1. Female Reproductive System
Chapter 8
Female Reproductive System

2. Chapter 8
Objective 1: Identify organs and structures of the female reproductive system.

3. Female Reproductive System Function
The female reproductive system is responsible for supporting conception and pregnancy.
As the female matures throughout her lifespan, this system develops and changes based on the influence of hormones, estrogen, and progesterone, produced by the ovaries. These hormones are essential for sexual maturation, the menstrual cycle, and pregnancy. Estrogen is also important for the overall health of the female, affecting the structure and function of the integumentary, urinary, cardiac, musculoskeletal, and neurologic systems.
What changes take place as a woman enters menopause?

4. Female Reproductive System
Externally, the female reproductive system consists of the vulva, clitoris, and mammary glands.

5. Female Reproductive Organs
Review the major parts of the female reproductive system with the class.

6. Female Reproductive System External Structures
vulva, or external genitals: two pairs of lips (labia major and labia minora) that surround the vagina
clitoris: highly erogenous erectile body located anterior to the urethra
perineum: pelvic floor in both the male and female; in females, it usually refers to the area between the vaginal opening and the anus
Review the external structures of the female reproductive system.

7. Female Reproductive System
Internally, this system consists of the vagina, uterus, uterine tubes, and ovaries.

8. Female Reproductive Organs
Ask students to identify the female reproductive organs shown above, including the uterine tubes, ovaries, uterus, and vagina.

9. Female Reproductive System Internal Organs
ovaries: pair of almond-shaped organs located in the pelvic cavity; egg cells are stored in the ovaries
ovum (pl. ova): female sex cell
uterine tubes, or fallopian tubes: pair of tubes attached to the uterus that provides a passageway for the ovum to move from the ovary to the uterus
What is another name for uterine tubes? (fallopian tubes)
The fallopian tube was named in honor of Gabriele Fallopius, , because he described it in his works. Fallopius also gave the vagina and the placenta their names.
Note that there is a move away from use of eponyms, especially in describing anatomy, toward anatomically based terms, such as uterine tube.

10. Female Reproductive System Internal Organs (cont’d)
uterus: pear-sized and pear-shaped muscular organ that lies in the pelvic cavity (except during pregnancy); functions are menstruation, pregnancy, and labor.
endometrium: inner lining of the uterus
myometrium: muscular middle layer of uterus
perimetrium: thin outer layer of uterus
corpus, or body: large central portion of uterus
What is the meaning of each of the three prefixes referring to the lining of the uterus?
What layer is shed during menstruation?

11. Female Reproductive System Internal Organs (cont’d)
uterus (cont’d)
fundus: rounded upper portion of the uterus
cervix: narrow lower portion of uterus
vagina: 3-inch tube that connects the uterus to the outside of the body
hymen: fold of membrane found near the opening of the vagina
Are cervix and fundus combining forms?

12. Female Reproductive System Internal Organs (cont’d)
Rectouterine pouch - cavity between the posterior wall of the uterus and the anterior wall of the rectum that is closed at the inferior end (also called Douglas cul-de-sac)
Fluid collects in the cul-de-sac from PID or ectopic pregnancies.

13. Chapter 8
Objective 2: Define and spell word parts related to the female reproductive system.

14. Combining Forms for the Female Reproductive System
arche/o
cervic/o
colp/o, vagin/o
culd/o
episi/o, vulv/o
gyn/o, gynec/o
hymen/o
hyster/o, metr/o, metr/i
mamm/o, mast/o
men/o
oophor/o
perine/o
salping/o
Which combining form means “beginning”?
Which two combining forms refer to the vulva?
Which two combining forms refer to the breast?
Which combining form refers to a uterine tube?
NOTE: the combining vowel i or o may be used with metr/.

15. Review Question Ask students to fill in the combining forms. Answers:
1. ovary: oophor/o
2. uterus: hyster/o, metr/o, metr/I
3. uterine, or fallopian, tube: salping/o
4. cervix: cervic/o
5. vagina: colp/o, vagin/o
6. hymen: hymen/o

16. Prefix and Suffixes Prefix Suffixes peri- -salpinx -atresia
Prefix: peri-: surrounding (outer)
Suffixes: -atresia: absence of a normal body opening; occlusion; closure
-salpinx: uterine tube
Atresia literally means no perforation or hole. It is composed of the Greek words a, meaning without, and tresis, meaning perforation. The term may be used alone, as in “atresia of the vagina,” or combined with other word parts, as in “gynatresia,” meaning closure of a part of the female genital tract, usually the vagina.

17. Review Question The combining form meaning vagina is: colp/o culd/o
metr/o
mast/o
Answer is a) colp/o.
Note that the combining from vagin/o is used to build the terms vaginitis and vaginal. It is also used in combination with vulv/o to build vulvovaginitis and vulvovaginal.
Colp/o is mostly used in surgical and diagnostic terms, such a colpoplasty and colposcopy; the only exception presented in the textbook is colpitis.
Ask students to define the other combining forms listed.

18. Chapter 8
Objective 6: Define, pronounce, and spell complementary terms related to the female reproductive system.

19. Complementary Terms Built from Word Parts
gynecologist
gynecology (GYN)
gynopathic
leukorrhea
mastalgia
mastoptosis
menarche
vaginal
vulvovaginal
Ask students to pronounce and define the complementary terms.

20. Chapter 8
Objective 8: Interpret, read, and comprehend medical language in simulated medical statements, documents, and electronic health records.

21. Interact with Medical Records
HISTORY: This 37-year-old gravida 2 para 2 woman was referred by her primary care provider. She complains of fullness in the pelvic region and menometrorrhagia. She admits to frequency and urgency of urination. Also, she complains of fatigue. The patient’s last menstrual period was two weeks ago. Her mother was treated for ovarian cancer.
PHYSICAL EXAMINATION: Upon bimanual pelvic examination, an ill-defined mass was palpable on left lateral portion of the uterus.
What does menometrorrhagia mean?
What diagnostic study was used to detect ovarian cancer?
What surgical procedure was recommended?

22. Interact with Medical Records (cont’d)
DIAGNOSTIC STUDIES: Pap smear results showed normal cytology. CA-125 results were normal. Transvaginal sonography confirmed the presence of a pedunculated fibroid tumor. The uterine tubes and ovaries were normal.
IMPRESSION: Uterine fibroids.
RECOMMENDATION: We discussed the benefits of having a vaginal hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy in view of her mother’s history of ovarian cancer. The patient declined this approach because of the desire to have another child. A laparoscopic myomectomy is therefore recommended.