1. Reproduction Notes

2. Male Reproductive Organs
Urinary bladder – Holds Urine
Seminal Vesicles - Provides nourishment and mobility for the sperm
Vas Deferens – Connects epididymis with the Urethra. Lined with cilia, sperm has little ability to move on own.
Prostate Gland – Fluid released for protection. Protects from the acidity of the female vagina.
Cowpers Gland – Clear, Pre-ejaculatory fluid. Cleans urine out of the urethra to allow safe passage of semen. Can contain sperm.
Urethra – Passage way for urine and sperm.

3. Penis – male reproductive organ
Epididymis – coiled tubes behind the testes. Store sperm while they mature, 64 days. Can survive in the female vagina/urethra for 72 hours.
Testes – Male sex gland. Produces sperm (23 chromosomes), Testosterone. Sperm made per day between 200 million and as much as 600 million per day. Sperm released at ejaculation - about million.
** ejaculation comes out at the speed of 28 mph
Scrotum – Protective sac. Maintains proper body temperature for sperm production. Must be 2 degrees above or below 98.6.

4. Female Reproductive System
Fallopian tubes – Location of fertilization
Fimbrae – Small “fingers” that sweep the egg into the fallopian tubes.
Ovary – Female sex gland. Produces estrogen, progesterone, contains the ovum(egg cell). Contain thousand eggs at birth. Hang in fallopian tubes for about 2 days. .
Uterus – womb. Fertilized embryo embeds itself into the walls of this. Sperm may live here for about 3-4 days. About the size of your fist.
Bladder – Holds urine.

5. Cervix – end of the uterus, entrance way into the uterus
Cervix – end of the uterus, entrance way into the uterus. Very small about the size of a dime, complete dilation = 10cm/4 inches. Will stretch to over 10inches.
Vagina – Female organ of intercourse and birth canal
Urethra – passage way for urine.
Labia minora – inner folds of skin protecting the vagina
Labia majora – outer folds of skin protecting the vagina. Location of pubic hair.
Clitoris – No reproductive purpose. Full of nerve endings, only function is arousal.

6. Menstrual Cycle
Lasts about 28 days
Days 1-5
- Menstruation occurs, consists of about 2 ounces of blood. This wall of the uterus that has sloughed off.
Days 6-12
- The uterine lining begins to thicken. Preparing for ovulation and the possibility of a fertilized egg.
Days 13-14
- Ovulation occurs. An ovum is released into fallopian tubes.

7. Days 15-20
- best possibility of fertilization (days 14-21).
- Corpus Luteum – produces progesterone in preparation for pregnancy. Temporary gland that is formed when the remains of the bursts follicle close.
Days 21-28
- The corpus luteum disintegrates if no fertilization = no progesterone. The cells in the lining of the uterus die without progesterone. The unfertilized egg disintegrates and the menstrual cycle begins again with menstruation.