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Female Reproductive System
Female Reproductive System
Primary sex
organ: ovary
Genital ducts:
Fallopian tube
Uterus
Vagina
Accessory
glands:
Greater
vestibular
(Bartholin’s)
Copulatory organ
(external
genitalia):
The vulva
The Ovaries
They are the primary sex organs.
Functions: 1-Exocrine function: produce ova
2-Endocrine function: secrete estrogen & progesterone
hormones.
Location and Description
Each ovary is oval
(almond) shaped,
measuring 3 2 1 cm.
ovarian fossa:
The ovary usually lies
against the lateral wall of
the pelvis in a depression
called the ovarian fossa,
bounded by the external
iliac vessels above and
by the obturator nerve,
the ureter & the internal
iliac vessels, behind. The
position of the ovary is
variable.
The ovary has: 1) 2 ends:
Upper (tubal) end: is directed up & laterally & attached to:
Ovarian fimbria of the Fallopian tube.
Suspensory (infundibulo-pelvic) ligament of the ovary,
which is a peritoneal fold that forms the upper lateral part of
the broad ligament. It transmits the ovarian vessels & nerves
from the side wall of the pelvis to the broad ligament.
Lower (uterine) end: is directed down & medially. It is attached
to the upper lateral angle of the uterus by the ligament of the
ovary.
2) 2 surfaces:
Lateral surface: related to the parietal peritoneum of the lateral
pelvic wall & obturator nerve and vessels (in the floor of the
fossa).
Medial surface: related to fimbriated end of Fallopian tube.
3) 2 borders:
Posterior border: free.
Anterior border: attached to the upper lateral part of broad
ligament by mesovarium (which transmits the ovarian nerves &
vessels to the hilum of the ovary).
Ligaments Of The Ovary
1) Suspensory ligament of the ovary:
It extends laterally from the tubal end
of the ovary to the side wall of the
pelvis.
It is a peritoneal fold which transmits
the ovarian vessels, nerves &
lymphatics to the broad ligament.
2) Mesovarium:
It is peritoneal fold that extends from
the upper layer of broad ligament to
the anterior border of the ovary.
It transmits the ovarian vessels &
nerves to the ovary.
3) Ligament of the ovary:
It is a fibromuscular cord that extends
from the uterine end of the ovary to
the lateral angle of the uterus.
Blood Supply
Arteries
The ovarian artery arises
from the abdominal aorta
at the level of the first
lumbar vertebra.
Veins
The ovarian vein drains
into the inferior vena cava
on the right side and into
the left renal vein on the
left side.
Lymph Drainage
The lymph vessels of the ovary follow the
ovarian artery and drain into the para-aortic
nodes
Nerve Supply:
Parasympathetic: From pelvic splanchnic
nerves (S 2, 3, 4).
Sympathetic: from T 10, 11.
The blood supply, lymph drainage, and nerve
supply of the ovary reach the ovary by
passing through the suspensory ligament of
the ovary. The vessels and nerves finally
enter the hilum of the ovary via the
mesovarium
The Fallopian (Uterine) Tubes
2 tortuous tubes (about
10 cm long), open on
the superolateral angle
of the uterus.
They have free end
open into the
peritoneal cavity close
to the ovary.
Lie in the upper border
of the broad ligament
Parts Of The Uterine Tube From Medial To Lateral
Intramural (interstitial) part:
It is the shortest (1 cm) and narrowest part.
It passes through the wall of the superoateral angle of
the uterus to open into the uterine cavity.
Isthmus:
It is narrow and 2 cm in length .
Ampulla:
It is the longest (5 cm), thin-walled, tortuous
and widest part. It is the site of fertilization.
Infundibulum (fimbriated end):
It is 2cm in length and funnel-shaped.
It pierces the broad ligament to open into the peritoneal
cavity near the ovary. Its margins carry fimbria which
spread over the medial surface of the ovary.
Tubal ligation:
A simple and
effective method of
birth control is to
surgically ligate the
uterine tubes,
preventing
spermatozoa from
reaching ova.
Conduct of the
ovum in the uterine
tube to the uterine
cavity is helped by:
ciliary movement of
mucosal lining &
peristaltic
movement of the
tube
Blood Supply Of The Uterine Tube
Arterial supply:
Medial 2/3: by the
uterine artery.
Lateral 1/3 : by the
ovarian artery.
Venous drainage:
By veins accompanying
the arteries into the
uterine and ovarian
veins.
Lymph drainage:
Most of the tubal Commonest site of fertilization is
lymphatics pass to the the ampulla of the uterine tube.
para-aortic L.Ns. Implantation of the embryo in the
Lymphatics of the isthmus uterine tube rather than the uterus
pass to the superficial can cause an ectopic pregnancy.
inguinal L.Ns.
Uterus
It is a hollow pear-shaped
muscular organ.
Location:
It is located in the central
part of the pelvis:
Anterior to the rectum
posterosuperior
to the bladder.
Dimension: measuring
3 2 1 inches
Parts Of The Uterus
1) Fundus:
It is dome-shaped part that
lies above level of the
opening of the Fallopian
tubes.
It is completely covered by
peritoneum. It is related to
coils of small intestine &
sigmoid colon.
2) Body:
is the part extending from
level of opening of the
Fallopian tubes to the
constriction called isthmus.
It contains uterine cavity. It is
the site of implantation of the
zygote & also the site of
menstruation.
3) Isthmus: