Anatomy Female Reproductive System

Endometriosis

A painful disorder where tissue that normally lines the inside of the uterus, the endometrium, grows outside of the uterus. It acts as it normally would but it thickens during each menstrual cycle & becomes trapped which can lead to blood clots, pain, fertility problems and adhesions that binds organs together.

What part of the broad ligament attaches to the uterine tube? a. mesosalpinx b. mesometrium c. mesovarium d. mesotired e. mesothelium

Answer A

Which of the following does not open into the vestibule in females? a. anus b. urethra c. vagina d. greater vestibular glands

Answer A

Where does fertilization of an oocyte normally occur? a. . in the fornix. b. in the cervical canal. c. in the uterus. d. in the uterine tube. e. in the ovary.

Answer D

In regards to oogenesis, which of the following statements is false? A. a primary oocyte is suspended during meiosis 1 B. the first polar body is produced at the completion of meiosis 1 C. a secondary oocyte is defined as an oocyte that has completed meiosis II D. oogonia have 46 chromosomes E. a second polar body is not produced unless fertilization occurs

Answer: C

Mesovarium

Attaches to the ovary and ovarian ligament

Pedendal Nerve

Carries somatic sensation to the external genitalia including the clitoris, and carries somatic motor sensation to external anal sphinchter, external urethral sphinchter and the muscles of the erectile tissue.

Mesimetrium

Connects to the sides of the uterus

Mesosalpinx

Connects to the uterine (fallopian) tubes.

Ovulation

Day 14, the secondary oocyte and some surrounding follicle cells are released from the ovary.

Luteal Phase

Day 15-28, progesterone and estrogen are produced by the corpus luteum to prepare the uterus for pregnancy.

Follicular phase

Days 1-13, FSH and LH stimulate about 20 primordial follicles to mature into primary follicles and then into secondary follicles. One secondary follicle matures into a tertiary follicle.

Posterior Fornix

Dr would use this to remove fluid in the pelvic cavity, lay in the lithotomy position and this causes all fluid to build up in rectal uterus and use a needle with a seringe to extract it.

Broad ligament

Draping of the peritoneum over the uterus and other structures. Mesosalpinx, mesometrium, mesovarium.

Ectopic Pregnancy

Ectopic means misplaced, occurs when the fertilized egg implants somewhere other than the main cavity of the uterus. Usually occurs in unterine tubes (cervix). These pregnancies don't make it full term.

Antrum

Fluid-filled space that develops in the secondary follicle

Corpus Luteum

Follicle cells remaining in the ovary form corpus luteum, they secrete sex hormones (estrogen and progesterone) to stimulate the build-up of endometrium. If not fertilized, they stop secreting hormones and degenerate (forming a connective tissue called corpus albicans)

Great Vestibular Glands

Form ejaculation and is variable between people as far as the amount of fluid that is formed. Sympathetics are responsible for ejaculation.

Oogenesis (definition)

Formation and development of the oocytes.

Corpus Albicans

Formed by degenerated corpus luteum (follicle cells that stop secreting sex hormones)

Zona pollucida

Gylcoprotein membrane that forms and springs out to prevent other sperm cells from fertilizing the oocyte after one sperm cell has penetrated it. (secondary follicle)

Puberty

Hypothalamus releases gonadotropin-releasing hormone which stimulates the pituitary gland to release follicle-stimulation hormone (FSH) and lutinizing hormone (LH).

Blood Supply to External Genitalia

Internal pudendal artery, which branches off the internal iliac, originates in the pelvis and travels with the pudendal nerve out of the pelvis into the deep gluteal region & then curves anteriorly to the perineum. Internal pudendal artery supplies blood to the erectile tissue and tissue of the perineum.

Ischiocavernosa & Bulbospongiosa muscles

Ischiocavernosa muscle covers the crus, bulbospongiosa muscle covers the bulb of the vestibule.

External Genitalia

Labia majora, labia minora, vestibule between the labia minora, external urethral orifice and vaginal canal open into the vestibule. Erectile tissue called the bulb of the vestibule, clitoris is also erectile tissue.

Female Reproductive System

Main reproductive structures are the uterus and ovaries (produce gametes called oocytes), which travel by uterine tube and are transported to the uterus. Cervix located between the uterus and vagina and is cuffed by the fornix.

Is the vagina keritanized?

No the vagina is nonkeritanized.

Fertilization

Occurs in distal 1/3 of uterine tube, sperm cell fuses with oocyte to form a new cell (zygote) with 46 chromosomes. Pregnancy occurs if implantation is successful.

Menopause

Occurs when there are no more follicles in the ovaries (around 45-55 years). Estrogen and progesterone levels drop and the endometrium stops growing (no more menstruation).

Follicle

Oocyte surrounded by follicle cells

Oogenesis (process)

Oogonia are created before birth and undergo replication and meiosis 1 begins but it is arrested before it finishes (this occurs before puberty). After puberty, separation of the oocyte (with 92 chromatids) occurs & separates into the first polar body and a secondary oocyte. Then begins meiosis 2 but arrests before it finishes. Once fertilization occurs, meiosis 2 completes and forms an ootid and 2nd polar body.

PAP Smear

Papanikolaou test, cervical smear, used to detect premalignant and malignant processes in the cervix. Cells are examined under a microscope to look for changes which are usually caused by STD Human Papollomavirus (HPV)

What is responsible for dilating the blood vessels?

Parasympathetics

Innervation of the Erectile Tissue

Parasympathetics dilate the blood vessels of erectile tissue so they can receive more blood during sexual arousal. They come from S2-4 and travel down into floor of pelvis then exit under pubic arch. Sensation is carried through the pudendal nerve which leaves the pelvis posteriorly and travels to ischium to reach the perinium.

Primordial follicle

Primary oocyte surrounded by flat follicle cells (approximately 1.5 million at birth, but reduces to 300-400 thousand at the time of puberty)

Secondary Follicle

Primary oocyte surrounded by many layers of follicle cells (zona pollucida and antrum arrise)

Tertiary / Mature / Graafian Follicle

Secondary oocyte that has finished meiosis 1 and has begun meiosis 2 but not finished it.

Human Chorionic Gonadotropin

Secreted if implantation of the zygote occurs and tells the corpus luteum to keep producing progesterone and estrogen for up to 3 months. Pregnancy tests test for HCG.

What is responsible for ejaculation?

Sympathetics

What is the clitoris the homologus structure to?

The clitoris is homologous in structure to the penis because it is derived from the same embryonic tissue

Round Ligament

Travel anteriorly through the inguinal canal, exits the canal and attaches to skin, provides positional support to the uterus.

Oogonia

Undergo mitosis to produce primary oocyte in the ovaries (before birth), therefore female fetus has ovaries that contain primary oocytes (which are arrested during meiosis 1).

Blood supply of the female reproductive system

Uterine arteries branch off the internal iliac artery and provide blood supply to the uterus. Ovarian arteries branch off abdominal aorta and supply blood to the ovaries, and travel with ovarian veins. Right ovarian vein drains into the inferior vena cava, left ovarian vein drains into the left renal vein. Ovarian artery and vein are covered by peritoneum, become the suspensory ligament. Travels over to common iliac vessels.