LESSON 3: FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM

4th QUARTER | ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY 2

OUTLINE
I. Anatomy of the Female Reproductive System
II. Organs of the Female Reproductive System
III. Female Reproductive Functions

ANATOMY OF FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE

SYSTEM
• Ovaries
• Duct System
o Uterine (fallopian) Tubes
o Uterus
o Vagina
• External Genitalia

• If successful fertilization happens, there will be

implantation
• If there’s no pregnancy, this will slaugh off in the form
of mens
OVARIAN FOLLICLES
• Primary Follicle – contains an immature oocyte
• Vesicular (Graafian) Follicle – growing follicle w/ a
maturing oocyte
• Ovulation – the follicle ruptures when the egg is mature and
ready to be ejected from the ovary; occurs about every 28
days
OVARIES • The ruptured follicle is transformed into a corpus luteum
• Produce eggs (ova = will undergo a series of dev’t in 28
days) and hormones
o Estrogen – important for secondary sex characteristics
like enlargement of breast, deposition of fats in the
hip/chest region and
o Progesterone – released by corpus luteum, important
in maintaining pregnancy and preparing uterus for
pregnancy by nourishing endometrium
• Each ovary houses ovarian follicles consisting of:
o Oocyte (immature egg)
o Follicle Cells – layers of different cells that surround
the oocyte

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OVARY SUPPORT
• Suspensory Ligaments secure the ovaries to the lateral
walls of the pelvis
• Ovarian Ligaments anchor ovaries to the uterus medially
• Broad Ligaments, a fold of peritoneum, enclose and hold
the ovaries in place

UTERUS
• Situated between the urinary bladder and rectum
• Size and shape of a pear, in a woman who has never been
pregnant
DUCT SYSTEM • Receives, retains, nourishes a fertilized egg à baby
• Uterine Support
• Uterine (fallopian) Tubes
o Broad ligament suspends the uterus in the pelvis
• Uterus
o Round ligament anchors the uterus anteriorly
• Vagina
o Uterosacral ligament anchors the uterus posteriorly
• Regions of the Uterus
UTERINE (FALLOPIAN) TUBES o Body – main portion
• Form the initial part of the duct system o Fundus – superior rounded region above where
• Receive the ovulated oocyte from the ovaries uterine tube enters
• Provide a site for fertilization (the strongest and fastest o Cervix – narrow outlet that protrudes into the vagina
sperm shall penetrate the egg cell enclosed by corona (kasinglambot ng ilong meganern)
radiata)
• Head of Sperm Cell lang makakapasok containing the
haploid cells = restoration of diploid cells bec 23 + 23
= 46
• Empty into the uterus
• Little or no contact between ovaries and uterine tubes
• Supported and enclosed by the broad ligament
• Uterine Tube Structure:
o Infundibulum
§ Distal, funnel-shaped end
o Fimbriae
• Layers of the Uterus:
§ Fingerlike projections of the infundibulum
o Endometrium
§ Receive the oocyte from the ovary
§ Inner layer (mucosa)
§ Cilia located inside the uterine tube transport
§ Site of implantation of a fertilized egg (if there is
the oocyte
successful ferti in the ampulla of fallopian tube,
lilipat d2 sa uterus to be nourished)
§ Sloughs off if no pregnancy occurs (menstruation
or menses)

