REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM - 2.

It provides a place for the

protection and nourishment of the
- The reproductive systems in both fetus during pregnancy
the male and female consist of - 3. It contracts during labor to expel
primary and secondary sex organs the fetus
and sex glands.
- The primary function of the FALLOPIAN TUBE
reproductive systems is to
perpetuate the species through - Tube widens to form the ampulla
sexual or germ cell fertilization and (am pyu lah)
reproduction. - The isthmus is the portion that
connects to uterus
FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM - Fimbria (fihm bree ah) are the finger-
like projections around the opening
THE UTERUS that trap the egg as it leaves the
- The uterus is a hollow, muscular, ovary
- End of tube is called the
pear-shaped organ about the size of
a woman’s clenched fist. The top is infundibulum(in fun DIB yū lum)
tipped forward in a normal - Opening is called the ostium (ah stē
um)
‘anteflexion’ position. It can be
divided into the body or corpus, and - The fallopian tube is 4-6 inches long.
the bottom cervix. The rounded top The egg, released from the ovary, is
portion, above the fallopian tubes, is captured by the fimbria and brought
into the fallopian tube. The egg is
called the fundus.
- The uterus is supported and held in moved along inside the tube by
position by a number of ligaments. muscular contractions and the
Trauma, disease, or multiple waving action of cilia. It takes an egg
about 3-4 days to travel the length of
pregnancies can weaken these
ligaments and result in abnormal the tube. If an egg is fertilized, it
positioning. occurs here.
- The uterus wall has 3 layers: the THE OVARIES
outside layer called the perimetrium,
the muscular inside layer called the - The two ovaries are attached to
myometrium, and the mucous each side of the uterus by a
membrane lining the uterus called ligament. They are oval-shaped,
the endometrium. about the size of a large olive, and
- The cervical opening is about the lie close to the fimbria at the end of
diameter of a pencil. the fallopian tubes.
- The uterus has 3 functions: - Each ovary is filled, already at birth,
1. The endometrium sheds the lining with egg-containing sacs called
of the uterus every 21 to 40 days by follicles. Each egg is called an
menstruation ovum.
- Once every 21 days, one follicle in
one ovary ripens. This mature follicle
 is a graafian (GRAW fee un) follicle. - The perineum is the area located between
The follicle ruptures in response to the vaginal opening and the anus. It is a
hormones from the pituitary gland, muscular sheet that can be torn during
releasing the ovum/egg… a process childbirth.
called ovulation.
- After the follicle ruptures, it becomes - Some doctors avoid uncontrolled tearing of
a mass of yellow cells called the the perineum by making a surgical incision
corpus luteum. This is a temporary, called an episiotomy.
progesterone-producing structure. THE BREAST
THE VAGINA
- The breasts are the mammary
- The vagina extends from the cervix glands, varying in size according to
to the outside of the body. It is a 3 ½ age, heredity, and the amount of
inch long muscular tube that fatty tissue present. Each breast has
expands in length and width during 15-20 glandular lobes separated by
sexual arousal. connective tissue. After childbirth,
- The vagina is the female organ for the pituitary gland stimulates these
copulation (sexual intercourse), lobules with the hormone prolactin…
receiving the seminal fluid from the and they produce milk.
male penis. It is also a passageway - The dark-colored circle at the tip of
for menstruation or the birth of a the breast is called the areola
fetus. (ah REE ah lah). It contains
sebaceous glands to keep the skin
THE VULVA conditioned. In the center is the
nipple, where ducts from the lobules
The vulva is 5 organs making up the open. The first secretion from the
external genitalia of the female: breast is not a true milk, but a thin
yellowish substance called
1. Mons pubis: triangular-shaped pad of
fatty tissue over the pubis bone, covered colostrum.
with pubic hair - Colostrum contains nutrients and the
mother’s immunities that can protect
2. Labia majora: 2 large folds of adipose baby.
tissue on the sides of the vaginal opening
MENSTRUAL CYCLE
3. Labia minora: 2 smaller folds of adipose
tissue on the inside of the labia majora The onset of the menstrual cycle, or
menarche, begins at puberty and ceases at
4. Vestibule: area between labia with menopause. The cycle has 3 phases:
openings for the vagina, urethra, and two
excretory ducts for Bartholin’s glands 1. The follicular phase is characterized by
(provide lubricant) menstruation, when the thickened lining of
the endometrium is shed because no egg
5. Clitoris: sensitive fold of tissue partially was fertilized or implanted. Just prior to this
