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Questions and Answers
What is the main function of the labia majora?
What is the main function of the labia majora?
- Facilitate childbirth
- Support the clitoris
- Protect the vaginal opening (correct)
- Guide menstrual flow
Which structure contains the highest number of nerve endings in the female anatomy?
Which structure contains the highest number of nerve endings in the female anatomy?
- Vagina
- Labia minora
- Mons pubis
- Clitoris (correct)
Where does the vaginal canal extend to?
Where does the vaginal canal extend to?
- The cervix (correct)
- The uterus
- The vulva
- The ovaries
What is the purpose of the mons pubis?
What is the purpose of the mons pubis?
What does the term 'vaginal introitus' refer to?
What does the term 'vaginal introitus' refer to?
How does the clitoris respond during female sexual arousal?
How does the clitoris respond during female sexual arousal?
Which part of the female anatomy is primarily internal?
Which part of the female anatomy is primarily internal?
What are the labia minora primarily responsible for?
What are the labia minora primarily responsible for?
Which of the following substances is more retained during pregnancy?
Which of the following substances is more retained during pregnancy?
What physiological change occurs in the skin of females compared to males?
What physiological change occurs in the skin of females compared to males?
What is the primary process by which sperm travel toward the ovum?
What is the primary process by which sperm travel toward the ovum?
How many sperm typically reach the ovum during fertilization?
How many sperm typically reach the ovum during fertilization?
What happens to the zona pellucida after one sperm penetrates it?
What happens to the zona pellucida after one sperm penetrates it?
What does the blastocyst consist of?
What does the blastocyst consist of?
What triggers the necrosis and shedding of uterine activity after ovulation?
What triggers the necrosis and shedding of uterine activity after ovulation?
What primarily helps prepare the breasts for lactation during pregnancy?
What primarily helps prepare the breasts for lactation during pregnancy?
How much does cardiac output typically increase during pregnancy?
How much does cardiac output typically increase during pregnancy?
What is the significance of progesterone during pregnancy in relation to respiration?
What is the significance of progesterone during pregnancy in relation to respiration?
Which hormone incites labor contractions by increasing oxytocin receptors in the myometrium?
Which hormone incites labor contractions by increasing oxytocin receptors in the myometrium?
What happens to the volume of blood in a typical pregnant woman?
What happens to the volume of blood in a typical pregnant woman?
Which of the following describes the purpose of Braxton-Hicks contractions?
Which of the following describes the purpose of Braxton-Hicks contractions?
During which trimester does the fetus experience the greatest growth?
During which trimester does the fetus experience the greatest growth?
What physiological change occurs concerning urine output during pregnancy?
What physiological change occurs concerning urine output during pregnancy?
What hormone is produced that acts like LH to rescue the Corpus Luteum?
What hormone is produced that acts like LH to rescue the Corpus Luteum?
What triggers ovulation during the menstrual cycle?
What triggers ovulation during the menstrual cycle?
What is the main function of the placenta?
What is the main function of the placenta?
What is the typical infertility rate among marriages?
What is the typical infertility rate among marriages?
What must occur for the endometrium to be sustained during pregnancy?
What must occur for the endometrium to be sustained during pregnancy?
How does oxygen diffuse into fetal blood?
How does oxygen diffuse into fetal blood?
What happens to permeability in the placenta over the course of pregnancy?
What happens to permeability in the placenta over the course of pregnancy?
What is a potential cause of the larger hemorrhagic corpus luteum in a woman of childbearing age?
What is a potential cause of the larger hemorrhagic corpus luteum in a woman of childbearing age?
What happens to the corpus luteum if implantation of a fertilized ovum occurs?
What happens to the corpus luteum if implantation of a fertilized ovum occurs?
How many ovarian follicles typically mature during a woman's reproductive years?
How many ovarian follicles typically mature during a woman's reproductive years?
What anatomical change occurs to the uterus in the third trimester?
What anatomical change occurs to the uterus in the third trimester?
What is indicated by a normal cervix with a smooth, glistening mucosal surface?
What is indicated by a normal cervix with a smooth, glistening mucosal surface?
What typically happens to the smaller corpus luteum from a previous menstrual period?
What typically happens to the smaller corpus luteum from a previous menstrual period?
What condition should be considered in the differential diagnosis of acute abdominal pain for women of childbearing age?
What condition should be considered in the differential diagnosis of acute abdominal pain for women of childbearing age?
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Study Notes
Female Reproductive Anatomy
- The vulva consists of external genital structures: labia, clitoris, vaginal opening, and urethra opening.
- Labia majora (outer lips) are larger and covered with pubic hair; labia minora (inner lips) start at the clitoris and end under the vaginal opening.
- The clitoris, an erectile tissue, has numerous nerve endings and is crucial for sexual arousal.
- The vaginal introitus is the entrance to the vagina, leading to the cervix and uterus.
- Mons pubis is a fleshy area above the vulva, cushioning the pubic bone and covered with hair after puberty.
Female Reproductive Physiology: Menstruation
- Hormonal regulation involves the hypothalamus, anterior pituitary, and the production of estrogen (E2) and progesterone (P).
- Uterine activity changes according to hormonal levels, with vessels constricting and endometrial shedding during menstruation.
Fertilization Process
- Sperm travels from the uterus to the ampulla of the fallopian tube through uterine contractions.
- The ovum is captured at the ampulla and moves towards the uterus via peristalsis and cilia.
- Out of approximately ½ billion sperm, only around 1,000 reach the ovum, with only one achieving fertilization.
- The zona pellucida protects the ovum, allowing only one sperm to penetrate before altering its composition.
Pregnancy Dynamics
- A blastocyst forms after fertilization, producing human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) which acts like LH to sustain the corpus luteum.
- Continued progesterone production from the corpus luteum and later the placenta maintains the endometrium.
Female Fertility
- Ovulation occurs 14 days before the end of the menstrual cycle, impacting fertility awareness methods.
- Hormonal treatments can suppress ovulation; common contraceptive methods use combined estrogen and progesterone to create a state resembling pregnancy (pseudopregnancy).
- Infertility affects approximately 1/6 to 1/8 of couples, with fertility drugs available to stimulate ovulation.
Placenta and Fetal Development
- The placenta facilitates nutrient and waste exchange between mother and fetus, with permeability increasing as pregnancy progresses.
- Oxygen diffuses into fetal blood based on pressure gradients, supporting metabolic functions during pregnancy.
Maternal Changes During Pregnancy
- Weight gain is expected due to fetal growth and nutrient storage needs.
- O2 usage and respiration increase by about 20%, while renal function, cardiac output, and blood volume significantly rise to support the pregnancy and prepare for childbirth.
Parturition (Labor)
- Increased uterine contractions signal the onset of labor, influenced by hormonal changes enhancing oxytocin receptors.
- Braxton-Hicks contractions and prodromal labor serve as preparatory stages for actual labor.
- Implantation of a fertilized ovum leads to the persistence of the corpus luteum due to hCG, while only a fraction of ovarian follicles develop during a woman's reproductive years.
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