THE FEMALE

REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM

GROUP 2 PRESENTATION
ORGANS OF THE FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE
SYSTEM ARE:
 1. Vulva (external female genitalia or pudendum)
 2. Vagina
 3. Uterus (womb)
 4. Uterine tubes (fallopian tubes)
 5. Ovaries (female gonads)
 6. Breast (mammary glands): accessory organ of
female reproductive system
 NB: the vagina, uterus, uterine tubes and
ovaries are collectively called female internal
genitalia.
 THE VULVA
 The vulva or pudenda is a collective name given for
the external genitalia of the female(female
external reproductive organ)
 It is an area bounded in front by the mons veneris
(pubis) and on either sides by the labia majora.

The structures forming the vulva includes:

 mons pubis, labia majora, labia minora, clitoris,
prepuce of clitoris, frenulum of clitoris, fourchette,
vestibule, orifice of urethra, paraurethral glands,
hymen, vagina orifice, vestibular glands
(Bartholin’s), perineal body
 MONS PUBIS (VENERIS)
 This is an elevation of adipose tissue (pad of fat)
covered with skin and short hair called pubic
hair situated over the symphysis pubis.
 The pubic hair develops at puberty.
 It is anterior to vagina and urethral opening.

LABIA MAJORA (SINGULAR LABIUM MAJUS)

 These are two large longitudinal folds of fibrous
tissue covered with skin which extend posteriorly
from the mons pubis.
 They form the lateral boundaries of the vulva.
 It contains abundance of adipose tissue,
sebacecous & sweat glands.
 Cont’d
 At their upper outer surface they are covered by
pubic hair.
 At the medial surface are the labia minora.

LABIA MINORA(SINGULAR LABIUM MINUS)

 There are two small cutaneous folds with a
smooth pink surfaces without fat.
 Extends from the clitoris.
 Each bifurcates and the upper layer of each
minora goes over the clitoris to form a prepuce.
 The lower layer join to form the frenulum.
 THE SPACE BETWEEN THE TWO LABIA
MINORA IS THE VESTIBULE
 THE VAGINA
 The vagina is a dilatable canal (tube) which leads
from the vulva to the uterus.
 Vagina is a narrow fibromuscular structure which
connects the external and internal female genitalia
(vulva to the uterus).
 Location: It passes obliquely upwards and
backwards from the vulva (vestibule) to the cervix
of uterus at an angle of about 450 between the
bladder in front and rectum and anus behind.
 Size: In the adult the anterior wall is about 7.5cm
long and the posterior wall is about 9cm-11cm
long.
 MACROSCOPIC STRUCTURE OF VAGINA
 The upper end of the vagina is called vault.
 The cervix protrudes into the vault to form folds of
vagina called fornices.
 The fornices are four 4 (anterior fornix (front),
posterior fornix (behind) and 2 lateral fornix
(sides)
 In adult the anterior wall is about 7.5cm long and
the posterior wall is about 9cm-11cm long.
 The vaginal orifice is covered by the hymen.
MICROSCOPIC STRUCTURE OF VAGINA
 The walls of vagina consist of three layers: the
inner layer, the muscularis and the adventitia (outer
layer).
 Inner layer (lining)
 It consists of lamina propria which is made up of
elastic fibres which helps the vagina to recoil after
expansion.
 Also consists of stratified squamous epithelium
(vaginal lining) which is marked by transverse
ridges or folds called rugae.
 The epithelium has no glands but the surface is
kept moist by cervical secretions and can withstand
the friction of intercourse.
 Cont’d
 The epithelial cells contain glycogen which is
released in the lumen of the vagina.
 The glycogen is fermented by beneficial resident
bacteria into lactic acid to maintain the pH of
vagina between 4.9 and 3.5.
 The acidity discourages the growth of harmful
bacteria.
 Muscular layer- Smooth muscles containing
elastic fibers that allows vagina to increase in size
to accommodate penis during coitus and permit
childbirth. The fibers are arranged in circular and
longitudinal bundles.
 Adventitia(Outer layer) - Fascia made up of
fibrous connective tissue which is part of the pelvic
cellular tissue.
STRUCTURES IN RELATION TO (ASSOCIATION WITH)
VAGINA
 ANTERIORLY - Urinary bladder and urethra
 POSTERIORLY – Recto-uterine pouch (pouch of Douglas),
rectum, perineal body
 LATERALLY – Pelvic fascia, ureters and some muscles of
pelvic floor.
 SUPERIORLY - The cervix uterus.
 INFERIORLY – The hymen or carunlae myetiform

