It also produces many of the female hormones including estrogen. The ovaries are about the same size as a male’s testicles. Click To Continue

Ovum The ovum is the female reproductive cell, also called the egg. The mature ovum is released from an ovary during ovulation. The ovum moves to the Fallopian tube, where conception takes place. The ovum is the female reproductive system’s sex cell. It is produced by the ovary. Theoretically, one ovum is released from an ovary every month. Click To Continue

Ovulation Ovulation is the term to describe when the egg is released from either ovary. Ovulation occurs at the mid point of the menstrual cycle. Now that we’ve talked about the ovary and the ovum, let’s talk about one of the body processes called ovulation. Ovulation is the term that is used when an egg is released from either ovary. Ovulation occurs about midpoint of a cycle. Cycles are generally on a 28-day cycle. Very few women are ever normal. They may be on a 28-day cycle one month and a 30 day cycle on the next month. This particularly applies to teenagers. One of the problems with the inconsistency is trying to determine when your cycle begins. In reality, the midpoint of your cycle occurs when you start your last period. If you would like to find out when your ovulation occurs, you should start counting from the first day of your period and count forward ----- somewhere around the 13th to the 15th day, ovulation theoretically takes place. Click To Continue

Uterus The uterus (womb) is a hollow, pear-shaped organ located in a woman's lower abdomen. The uterus carries the child during pregnancy. The next organ is called the uterus. The uterus, also known as a womb, is a hollow pear-shaped organ about the size of a woman’s fist. It is located in the lower abdominal area. It is the organ that carries the child during pregnancy. It is also where the fertilized egg must implant in order for the female to technically become pregnant. Click To Continue

The cervix is the opening to the uterus. The diaphragm is placed here for contraception. With the diaphragm, the sperm's entrance to the uterus is blocked at the cervix. The cervix is the opening into the uterus in the vaginal area. It is important to understand because several conditions take place. One, several birth control methods are used at the opening of the uterus. In addition, cancer of the cervix and the uterus are certainly things that a female needs to be aware of. Click To Continue

Fallopian Tubes The Fallopian tubes are the structures that carries the ovum (egg) from the ovary to the uterus. Conception usually takes place in the Fallopian tubes, and then the fertilized egg travels to the uterus. The Fallopian tube carries the ovum and the ovary to the uterus. There are two of them—one from each ovary. The Fallopian tube is generally where conception takes place. IN fact, conception generally takes place in the upper third of the Fallopian tubes. Conception can take place in the uterus but it is highly unlikely. We’ll talk more about this when we talk about STDs, but The Fallopian tube is also where some diseases can cause a condition called an “ectopic pregnancy” to occur. Click To Continue

Estrogen It is responsible for secondary sex characteristics. Estrogen is the female hormone produced by the ovaries. It is the primary female hormone. It is responsible for secondary sex characteristics. Levels of Estrogen change during a woman’s regular monthly cycle. We mentioned earlier that the ovaries produce several hormones. One of the hormones that the ovaries produce is the female hormone, estrogen. IT is responsible for secondary sex characteristics. It is responsible for the changing levels of hormones during a woman’s cycle. Click To Continue

Progesterone Progesterone is a major hormone produced by the ovary to permit pregnancy. It prepares the lining (endometrium) of the uterus to receive and sustain the fertilized egg for pregnancy. Progesterone is another hormone produced by the ovary. Primarily during pregnancy, it prepares the lining of the utuerus to receive and sustain the fertilized egg for pregnancy. Click To Continue

Menstruation Menstruation is the flow of blood from the uterus that occurs when a woman is not pregnant. Menstruation results from the break down of the lining of the uterus if no fertilized egg is implanted. The term menstruation refers to the natural shedding of blood tissue in the uterus that occurs when a woman is not pregnant. This results in the breakdown of the lining of the uterus if no fertilized egg is implanted. Commonly referred to as a period, and normally occurs on a regularly basis approximately every 28 days. Menstruation is commonly referred to as a “period” due to the regular occurrence of approximately every 28 days. Click To Continue

Menarche is the time of onset of a girl’s first menstrual cycle. The age of menarche is declining. Girls are have periods at a younger age. The cause is unknown, but may be due to… Improved overall diet. Growth hormones given to animals to speed their growth to make them market-ready earlier. Menarche is the time when a girl first has her first menstrual cycle. For one reason or another, the age of menarche is declining in this country. This means that girls are having periods at younger ages. Although the cause is uncertain, there are a couple of theories on why this might be occurring. One is the fat that our overall diet as a society is improving and that is possibly causing this to occur. And another idea is that certain growth hormones that are given to animals such as chicken and beef—to speed up their growth to make them ready to market at earlier ages, could have an affect on this. Click To Continue

