The female reproductive system is designed to carry out several functions. It produces the female egg cells necessary for reproduction, called the ova or oocytes. The system is designed to transport the ova to the site of fertilization. Conception, the fertilization of an egg by a sperm, normally occurs in the fallopian tubes. The next step for the fertilized egg is to implant into the walls of the uterus, beginning the initial stages of pregnancy. If fertilization and/or implantation does not take place, the system is designed to menstruate (the monthly shedding of the uterine lining). In addition, the female reproductive system produces female sex hormones that maintain the reproductive cycle.
What Parts Make up the Female Anatomy?
The female reproductive anatomy includes parts inside and outside the body.
The function of the external female reproductive structures (the genitals) is twofold: To enable sperm to enter the body and to protect the internal genital organs from infectious organisms. The main external structures of the female reproductive system include:
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The labia majora enclose and protect the other external reproductive organs. Literally translated as “large lips,” the labia majora are relatively large and fleshy, and are comparable to the scrotum in males. The labia majora contain sweat and oil-secreting glands. After puberty, the labia majora are covered with hair Literally translated as “small lips,” the labia minora can be very small or up to 2 inches wide. They lie just inside the labia majora, and surround the openings to thevagina (the canal that joins the lower part of the uterus to the outside of the body) and urethra (the tube that carries urine from thebladder to the outside of the body). These glands are located beside the vaginal opening and produce a fluid (mucus) secretion. The two labia minora meet at the clitoris, a small, sensitive protrusion that is comparable to thepenis in males. The clitoris is covered by a fold of skin, called the prepuce, which is similar to the foreskin at the end of the penis. Like the penis, the clitoris is very sensitive to stimulation and can become erect.
