Female Reproductive Anatomy

• Humans experience physical and emotional changes gradually from childhood to adulthood, progressing at varying ages and speeds.
• Each person has a pair of gonads; ovaries in females and testes in males, responsible for producing germ cells and sex hormones.

The Biological Female

• The female sexual anatomy facilitates ovum production, fertilization, and infant gestation, and puberty initiates the final development of primary and accessory organs for reproduction

Female External Genitalia

• Labia majora: Outer lips surround the structures.
• Prepuce: Clitoral hood of foreskin above and covers the clitoris.
• Clitoris: Consists of the glans (head), shaft, and crura (root), crucial for sexual stimulation.
• Labia minora: Inner lips surround the vestibule, containing sweat and oil glands, extensive blood vessels, and nerve endings.
• Urethral opening: End of the tube connects to the bladder and facilitates urination.
• Vaginal opening: also called introitus.
• Mons pubis: Located over the pubic bone and the pubic symphysis joint, containing glands secreting pheromones for sexual attraction.

Female Internal Reproductive Structures

• Vagina: A collapsible canal extends from the vaginal opening to the cervix and uterus.
• Cervix: The small end of the uterus leads to the vagina, opening to the uterus's interior.
• Uterus: An organ within the pelvic zone where a fetus is carried.
• Fallopian tubes: Transport egg cells from the ovaries to the uterus, where fertilization occurs.
• Ovaries: Produces estrogen and progesterone.

Puberty in Females

• Menarche signals the beginning of puberty, generally occurring between 11 to 15 years old.
• Widening of hips and pelvis accommodates giving birth but results in a downward shift in the center of gravity.
• Enlargement of breasts relates to hormonal responses and milk production during pregnancy and childbirth.

Additional Female Characteristics

• Shorter than men on average
• Higher proportion of body weight composed of fat men
• Two X chromosomes reduce the expression of many sex-linked conditions
• Lower mortality rate, with a longer projected lifespan than men

The Biological Male

• Male sexual anatomy facilitates the production and delivery of sperm for female ovum fertilization where puberty signals primary and accessory organ development.

Male External Genitalia

• Prepuce: Foreskin covering the head of the penis, that is removed during male circumcision.
• Penis: Glans (head), shaft, and root.
• Corona: Rim of the glans where it arises from the shaft.
• Frenulum: A thin strip of skin connects the glans and shaft on the underside.
• Scrotum: It's a sac that encloses the two compartments housing the testes.
• Urethral opening: Is found on the head of the penis, used for urination and semen delivery.
• Perineum: The area of the skin separates the genitalia from the anus.

Male Internal Reproductive Organs

• Testes produce androgen, particularly large quantities of testosterone, and unlimited sperm cells over a lifespan.
• Testicles are two oval-shaped organs inside the scrotum that produce testosterone and sperm.
• Vas deferens transports sperm from the testicle toward the urethra.
• Seminal vesicles are two glands that produce an alkaline fluid rich in fructose sugar, comprising about 70% of the semen volume.
• Prostate is a gland producing alkaline fluid amounting to about 30% of the semen volume.
• Urethra is a tube within the penis that carries sperm and semen for the rest of the way to the opening of the penis.

Additional Male Characteristics

• Generally taller and greater proportion of body weight composed of water.
• Proportionately larger hearts and lungs, handle greater blood fluid volume.
• Greater testosterone levels result in heavier body and facial hair, increase the frequency and degree of baldness.
• Single X chromosome results in sex-linked conditions like colorblindness and hemophilia.

Male Secondary Sexual Characteristics

• No monthly cycle
• Elongation of vocal cords (lower voice)
• Broader shoulders
• Deeper chest cavity

Reproduction & Risky Sexual Behavior

• Humans are sexually differentiated at birth, differences between males and females are accentuated, reproductive systems are matured, secondary sexual characteristics occur and the bodies of males and females are more sexually distinctive.

Ovulation, Fertilization and Pregnancy

• Ovulation is a major landmark of puberty among females is the onset of the menstrual cycle, monthly ovulation cycle leads to menstruation (loss of blood and tissues lining the uterus) in the absence of pregnancy.
• The menstrual cycle lasts 28 days, but can vary from 21 to 40 days.
• Ovulation happens 10-16 days before the subsequent period, regardless of the length of the cycle.
• Pregnancy begins when sperm meets the egg and a fertilized egg implants in the lining of the uterus.
• Conception includes fertilization, ejaculation or sperm release into the vagina and pregnancy occurs 2-3 weeks after sexual intercourse.
• Sperm travels through the cervix, womb, and fallopian tubes to fertilize the egg and a normal pregnancy lasts 32-42 weeks (nine months).
• After eight weeks the embryo is considered a fetus
• Obstructed labor is when the pelvic area is not large enough to allow the baby to easily pass through the birth canal.
• There may be uterus tears birth if the young woman is not physically mature. complications of early pregnancy: excessive vomiting, anemia, and hypertension.

Contraception Methods

• Male condoms are 80-85% effective, require proper use, and provide STI/HIV prevention.
• Implantable hormone devices are 99% effective for five years, can only be implanted by a doctor.
• Calendar methods predicts a woman’s ovulation through keeping track of her menstrual cycle.
• Surgical sterilization results in 100% effective but is permanent.
• Birth control pills after natural ovulation with low cost and the user takes it daily.
• Injection birth control is given by a doctor every 2-3 months but it isn't 100% guaranteed.
• Withdrawal prevents semen from going into the vagina and it depends on the man and the woman involved.
• IUDs are inserted inside the uterus by a doctor and is Theoetically 95-98% effective.

Risky Behaviors of Adolescents

• Risk-taking is the participation in potentially health compromising activities with little or no understanding to the possible negative consequenses.
• Adolescents explore emerging identity, new behaviors, alternative health and independence, so they can begin risky alternative health behaviors including smoking, drinking alcohol, drug use, sexual intimacy, and violence
• The Department of Health identified health risks: Substance use, premarital sex, early childbearing, abortion, HIV/AIDS, violence, accidents, malnutrition, and mental health.

Trouble Signs in Teens

• Sexual promiscuity.
• Regular use of drugs and alcohol.
• Repeated violation of the law or school regulation.
• Running away more than once in three months.
• Skipping school more than once in three months.
• Aggressive outburst/impulsiveness.
• Dark drawings or writings.
• Deterioration in hygiene.
• Oppositional behavior.
• Refusal to work/non-compliance.
• Chronic lateness.
• Falling asleep in class.
• Changes in physical appearance.
• Excessive daydreaming.

Harmful Practices

• Marijuana increases heart rate, which creates blood-shot eyes, chronic bronchial irritation and impairment of long term memory.
• Marijuana causes Gum disease, increases risk of cancers of the mouth, jaw, tongue and lungs and impairs the immune system and causes decreased testosterone levels.
• Marijuana causes decreased sperm counts, increased sperm abnormalities and Impaired fetal growth and development among pregnant women users.
• Mairungi is a stimulant leaf chewed in East Africa that can help someone feel more awake, confident, and energetic and can reduce hunger.
• Alcohol is the most common drug used worldwide which causes relaxation and people feel less self-conscious, but too much makes people get druk and slow downs reaction time.
• Cigarettes contains tobacco and reasons people start smoking is through peer influence seductive advertisements and influence by older role models like siblings or celebrities.
• Cocaine is called the champagne of drugs, it makes one feel like his/her body is going fast, His/her heart races and the “highs” and “lows” are sudden and It comes in a white powdered form and looks like hard white rocks.
• Heroin is a drug obtained from morphine and comes from the opium poppy plant and is the most dangerous if mixed other drugs.
• Amphetamines stimulants that speed up the activity of the brain and giving energy where they are or made made.
• Ecstasy is a stimulant that speeds up the users system by increasing his/her physical and emotional energy.
• Inhalants and are found in chemicals that can be inhaled that give a "high" with other potential side effects, damages lungs, kidney and liver and can cause suffocation.

Intersex Conditions

• Intersex refers to individuals with inconsistencies in five biological definitions of sex which includes chromosomes, gonads, hormones, internal and external reproductive structures.
• Conditions occur in around 23/10,000 births and are characterized by chromosome patterns, gonads, and genitals.

Chromosomal Inconsistencies

• Chromosomal variations account for most of the intersex births, often resulting from atypical combinations of sex chromosomes.

Types of Chromosomal Inconsistencies

• Turner's Syndrome (X): One kind of sperm produced will have neither an X nor a Y chromosome fertilizes a normal egg, and the offspring will have only an X chromosome and it is a female that occur in live births (Fausto-Sterling, 2000: 53).
• Klinefelter's Syndrome (XXy ): a sperm produced with both an X and a Y chromosome or two Y chromosome, resulting in the XXY chromosome abnormalities that occurs in live births.
• Jacob's syndrome (XYY): born with an anatomical male with physical abnormalities, except for unusual height and is able to reproduce successfully.
• Triple X Syndromes (XXX): born with this chromosomal are anatomically females.

Hormonal Inconsistency Types

• Another cause of intersex is hormonal inconsistencies, hormone release depends signaling pathways that is responsible for consistent activities and abnormal activities of hormones are the precurser to many disorders.
• Abnormal hormone activities leads hormonal imbalances, which are the precursor to many disorders causing changes in weight, a decrease in sex drive, and acne.
• Adrenogenital Syndrome (AGS): internal female and external masculinized from an excessive amount of androgens.
• Androgen Insensitivity Syndromes (AIS): internal male and external female from a chromosomally male and at puberty develope breasts and a feminine body shape.
• Fetally Androgenized Females: internal female and external male from chromosomally normal females exposed to androgens where at birth genitals appear to be male.

Primary and Secondary Sex Characteristics

• Primary Sex Characteristics: Sexual organs that are present at birth.
• Secondary Sex Characteristics: Changes that emerge during puberty, generally around two years earlier in girls and visible in characteristics include pubic hair, enlarged breasts and widened hips of females, and facial hair and Adam's apple on males.

Nature Vs. Nurture

• Nature is pre wiring from genetic inheritance while nurture is external factors which includes product of exposure, life experiences and learning on an individual.