Chapter 18.3 Female Reproductive System

Structure of the Female Reproductive System At birth, a female’s ovaries contain around 400,000 immature ova, or eggs During ovulation, the right ovary will release a mature ovum on month, and the left will relase a mature ovum the next. When the egg is released, it moves through the fallopian tube. Hairlike structures called cilia help it to move along

Diagram Fertilization

Sperm enters the female through the vagina, which is an elastic passageway that extends from the uterus to the outside of the body The fertilization of an egg by a sperm produces a zygote When the zygote leaves the fallopian tube, it enters the uterus To prepare for the zygote, the uterine wall has thickened and is rich in blood, which enables the uterus to nourish the zygote. What happens if there is no fertilization?

Problems Endometriosis- when the tissue that lines the uterus grows and migrates into the fallopian tubes and ovaries Pelvic Inflammatory Disease- usually caused by STD’s and is an infection of the reproductive organs Cervical cancer Ovarian cysts- very common

Ch. 18 & 19 Questions You can answer these questions on the back of the paper or on your own paper. There are 16 questions and they give you the page number from the book where you can find the answer.