1. NOTES – UNIT 11 part 2: Female Reproductive System

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

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

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

5.  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.

6. ● 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

7. ● 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

8. 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

10. 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

11. 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)

12. 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)

15. 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)

16. 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)

19. 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

21. 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