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 o Myometrium is the middle layer of smooth muscle that
contracts during labor (myo = muscle)
§ Release of Oxytocin will trigger contraction
§ Oxytocin is also for the ejection of milk, hence
it is not recommended to breastmilk if juntis pa
kz lalabas ang bata besss!!
o Perimetrium (visceral peritoneum) is the
outermost serous layer of the uterus
VAGINA
• Passageway that extends from cervix to exterior of body and
is located between urinary bladder and rectum
• Lined with stratified squamous epithelium, same with our
skin but it’s non-keratinized bec it has to be moist
• Serves as the canal that allows a baby or menstrual flow to
leave the body
• Female organ of copulation
• Receives the penis during sexual intercourse
• Hymen – partially closes the vagina until it is ruptured
EXTERNAL GENITALIA AND FEMALE PERINEUM
• The female external genitalia, or vulva, includes:
o Mons Pubis
o Labia
o Clitoris
o Urethral Orifice
o Vaginal Orifice
o Greater Vestibular Glands
MONS PUBIS days)
• Fatty area overlying the pubic symphysis
• Covered with pubic hair after puberty
LABIA – skin fold corona radiata.
• Labia majora
o Hair-covered skin folds
o Enclose the labia minora
o Also encloses the vestibule
• Labia minora – delicate, hair-free folds of skin
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VESTIBULE
• Enclosed by labia majora
• Contains External on each side of the vagina
GREATER VESTIBULAR GLANDS
• One is found on each side of the vagina
• Secretions lubricate vagina during intercourse
CLITORIS
• Contains erectile tissue
• Corresponds to the male penis
• The clitoris is similar to the penis in that it is:
o Hooded by a prepuce
o Composed of sensitive erectile tissue
o Swollen with blood during sexual excitement
• The clitoris lacks a reproductive duct
PERINEUM
• Diamond-shaped region between the anterior ends of
labial folds, anus posteriorly, and ischial tuberosities
laterally
FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE FUNCTIONS AND
CYCLES
• The total supply of egg is determined by the time a
female is born
• Ability to release eggs begins at puberty with the onset
the menstrual cycle
• Reproductive ability ends at menopause (in female’s
fifties)
§ Oogenesis and the Ovarian Cycle
§ Hormone Production by the Ovaries
§ Uterine (Menstrual) Cycle
OOGENESIS AND THE OVARIAN CYCLE
• Oogenesis is the process of producing ova (eggs) in a
female
o Oogonia are female stem cells found in a developing
fetus
o Oogonia undergo mitosis to produce primary
oocytes that are surrounded by cells that form
primary follicles in the ovary
• Primary oocytes are inactive until puberty
• Follicle-stimulating hormones (FSH) causes some
primary follicles to mature each month
• Cyclic monthly changes constitute the ovarian cycle
• Meiosis starts inside maturing follicle
o First meiotic division produces a larger secondary
oocytes and a smaller first polar body
o A vesicular follicle contains a secondary oocyte
(maturation from a primary follicle takes about 14
• Ovulation of a secondary oocyte occurs with the release
of luteinizing hormone (LH)
• Secondary oocyte is released and surrounded by a
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 UTERINE (MENSTRUAL) CYCLE
• Menstrual phase (Day 1—5)
o Functional layer of the endometrium is sloughed
o Bleeding occurs for 3 to 5 days
o Ovarian hormones are at their lowest levels
o By day 5, growing ovarian follicles are producing
more estrogen
• Proliferative stage (6-14)
o Regeneration of functional of the endometrium
§ Endumetrium is repaired, thickens and
becomes well vascularized
o Estrogen level rise
o Ovulation occurs in the ovary at the end of this stage
• Secretory stage (Day 15-28)
o Levels of progesterone rise and increase the blood
supply to the endometrium, which becomes more
vascular
o Endometrium increases in size and readies for
implantation
o If fertilization does occur:
§ Embryo produces a hormones that causes the
corpus luteum to continue producing it’s
hormones
HORMONE PRODUCTION BY THE OVARIES o If fertilization does NOT occur:
• Estrogens are produces by follicle cells § Corpus luteum degenerates as LH Blood levels
o Cause secondary sec characteristics decline
§ Enlargement of accessory organs of the female § The phases are repeated about every 28 days
reproductive system
§ Development of breasts
§ Appearance of axillary and pubic hair
§ Increase in fat beneath the skin, particularly in
hips and breasts
§ Widening and lightening of the pelvis
§ Onset of menses (menstrual cycle)
• Progesterone is produced by the corpus luteum
• Production contuse until LH diminishes in the blood
• Does not contribute to the appearance of secondary sex
characteristics
o Other major effects
o Helps maintain pregnancy
o Prepares the breasts for milk production

UTERINE (MENSTRUAL) CYCLE

• Cyclic changes of the endometrium, about 28 days in length
• Regulated by cyclic production of estrogens and
progesterone by the ovaries
• FSH and LH, from the anterior pituitary, regulate the
production of estrogens and progesterone by the ovaries
• Ovulation typically occurs about midway through cycle, on
day 14
• Stages of the menstrual cycle
o Menstrual phase
o Proliferative stage
o Secretory stage

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