FUNCTIONS OF VAGINA
 1. Receptacle for penis and semen or sperm during coitus
(sexual intercourse).
 2. Passageway through which baby passes during child
birth.
 3. Allows/passageway for menstrual flow
 UTERUS (WOMB)
A hollow muscular pear-shaped organ situated in
the pelvic cavity
 It is located anterior to the rectum and
posterosuperior to the urinary bladder
 It is almost at right angles with vagina
 Size-in adult it measures about 7.5cm long, 5cm
wide, 2.5cm thick and weighs about 57g.
 It function is to receive, retain and nourish a
fertilized egg throughout pregnancy.
MACROSCOPIC STRUCTURE OF UTERUS

(PARTS OR DIVISIONS OF UTERUS)

 Macroscopically, the uterus consists of the
following parts: Fundus, body, Cornua, Isthmus,
and Cervix.
 Fundus: This is the dome-shaped part above the
openings of the uterine tubes.
 Body (corpus): Forms the main or greater part
of the uterus. It lies above cervix and below the
fundus. The interior of the body is called the
uterine cavity. It tappers or narrowed inferiorly
towards the cervix at the internal os (opening).
 Cont’d
 Isthmus: This is the constricted region about 1cm
long between the body and the cervix. It enlarges
to form the lower uterine segment during
pregnancy.
 Cervix (neck): The lowest portion that protrudes
through the anterior wall of the vagina and opens
into it at the external os (opening). Forms the
lower 1/3 of the uterus. It measures about 2.5cm
long. It has a narrow cavity called cervical canal.
 The internal os is the narrow opening between
the isthmus and the cervix. The external os is a
small round opening at the lower end of the cervix.
 Cornua: These are the upper angles of the uterus
where the fallopian tubes are inserted.
MICROSCOPIC STRUCTURE OF UTERUS
 The walls of the uterus consist of three layers of
tissues: Endometrium (inner layer), Myometrium
(middle layer), and perimetrium (outer layer).
The Endometrium
 This is the inner layer of the uterus that consists of
simple columnar epithelium containing secretory
and ciliated cells.
 The endometrium is divided functionally into two
layers: functional layer and basal layer.
 The functional layer (stratum functionalis) is the
layer close to the uterine cavity.
 It thickens and becomes rich in blood vessels in the
first half of the menstrual cycle and shed during
menstruation.
 Cont’d
 The basal layer (stratum basalis) do not shed and it
is responsible for forming new functional layer after
mentruation ends.
The Myometrium
 This is the middle layer is made of interlacing
bundles of smooth muscle fibers arranged in three
layers: inner layer of circular fibers, middle layer of
oblique fibers (criss-cross fibers) and outer layer of
longitudinal fibers.
 Myometrium forms the bulk of the uterine wall.
 It is thickest in the fundus and thinnest in the
cervix.
 Coordinates contraction of the muscles to expel
the baby from the body of the uterus during
childbirth.
Cont’d
The perimetrium
 The outer layer perimetrium is made up of
peritoneum.
 It covers the uterus except at the side.
 Anteriorly, it extends forward on to the superior
surface of the urinary bladder to form vesicouterine
pouch.
 Posteriorly it extends downwards to cover the upper
part of the vagina and reflect on to the rectum to
form rectouterine pouch (pouch of Douglas).
 Laterally, it covers only the fundus and forms the
double fold called broad ligament covering the part of
the uterine tubes. Uterine blood vessels and nerve
pass through it.
 SUPPORTING STRUCTURES OF THE
UTERUS
 The uterus is held up by several ligaments.
 Mesometrium: a large ligaments that hold lateral
walls of the uterus.
 Mesosalpinx: lateral sides enclosing the
oviducts(fallopian tubes).
 Inferiorly, the lateral cervical (cardinal)
ligaments hold the uterine cervix and the superior
vagina to the lateral pelvic walls.