Placenta The placenta is the organ that connects the developing child to the mother. In lower animals it is referred to as the afterbirth. The placenta passes blood and oxygen to the developing child and is the the source of nutrients. The placenta is an organ that grows as a result of pregnancy. It is the point of connection between the mother and the child. In some animals it is referred to as the afterbirth because it is delivered from the uterus after the birth of the child. The placenta is an intricate network of blood vessels which pass blood and oxygen to a developing child. If you’ve ever wondered, the belly button is the place where the umbilical cord is attached to you. And it is attached to the placenta in the mother’s uterus at the other end. This is an extremely important organ because not only blood and oxygen pass through it but also various drugs that are taken by the mother will pass in to the placenta, and some of these can greatly harm the child. This is why a doctor will tell a woman to avoid certain medications during pregnancy in order to prevent those items being passed through the placenta to the child and causing birth defects. Alcohol and drugs pass through the placenta to the unborn baby if used by the mother during pregnancy. Click To Continue

Menopause Menopause is the time in a woman's life when her reproductive cycle is over. There is a gradual reduction in estrogen production. Symptoms vary, but may include… Hot flashes Migraines Change in periods Anxiety or depression Menopause is the time in a woman’s life when her reproductive cycle is over. There is a gradual reduction of estrogen production. Symptoms vary but may include hot flashes, migraines, change in periods, anxiety or depression. Click To Continue

Women’s Health Issues Click To Continue There are some women’s health issues that need to be addressed. The next section will talk about some of these issues. Click To Continue

In order to be medically pregnant, 2 things must happen: Pregnancy In order to be medically pregnant, 2 things must happen: Conception must take place (egg and sperm must unite). In order to become officially pregnant, two things must happen. First of all conception must take place. That means sperm must unite with an egg. That takes place, as we’ve mentioned, in the Fallopian tube. However, in order for a person to become officially pregnant, that fertilized egg must attach to the lining of the uterus in order to grow and develop. If you interrupt either of the two of these cycles, you cannot be pregnant. The fertilized egg must attach to the uterine wall. Click To Continue

Ectopic (Tubal) Pregnancy Occasionally the fertilized egg fails to leave the Fallopian tubes. Pregnancy occurs in the Fallopian tube rather than in the uterus. This is frequently caused as the result of an STD infection at some point in the woman’s sexual life. An ectopic pregnancy sometimes called a tubal pregnancy, occurs when a fertilized egg fails to leave the Fallopian tube. The Fallopian tube obviously cannot handle that type of condition. Pregnancy needs to take place by the egg implanting in the lining of the uterus. The situation is that if an ectopic pregnancy does occur, it almost always leads to an operation in which the Fallopian tubes are removed and the ovaries are removed also. It is a partial type of hysterectomy operation. If you are not familiar with what a hysterectomy is, we will talk about that in a slide shortly. Click To Continue

Women’s Doctors Obstetrician Medical Doctor who specializes in medical care during pregnancy and delivery. Gynecologist Medical doctor who specializes in female reproductive system problems. You need to be familiar with some of the specialists for women. First of all, there is the gynecologist. This medical doctor specializes in female reproductive system problems. On the other hand, probably a more familiar term is the obstetrician. This doctor specializes in medical care of a woman during pregnancy and delivery. There is, however, a combination doctor called the OB-GYN who takes care of the female reproductive system problems during that particular time of her life when she is capable of becoming pregnant. OB-GYN: Medical doctor that specializes in both areas of women’s health. Click To Continue

Pap Smear & Breast Exam The pap smear tests for pre-cancers, or other infections as well as STDs. The pap smear should be done regularly. The ideal frequency of the pap smear varies with age. the PAP smear is sometimes referred to as a Pap exam. This is an exam to check for problems in the female reproductive system, including cervical cancer. The pap smear or similar exams are done as a diagnostic test for Chlamydia or Gonorrhea. They should be done very regularly, starting about age 18 or after a girl begins having sexual relationships. The frequency after this varies with age but they need to be done as a general part of good feminine health care. Women should exam their breasts monthly, and report to a doctor any abnormalities. Your gynecologist can give you information on how to do this. Click To Continue

Hysterectomy A hysterectomy operation removes all or part of the female reproductive system. A hysterectomy may be due to a variety of causes: Menopausal issues Tumors Cancer Chronic infection As we mentioned before, in the male reproductive system, the term “-ectomy” refers to the cutting or removal of something. In this particular case, the hysterectomy is the removal of all or part of the reproductive system. It can be done for several reasons—menopausal types of things is certainly one of the reasons. Tumors that might be found in the uterine and vaginal area is another. Cancer, cervical or uterine cancer, as well as chronic recurring types of infections. Those, particularly dealing with some of the STD’s that we’re going to be dealing with and talking about. Click To Continue

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