Lecture 36: Female Reproduction I

Question 1

What is the female perineum?

Answer 1

the region inferior to the pelvic floor and between upper region of the thighs

Question 2

What two triangles make up the female perineum and what is included in each of these triangles?

Answer 2

• urogenital: contains the external genitalia (vulva) and the openings to the urethra and vagina
• anal: anus and the fat tissue

Question 3

The vulva is made up of what two things?

Answer 3

• mons pubis

- labia

Question 4

What is the mons pubis?

Answer 4

the adipose tissue that covers the pubic symphysis

Question 5

The labia consists of how many lip like structures?

Answer 5

2

Question 6

What are the two labia called and where are they located?

Answer 6

• labia majora which is larger and more lateral

- labia minora which is smaller and more medial

Question 7

What is the space between the labia minora and labia majora and that is associated with the vagina?

Answer 7

vestibule

Question 8

What are the glands associated with the vulva?

Answer 8

the vestibular glands

Question 9

What are the two vestibular glands? Where are they located and what is their role?

Answer 9

• lesser: open into the vestibule and their secretions lubricate the vestibule daily
• greater located deep to the labia and their secretions are released when the female is aroused to lubricate the vestibule and the lower part of the vagina

Question 10

What is the only external part of the clitoris called?

Answer 10

the glans

Question 11

What are the four parts of the clitoris called?

Answer 11

• glans
• body
• crura (x2)
• bulbs (x2)

Question 12

What is the shape of the clitoris?

Answer 12

wishbone

Question 13

Where do the crura of the clitoris sit?

Answer 13

close to the pelvic bone

Question 14

What is the glans of the clitoris covered by?

Answer 14

the prepuce

Question 15

The clitoris is developmentally homologous to the what in the penis?

Answer 15

corpora cavernosa

Question 16

What are the 5 structures of the female reproductive tract?

Answer 16

• ovary
• uterine tubes
• uterus
• cervix
• vagina

Question 17

What is the female gonad called and what process takes place here?

Answer 17

ovary

oogenesis

Question 18

What are the three parts of the uterine tube?

Answer 18

• infundibulum
• ampulla
• isthmus

Question 19

What two things does the uterus incorporate?

Answer 19

the fundus and the cervix

Question 20

What are the four ligaments associated with the female reproductive tract?

Answer 20

• ovarian ligament
• suspensory ligament
• round ligament
• broad ligament

Question 21

What is the most lateral portion of the uterine tubes?

Answer 21

infundibulum

Question 22

What are the funnel shaped finger like projection associated with the infundibulum called and what is their purpose?

Answer 22

fimbriae

the purpose is to help collect up the oocyte to get it into the uterine tube

Question 23

What is the middle portion of the uterine tube called and what is the significance of this part?

Answer 23

the ampulla which is the dilated area where fertilisation normally occurs

Question 24

What are the two parts of the uterus called?

Answer 24

body and cervix

Question 25

What two events occur in the uterus?

Answer 25

the blastocyst implants in the uterus and the uterus interacts with the foetal tissue to allow the placenta to develop to provide nourishment and support for the embryo and foetus

Question 26

What is the purpose of the fundus of the cervix?

Answer 26

it is thick muscular tissue which contracts to help with the birthing process

Question 27

What are the three layers of the uterus from the outer layer inwards towards the lumen of the uterus?

Answer 27

perimetrium myometrium endometrium

Question 28

What is the perimetrium made of?

Answer 28

connective tissue

Question 29

What is the myometrium made of?

Answer 29

smooth muscle

Question 30

What is the endometrium made up of?

Answer 30

columnar epithelium, uterine glands and arteries

Question 31

Which layer grows and sheds during menstrual cycle?

Answer 31

the endometrium

Question 32

What are the two layers of the endometrium?

Answer 32

the outer (closer to the lumen) functional layer and the basal layer

Question 33

What epithelium lines the endometrium opening to the lumen?

Answer 33

columnar epithelium

Question 34

What are the three parts of the cervix called?