 Round ligaments: Fibromuscular cords extending
from the cornua of the uterus through the inguinal
canals to be inserted into the labia majora.
 Hold the uterus in anteverted position
STRUCTURES IN RELATION TO THE UTERUS
 Anteriorly: Urinary bladder and intestine.
 Posteriorly: Uterosacral ligament
 Lateral: Fallopian tubes, ovaries, round ligament
 Superiorly: The intestines
 Inferiorly: The vagina
FUNCTIONS OF THE UTERUS
 It prepares to receive fertilized ovum (implantation)
 It provides a suitable environment for the growth and
development of the fetus.
 It nourishes the fetus till delivery.
 It assists in expelling the fetus, placenta and
membrane during labour.
 BLOOD AND NERVES SUPPLY
 The blood supply to the uterus is via the uterine
artery.
 Venous drainage is via a plexus in the broad
ligament that drains into the uterine veins.
 Lymphatic drainage of the uterus is via the iliac,
sacral, aortic and inguinal lymph nodes.
 Sympathetic from uterovaginal plexus.
 Parasympathetic fibres of the uterus are derived
from the pelvic splanchnic nerves (S2-S4).
THE UTERINE TUBES (FALLOPIAN
TUBES, OVIDUCTS)
 The uterine tubes are a pair of tube that
conducts the egg from the ovaries to the uterus.
 Each tube extends laterally from the cornua of
the uterus to curve round the ovaries
 Each is about 10cm long and lies in the upper
free boarder of the broad ligament
 MACROSCOPIC STRUCTURE(PARTS OF
FALLOPIAN TUBES)
 Each fallopian tube has four parts: Interstitial
part, Isthmus, Ampulla and Infundibulum.
 Interstitial part: Lie within the wall of the uterus.
It is about 1cm long. It passes obliquely through
the uterine wall and has a very narrow lumen.
 Isthmus: It is the narrowest portion of the tube. It
is 2.5cm long. It reservoir for spermatozoa.
 Ampulla: It is the widest and longest part of the
tube where fertilization normally occurs. It is 5cm
long.
 Cont’d
Infundibulum (fimriated end): The funnel-shaped
distal end of the tube that lies close to the ovary.
 About 2.5cm long.
 It is surrounded by fringe of finger-like processes
called fimbriae.
 One of the longer fimbriae lies in contact with the
ovary and is called the fimbriae ovarica.
 The lumen of the tubes communicates with the
uterine cavity at its proximal end and the outer
end of the tube is expanded and open into
peritoneal cavity close to the ovaries at its distal
end.
MICROSCOPIC STRUCTURE OF
FALLOPIAN TUBE
The walls of the fallopian tubes consist of three main
layers: the mucosa, the muscularis and the
serosa.
• The mucosa is lined by a single columnar
epithelium
• 3 types of columnar cells within the epithelium:
ciliated, non-ciliated secretory and intercalated
cells.
• The ciliated cells are more predominant in the distal
portion.
• The longer non-ciliated secretory cells are are
more predominant in the proximal portion of the
tubes
• Peg cells or intercalated cells lack secretory granules
 Cont’d
• The secretory cells secrete a fluid that is propelled
with the ovum towards the uterus, by the cilia
• The secretion provides a nutrient for the fertilised
ovum and also aids in capacitation, a maturation
step, of the spermatozoa.
The muscularis
• Arranged into two layers: an inner circular layer
and an outer longitudinal layer.
• layers results in peristaltic contractions of the
fallopian tubes, which assist in propulsion of the
fertilised ovum.
• The serosa is the outer covering of the fallopian
tube.
 BLOOD VESSELS AND NERVES SUPPLY
 The arterial supply of the fallopian tubes involves
both the uterine and ovarian arteries.
 Corresponding veins
 Lymph is also drained by both ovarian and uterine
vessels, which drain into the para-
aortic and internal iliac lymph nodes, respectively.
 The fallopian tubes are innervated by both the
sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems.