covered by hood phase is a premenstrual period
characterized by hormonal and physical trimester the embryo is now called a
changes. fetus and the main task is growth.
- Labor, characterized by muscle
2. The ovulatory phase comes next. contractions, dilation (to 10 cm) and
Estrogen is the hormone produced by the effacement (thinning)of the cervix,
ovaries, which stimulates the maturation of and expulsion of the mucous plug
a follicle and thickens the endometrium. that formed in the cervix, signals the
3. The luteal phase follows ovulation, and is onset of parturition… the childbirth
characterized by the development of the process. The cephalic, or head-first
corpus luteum, the secretion of delivery, is the most common.
Breech is a backward presentation;
progesterone, the preparation of the
endometrium for implantation of a fertilized Caesarian is delivery through an
egg, and the formation of a thick mucous to incision in the abdomen.
block the cervix once the egg passes out of - The umbilical cord is cut and
clamped, and placenta (afterbirth) is
the fallopian tube.
delivered following birth of the baby.
PREGNANCY - Pregnancy can be complicated by
certain conditions:
- The fertilized egg implants in the - 1. Placenta previa is the
uterus. Progesterone production development of the placenta over
increases to signal a pregnancy; it the opening of the cervix
can be detected in urine and blood. - 2. Preeclampsia is a pregnancy-
- At the moment of conception, a induced hypertension (high blood
single sperm with 23 chromosomes pressure)
(carrying genetic information from - 3. Spontaneous abortion or
the father)penetrates/fertilizes a miscarriage is the loss of a fetus
single egg with 23 chromosomes during the first 20 weeks, often due
(carrying genetic information from to abnormalities, trauma, or lifestyle
the mother). The resulting cell, a choices.
zygote, now has 46 chromosomes.
The cell begins dividing and is also NEWBORN
called a blastocyst. From week 2-8,
it is called an embryo. - The newborn may be covered with
- The embryo is suspended in an traces of vernix caseosa (cheesy
coating) or lanugo (downy hair) that
amniotic sac surrounded by fluid
during the 280 day gestation period. protected the skin before birth. The
The umbilical cord attached at the health of the baby is immediately
navel connects it to the placenta, evaluated on the APGAR scale.
Color, heartbeat, reflexes, muscle
where it gets nutrients and oxygen.
During the 1st trimester, all parts of tone, and breathing are scored on a
the embryo are formed. scale of 0-10.
- During the second trimester all parts
start to function; during the last
MALE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM male sperm does influence the
baby’s sex.
SCROTUM - The acrosome (AK roh zome)
- The scrotum is a pouch of skin covering the head of the sperm
suspended from the perineal area contains enzymes that help it
and divided into two sacs… each penetrate the ova. The head carries
the genetic material. The midpiece
containing one testicle and
epididymis. supplies energy. The tail or flagellum
- The scrotal tissue contracts in the (flah JELL um) provides motility.
absence of sufficient heat, pulling VAN DEFERENS AND VESICLES
the testes up closer to the body
where the temperature maintains the - The vas deferens are muscular
viability of sperm. tubes transporting sperm from the
epididymis to the seminal vesicles.
PENIS The seminal vesicles produce a
slightly alkaline fluid that mixes with
- The urethra runs the length of the
penis from the bladder to the meatus the sperm and becomes part of the
(me Ā tus). The flaccid penis fills semen ejaculated during the male
orgasm. It protects the sperm from
with blood during arousal, causing
an erection and allowing for the the acidity of the urethra.
function of copulation/intercourse. PROSTATE AND COWPERS GLAND
- A lubricant, smegma,is produced
under the prepuce on the penis. This - The prostate gland also secretes an
foreskin may be circumcised/ alkaline fluid that mixes with the
removed for hygiene or religious sperm as part of the semen.
reasons. It covers the glans/head Enlargement of the prostate, benign
that is filled with nerve endings. prostatic hyperplasia, obstructs the
flow of urine through the urethra.
EPIDIDYMIS AND TESTES - The Cowper’s or bulbourethral
- The oval-shaped testes are located glands (bull boh yur REE thral)
produce another mucous- alkaline
in the scrotum, and are each divided
into 250 lobules. Coiled within the secretion in the urethra, excreted
lobule are seminiferous tubes where from the glands just before
the sperm are formed. ejaculation.
- The mature sperm are stored in the
epididymis, a tube 13-20 feet in
length, coiled and lying on the side
of each testicle.

SPERM

- Sperm carry either an X/female OR

Y/male chromosome. Since all ova
carry the X/female chromosome, the