Answer 34

external os cervical canal internal os

Question 35

What does the cervix produce and what is the purpose of this?

Answer 35

it produces cervical mucus and this is to protect the upper reproductive tract from infection and to allow the sperm to move up into the uterus, isthmus and ampulla

Question 36

How does the mucus produced by the cervix change during ovulation?

Answer 36

it becomes watery to allow sperm to enter the uterus

Question 37

Describe the vagina

Answer 37

it is a fibromuscular distensible female copulatory organ that also functions as part of the birth canal

Question 38

Where does the vagina lie?

Answer 38

between the urinary bladder and the rectum and it extends from the perineum to the cervix

Question 39

Why is it important for the vagina to be distensible?

Answer 39

to allow for the entry of the penis and for the baby to pass through

Question 40

What are the three arteries that supply the female reproductive tract and what do these supply?

Answer 40

- ovarian arteries which supplies the ovaries - the uterine arteries with the spiral arteries which supply the uterus - the vaginal artery which supply the vagina

Question 41

Outline the pathway of the ovarian artery

Answer 41

the ovarian artery branches off the abdominal aorta and it travels through the suspensory ligament into the ovary

Question 42

Outline the pathway of the vaginal and uterine arteries

Answer 42

the common iliac artery branches to form the internal iliac artery and the uterine artery and vaginal artery branch off this into the uterus and vagina respectively

Question 43

Describe the uterine blood supply

Answer 43

The uterine artery branches into the myometrium and then branches to form the arcuate artery. These branch to form the radical artery which extend into the endometrium to feed the basal layer of the endometrium as spiral arteries

Question 44

What is the significance of the radial artery?

Answer 44

it coils during the menstrual cycle for blood loss during a period and to exchange nutrients and gas with the placenta during pregnancy

Question 45

Where are the ovaries located?

Answer 45

lateral and posterior to the uterus in the lateral portion of the true pelvic cavity

Question 46

What are the two regions of the ovary called?

Answer 46

- the outer cortex | - the inner medulla

Question 47

What does the inner medulla of the ovary contain?

Answer 47

connective tissue, blood, lymphatics, nerves

Question 48

Describe the production of the oocyte in the ovary including what occurs during ovulation

Answer 48

It begins as a primordial ovarian follicle which develops into a primary ovarian follicle then a secondary ovarian follicle then tertiary ovarian follicle. The tertiary ovarian follicle is filled with fluid with the oocyte inside. During ovulation, the follicle ruptures through the ovarian wall and the oocyte is released

Question 49

What happens to the follicle after the oocyte has been released during ovulation?

Answer 49

it goes into the corpus lutem and then corpus albicans

Question 50

What are the three parts of the peritoneum called and where are they located?

Answer 50

- mesometrium: laterally over the uterus - mesosalpinx: folded over the uterine tube - mesovarium: folded over the ovary

Question 51

What is the broad ligament?

Answer 51

it is the peritoneum which folds and presses over structures to create other ligaments

Question 52

Where is the ovarian ligament located and what is its purpose?

Answer 52

from the medial to the lateral surface of the ovary to help support the ovary to the uterus

Question 53

Where is the suspensory ligament and what is contained within it?

Answer 53

From the lateral part of the ovary to the lateral pelvic side wall. The major ovarian artery goes into the ovary via the suspensory ligament

Question 54

Where is the round ligament located?

Answer 54

from the anterior uterus to the inguinal cord

Question 55

What is the function of the breast?

Answer 55

nourish infants with milk

Question 56

Where do the breasts lie?

Answer 56

on the pectoralis major muscles

Question 57

What hormones stimulate the development of breast tissue?

Answer 57

estradiol and progesterone

Question 58

Describe the structure of the mammary gland

Answer 58

It is made of lobes embedded in adipose tissue. The lobes are formed from many lobules which are made of many alveoli. Suspensory ligament support the glands

Question 59

Describe the production of milk and its pathway out of the breast

Answer 59

Milk is produced in the alveolar glands and it secreted into the lactiferous duct and then into the lactiferous sinus that open at the nipple pores