FUNCTIONS:
 Conveys the ovum from the ovary to the uterus.
 Site of fertilization
THE OVARIES
MACROSCOPIC STRUCTURE OF THE OVARIES
 These are female gonads. They are small ovoid
structures that lie in a shallow fossa on the lateral
walls of the pelvis on either sides of uterus.
 They are 2.5 to 3.5cm long, 2cm wide and 1cm
thick.
 They are attached to the posterior surface of the
broad ligament by a fold of peritoneum called the
mesovarium through which blood vessels, lymph
vessels and nerves pass into the ovary at the hilum.
 Cont’d
 Each ovary is attached to the upper part of uterus
by an ovarian ligament.
 They are the testes in male and descend to the
brim of the pelvis during the third month of
development.
 They are attached to the pelvic wall by suspensory
ligament.
 Each ovary has a hilum for entrance of blood
vessels, lymphatic vessels and nerves.
MICROSCOPIC STRUCTURE OF THE
OVARIES
 The ovaries have two parts (layers of tissues)
 Medulla: This is the central part composed of
fibrous tissue, blood vessels, lymphatic vessels and
nerves.
 Cortex: This surrounds the medulla. It consists of
connective tissue called stroma and contains
ovarian follicles in various stages of maturity
development each containing an ovum.
 The layer of dense connective tissue surrounding
the cortex is called tunica albuginea.
 Cont’d
FUNCTIONS OF OVARY
 1. Produce oocytes (ova)
 2. Produce the hormones estrogen and
progesterone
 FUNCTIONS OF FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE
SYSTEM
 1. Formation of ova (female sex cells) –ovaries
 2. Reception of spermatozoa – vagina
 3. Transportation of spermatozoa to the site of fertilization-
uterus and uterine tubes
 4. Provision of suitable environment for fertilization and fetal
development and nourishment for the new individual
(nurturing)-uterus.
 5. Parturition (child birth)- uterus, vagina and vulva.
 6. Provision of breast milk (lactation) for nourishing the baby-
breast.
 7. Production of female sex hormones- ovaries to control
development and normal function of the reproductive system,
female body form and reproductive behavior.
OVULATION
 This, the rupture of the ovarian follicles with release
of ovum into the pelvic cavity.
 Usually occurs in day 14 in 28 days cycle.
 Ovulation is triggered by high levels of luteinizing
hormones (LH).
 Ovulation is sometimes accompanied by pains
known as mittelschmerz pains.
MENSTRUAL CYCLE
The menstrual cycle refers to series of changes
in the endometrium that occurs in a sexually
mature non pregnant females.
Each month, the endometrium is prepared to
receive an already fertilized ovum that
eventually normally develops into an embryo
and then into fetus until delivery.
If no fertilization occurs, the stratum functionalis
portion of the endometrium is shed as menses.
Typically the menstrual cycle is about 28 days
long, but may be as short as 21 days or as long
as 35 days.
END OF LECTURE!
GROUP MEMBERS
NAME INDEX NUMBER
1. OPOKU VINCENT (LEADER) 0311017322
2. HEMENG SERWAA NATASHA (ASST. LEADER) 0311013322
3. BIRAGO GLORIA (SECRETARY) 0311006522
4. OFORI DAVID 0311014722
5. ASAMOAH SHARLING 0311020522
6. ACHEAMPONG KWABENA BOADU 0311005322
7. OPOKU AGYEMANG BRIDGET 0311009322
8. OKYERE PRECIOUS SAFOA 0311018722
9. BUGASE BARIKISU ISMAIL 0311015522
10. KYEI BAFFOUR JOSEPHINE 0311019122
11. BAAFI ASAMOAH MABEL 0311002722
12. OSEI KUTU FRIMPONG PETER 0311005522
13. OKYERE SARAH 0311021922
NAME INDEX NUMBER
14. AGYEI ANNORWAH SARA-ESTHER 0311000922
15. ABDUL AZIZ SAMIRA 0311012322
16. AFRIFA ASUMIN POKUAA REGINA 0311017122

17. REBECCA BADU-PREKO 0311006122