Female Reproductive System: Anatomy & Functions

The Female Reproductive System

The female reproductive system consists of:

Internal Organs

• Ovaries

  The ovaries are organs that produce female gametes, or oocytes. Unlike the testes, they are located in the abdominal cavity, and their size varies with the individual and age. The formation of ova, or female gametes, is called oogenesis and occurs in cavities or follicles whose walls are covered with cells that protect and nourish the egg. Each follicle contains a single egg that matures approximately every 28 days. Oogenesis is periodic, in contrast to spermatogenesis, which is ongoing.

  The ovaries also produce estrogen and progesterone, hormones that regulate the development of secondary sexual characteristics (such as the appearance of hair or the development of breasts) and prepare the body for a possible pregnancy.

• Uterine Tubes (Fallopian Tubes)

  These tubes, 10 to 13 cm long, connect the ovaries to the uterus. Their function is to transport the egg to the uterus, where fertilization typically occurs.

• Uterus

  The uterus is a hollow, muscular organ where a fetus grows. Its inner wall, the endometrium, undergoes monthly cyclical changes influenced by hormones, particularly estrogen, produced in the ovary.

• Vagina

  The vagina is a muscular, elastic canal that connects the uterus to the outside of the body. It serves as the duct through which sperm enter, receives the penis during intercourse, and provides the birth canal for a baby during childbirth.

External Organs

Collectively known as the vulva, these include:

• Clitoris

  The clitoris is an erectile and highly erogenous organ in women, considered homologous to the male penis, particularly its glans.

• Labia

  There are two pairs of labia on each side: the labia majora and labia minora. These are protruding skin folds of varying size, consisting of sebaceous glands and sweat glands, and are highly innervated.

• Mons Pubis (Mount of Venus)

  The Mons Pubis is a fat pad located in front of the pubic symphysis, covered with pubic hair and supplied with sebaceous and sweat glands.

• Vulvar Vestibule

  The vulvar vestibule is an almond-shaped area containing six openings: the urethral meatus, the vaginal orifice, and the ducts of the Bartholin's glands and Skene's paraurethral glands.

The shape and appearance of the female reproductive organs vary considerably from woman to woman.