CHAPTER -8

HOW DO ORGANISMS REPRODUCE?

Topic 2: SEXUAL REPRODUCTION IN HUMANS

1. Puberty -Time of growth when a person becomes sexually mature.
2. Secondary sexual characters-characters that help to distinguish between an adolescent boy and girl
Secondary sexual characters in boys Secondary sexual characters in girls
✓ Broadening of shoulder ✓ broadening of hips
✓ Widening of chest ✓ Widening of pelvic region
✓ Development of muscular body ✓ Development of breasts
✓ The testis starts to make sperms. ✓ Ovaries start to release eggs.
✓ voice deepens. ✓ Menstruation starts.
Hormone responsible for these changes-Testosterone Hormone responsible for these changes-Oestrogen

Male reproductive system

1. Parts -Pair of testis, scrotal sacs, sperm duct or Vas deferens, Urethra and Penis.
2. Each testis is located in a hollow bag like structure – scrotal sac which is outside the abdominal cavity
3. Scrotal sacs is located outside abdominal cavity to provide optimum temperature for formation of sperms.
4. Testes produces millions of sperms
5. Sperm has 3 parts- Head, middle piece and tail
6. From testis, Sperms move through tube like structures- sperm duct or Vas deferens
7. prostate glands and the seminal vesicles are two glands associated with Vas deferens. They secrete a fluid.
8. Function of the fluid: helps in easy movement of sperms and gives nourishment to sperms
8. Mixture of fluids and sperms is called semen.
9. Sperms travel down the urethra. It is common passage for sperms and urine.
10. From there sperms passes through penis
11. Penis transfers the sperms into the vagina.

Female reproductive system

1. Parts- Pair of ovaries, Oviducts or fallopian tubes, Uterus , Cervix –narrow part of uterus where it joins the vagina,
Vagina (birth canal)
2. every month one of the ovaries produces an egg. Release of egg by ovary is called OVULATION.
3. from the ovary the egg is carried to oviduct or fallopian tube.
4. The two oviducts unite to form an elastic bag-like structure known as the uterus.
5. The uterus opens into the vagina through the cervix.
What happens to egg?
If fertilization takes place egg becomes zygote.
If fertilization does not take place egg waits for 1-2 days, then degenerates
 What happens to uterus?
Every month inner lining of uterus (endometrium) becomes thick and spongy and is richly supplied with blood vessels in
anticipation of pregnancy

If fertilization takes place, inner lining of uterus nourishes the embryo

If fertilization does not take place inner lining of the uterus is removed in form of blood and mucus through vagina. This
is called Menstruation. It takes place every month for about 2-7 days.

DEVELOPMENT OF ZYGOTE
1. Zygote is a single cell. zygote divides to form a ball of cells called embryo
2. Embryo attaches to wall of uterus. It is called Implantation.
3. Placenta is a special tissue. It is disc shaped. It develops between embryo and uterine wall of the mother. It contains
villi on side of embryo and large blood spaces on mother’s side. It develops in the fourth week.It transfers oxygen and
glucose from mothers blood to embryo.It transfers wastes from embryo to mother’s blood. Placenta is connected to
the embryo by a string like structure called the UMBILICAL CORD.
4. The embryo develops body parts like head, legs, hands etc.The stage of the embryo where all body parts can be
identified is known as Foetus.
5. As the foetus grows the wall of uterus stretches to accommodate it.
6. When foetus is mature the muscles of the wall of uterus contracts and pushes the baby out. The process of delivery
of foetus is called PARTURITION.
7. The period for which baby develops inside the mother is called GESTATION period.

Reproductive health
Contraception: Prevention of pregnancy in women

CONTRACEPTIVE METHODS
1. BARRIER METHOD
2. ORAL CONTRACEPTIVES
3. IMPLANTS or (IUCDs) -Intra Uterine Contraceptive Devices
4. Surgical methods

Principles involved in Contraceptive methods

1. Barrier method
a. Principle: does not allow sperm to reach the egg
b. Eg: condoms in males; cervical cap of diaphragm in females
c. Condoms are made of thin rubber. It used to cover the penis in males. Cervical cap is use to cover cervix. Diaphragm
fits inside vagina.
2. Oral contraceptives
principle: tablets are taken which prevents ovulation by changing hormonal balance.
Eg: oral pills
3. IMPLANTS or (IUCDs) -Intra Uterine Contraceptive Devices
a. Principle: prevents implantation
b. Eg: copper-T or loop are placed in the uterus. It does not allow zygote to implant to uterus
4. Surgical method
a. Principle: blocks are created
b. In males-vasectomy, the vas deferens is blocked. It does not allow sperm to enter into seminal fluid.
c. In females- tubectomy, the fallopian tubes are blocked .it does not allow fertilization.

Note:
1. Only contraceptive method which prevents STDs is use of Condoms as semen does not enter into female
reproductive tract.
2. Contraceptive method exclusively used by females: Oral contraceptives and Implants
3. Contraceptive methods used both by males and females are Barrier method and Surgical method

Reasons for adopting contraceptive methods/How does use of contraceptives have a direct effect on
the health and prosperity of a family?
1. It prevents frequent pregnancy which would otherwise affect health of female
2. It reduces the chances of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).
3. It reduces poverty by controlling the number of children in a family.

Sexually Transmitted Diseases

1. STDs are diseases which are spread by sexual contact with an infected person.
2. Gonorrhea and Syphilis are STDs caused by bacteria.
3. AIDS and Warts are STDs caused by virus.
AIDS is caused by HIV virus. (AIDS-Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome); HIV-Human Immuno Virus

REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH
Reproductive Health means a total well-being in all aspects of reproductive, i.e., physical emotional, social and
behavioural.

FEMALE FOETICIDE
It refers to killing of the female foetus within the womb of the mother. Prenatal-sex determination has lead to
female foeticide.

Indicators of a Reproductively Healthy Society

1. balanced sex ratio
2. increased medical facilities for care if mother and child
3. Better detection and cure of Sexually Transmitted Diseases.
4. people are aware about use of contraceptive methods