Female Reproductive System

• The female reproductive system is a complex system of organs in charge of generating eggs (ova), promoting fertilization, and assisting in the growth of the embryo during pregnancy.
• It plays a critical role in human reproduction, regulating hormones that affect menstruation and general health.

Vagina (Birth Canal)

• The vagina receives the penis during sexual intercourse.
• It serves as a tube for menstrual flow from the uterus.
• The average vaginal depth is 3–5.8 inches.

Hymen

• A thin layer of tissue appears in the vagina of many female mammals, including humans.
• It is leftover from fetal development.

Cervix

• A cylinder-shaped neck of tissue connects the vagina and uterus.
• It allows the flow of menstrual blood from the uterus to the vagina and directs semen into the uterus.

Cervical Effacement and Dilation

• During labor, the cervix effaces (thins) and dilates (opens) to allow the baby to pass through.

Ovary

• A paired female reproductive organ produces eggs and female sex hormones (progesterone and estrogen).
• Regulates the menstrual cycle.

Fallopian Tube

• The primary function is to transport eggs from the ovary to the uterus.
• It has a length of about 4 inches long and 1 cm wide.
• It connects the ovaries to the uterus.

Uterus (Womb)

• An inverted pear-shaped muscular organ located between the bladder and the rectum.
• It nourishes and houses a fertilized egg until the fetus or offspring is ready to be delivered.

Urinary Bladder

• Similar to the stomach and is an expandable sac-like organ that contracts when it is empty.
• It stores urine produced by the kidneys and excretes it from the body.

Urethra

• The canal where urine passes from the bladder to the outside of the body.
• Typically shorter in females versus men.

Clitoris

• A small projection of erectile tissue located in the vulva of the female reproductive system.
• Contains thousands of nerve endings, making it an extremely sensitive organ.
• Touch stimulation of the nerve endings in the clitoris produces sensations of sexual pleasure.

Labia Minora

• Consists of two small folds of skin, lacking fatty tissue, that extend backward on each side of the opening into the vagina.
• Provides protective structures that surround the clitoris and help to keep bacteria out.

Labia Majora

• Commonly called outer labia/outer lips, the lip-like structures consist mostly of skin and adipose (fatty) tissue.
• This plays a small role in sexual pleasure, while the skin is soft and sensitive to touch.
• It covers and protects the inner structure and produces lubrication.

Key Components of the Female Reproductive System

• Ovaries produce eggs and hormones (estrogen and progesterone).
• Fallopian Tubes transport eggs from the ovaries to the uterus.
• The uterus is a muscular organ where a fertilized egg implants and develops into a fetus.
• The cervix is the lower part of the uterus that opens into the vagina.
• The vagina is the canal that connects the cervix to the external body, serving as the birth canal and the exit for menstrual flow.