The Female Reproductive System

Greetings everyone here on this noble platform, I am really excited to write and share with you guys this exciting topic in the community. Today I would be writing about the human reproductive system, with this article I would be writing on the female reproductive system first after which in my next article I would tackle the male system as well.

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We all know from our basic level of education that, one of the things that distinguish between living and non-living things is to reproduce. Living things reproduce whilst non-living things does not. The process of reproduction is simpler in more primitive animals or organisms. That is why in mammals such as humans, we got one process which is the sexual reproduction where it involves two sex cells meeting to form or reproduce a new offspring.

Reproduction as we all know, is defined as the process whereby new offspring of the same kind are produced. The male gametes called the spermatozoa fuses with the female gametes called ova in order to produce a new offspring in humans.

As I stated that this article would be steered towards the female reproductive system, we would directly dive into that. Let's look at some of the functions of the female reproductive system. They include the following;

• Reception of spermatozoa
• Childbirth or parturition
• The formation of ova
• For lactation
• For the provision of suitable environment for fetal development and fertilization as well.

Okay, so now we look at the parts of the female reproductive system and their functions;

The Vulva termed as the external genitalia

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This genitalia consists of the following;

• the clitoris
• labia majora and labia minora
• vaginal orifice
• the hymen, the vestibular glands and the vestibule.

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The Clitoris

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This structure corresponds to the penis in the male reproductive system and it is made up of the erectile tissues and the sensry nerve as well. It is a small pea-shaped structure which plays a vital function in sexual arousement and excitement for females.

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The labia majora and labia minora

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The labia majora is referred to as the greater lips which plays a vital role during sexual intercourse as a sex lubricant. They are made up of fibrous tissues, fat, and skin and they are composed of many eccrine sweat glands and sebaceous.

The labia minora on the other hand, is also called the lesser tips. It also has a similar composition as the labia majora and play similar function as well.

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The Vestibular glands

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This structure can be found on each side of the opening of the vagina. They are responsible for the secretion of mucus which helps to keep the vulva moist during sexual intercourse.

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Lets look at the internal genitalia as well which includes vagina, uterus, the uterine tubes and the two ovaries.

The Vagina

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This is a fibromuscular tube that is lined with a stratified squamous epithelium structure. The interior wall in adults is about 7.5 cm long with a posterior wall of about 9 cm long. It has an outer covering of areolar tissue, with smooth muscle as the middle layer and the stratified squamous epithelium being the inner lining. It contains lactobacillus acidophilus which helps to secret lactic acid to help maintain the between in the ranges between 4.9 and 3.5. In doing so, the pH content would help fight against most micro-organisms that may find it way into the vagina. The vagina serves as a receptacle for the penis during coitus. It also provide the passage for conceiving a child.

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The Hymen

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This is a thin layer of mucous membrane that is found at the opening of the vagina. It is not completely opened for the passage of mentrual flow and can be torn or stretched completely during sexual intercourse.

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The Uterus

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It is a hollow structure which is a pear-shaped and can be found in the pelvic cavity between the urinary bladder and the rectum. Its length is about 7.5 cm long and has a width length of about 5 cm wide and thickness of about 2.5 cm thick. The uterus weight between 30 and 40 grams and it is divided into three parts namely fundus, body, and cervix. It also has three layers as well and they are Perimetrium, Myometrium, and Endometrium.

Some structures that supports the uterus include; pelvic floor muscles, ligaments, and surrounding organs. Let's look at the ovaries now.

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The Ovaries

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Ovaries have about 2.5 - 3.5 cm in length and a 2 cm width with a 1 cm thickness. The female gonads are found in the ovaries and they lie in laterally to the pelvis walls. It has two layers of tissues including medulla and cortex. The ovary stores female gametes and in regulating them, the hypothalamus does that function.

I would end my article here and continue with the male reproductive system in my next article. I hope that you enjoyed reading this article. Watch out for more episodes from me. See you again.

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The references given below are sites where you can learn more about the female respiratory system.

Reference 1
Reference 2
Reference 3
Reference 4

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