Reproductive System

Question 1

What are the benefits of pubic hair?

Answer 1

Protection against infection
Reduces friction
Signal Reproductive ability
Pheromones?

Question 2

What are the glands in the vulva?

Answer 2

Paraurethral glands

Vestibular glands

Question 3

What are the purpose of the vulvar glands?

Answer 3

To produce lubrication to reduce friction during sex

Question 4

What forms the vagina?

Answer 4

moist epitherial cells

Question 5

What are the vaginal secretions a mix of?

Answer 5

cervical mucus

transudate fluid from surrounding blood vessels

Question 6

What do the vaginal secretions do along with bacterias in the vaginal microbiome do?

Answer 6

They form a biofilm that covers the vaginal canal and protects the reproductive tract from infections.

Question 7

What is the natural pH of the vagina?

Answer 7

3.5-4.5

Question 8

Describe glycogen?

Answer 8

It’s a rich form of glycogen. The cells in the vagina and rich in glycogen.

Question 9

How does the vagina have a acidic pH?

Answer 9

Because the cells in the vagina transform the glycogen into lactic acid.

Question 10

What happens to the level of bacteria in the vagina during the menstrual cycle?

Answer 10

The levels of bacteria increase with higher levels of oestrogen and then decrease with lower levels of oestrogen

Question 11

How many nerves are in the clitoris?

Answer 11

around 8000

Question 12

What is the top of the uterus called?

Answer 12

the fundus

Question 13

Describe the uterine tubes.

Answer 13

Mobile tubes of smooth muscle that helps to move the egg down to the uterine cavity with a wave like motion. They are not fixed to the ovary

Question 14

What is the Fimbria?

Answer 14

Thsi is the part that moves the over the ovary at the time of ovulation to “hoover” up the egg into the tube

Question 15

Where does fertilisation happen?

Answer 15

At the ampulla

Question 16

How does an ectopic pregnancy happen?

Answer 16

Sometimes what the uterine tube opens into the peritoneal space (abdomen) the egg can be released into the abdominal cavity where sperm can still reach it.

Question 17

What does the ovarian ligament do?

Answer 17

It holds the ovary in place but does not connect it to the uterine cavity

Question 18

What are the two main parts of the uterus?

Answer 18

The body and the cervix

Question 19

What are the functions of the cervix?

Answer 19

protecting from infection

keeps the pregnancy inside when closed and opening to allow menstruation or the baby to come out

Question 20

What is the cervix made of?

Answer 20

smooth muscle fibres that function as a sphincter that is able to maintain the cervix when contracted and closed during pregnancy also able to respond to oxytocin to open during labour

Question 21

What are the three layers of the uterus?

Answer 21

endometrium
myometrium
perimetrium

Question 22

What is the myometrium?

Answer 22

formed of 3 different types fo muscle fibres

Question 23

What are the three types of muscle layers in the myometrium?

Answer 23

longitudinal
circular
transverse

Question 24

Describe the longitudinal layer of the myometrium.

Answer 24

Vertical fibres going from top to bottom. There are more present at the fundus. During pregnancy they remain relaxed to allow the uterus to grow

Question 25

Describe the circular layer of the myometrium.

Answer 25

They surround the bottom part of the uterine body and the cervix. During pregnancy they remain contracted to keep the uterus closed and keep the growing baby inside. They are also present around the horns of the uterus.

Question 26

Describe the transverse layer of the myometrium.

Answer 26

It's a mixture of the the longitudinal and circular layers. They are in an oblique direction. They enclose the spiral artery which feeds the uterine muscle and the endometrium where the placenta is. When these fibres are contracted the blood flow in the spiral arteries is reduced. This is an important mechanism in preventing postpartum haemorrhage (these muscles need to contract, squeezing the arteries closed and therefore stopping the bleeding)

Question 27

Which artery does the ovarian artery feed from?

Answer 27

The aorta

Question 28

Where does the uterine and vaginal arteries feed from?

Answer 28

internal iliac arteries

Question 29

Where does the vulva get its blood from?

Answer 29

it receives an arterial blood supply from the internal pudendal arteries. This means that it will bleed easily if subjected to trauma but will also heal rapidly.

Question 30

Where do uterine contractions start?

Answer 30

At the right horn where there is a pacemaker it then travels down gradually to the lower segment of the uterus.

Question 31

What happens to the ligaments during a uterine contraction at birth?

Answer 31

instead of the circular muscles being contracted and the vertical fibres being relaxed to grow and keep the baby inside they are reversed and the circular ones because relaxed an the vertical ones start to contract

Question 32

When else does the uterus moves?

Answer 32

During ovulation, when the uterus needs to bring the sperm up to meet the egg, the direction of the wave like movement goes from the cervix to the fundus. This movement will then be reduced to allow for implantation.

Question 33

What happened if implantation doesn't happen?

Answer 33

During menstruation the movement will change direction so it goes from fundus to cervix to help expel the unused endometrium

Question 34

What do the supportive ligaments do?

Answer 34

They keep the uterus in place while allowing it to move and contract

Question 35

Describe the broad ligament

Answer 35

Covers the uterus from the top. This ligament keeps the uterus folded anteriorly over the bladder. While also preventing the rectum to fall over the uterus.

Question 36

Which ligament anchors the uterus to the back (the sacrum)?

Answer 36

The utero-sacral ligament

Question 37

From the sides which ligaments keep the uterus in the centre of the pelvis?

Answer 37

The pubocervical ligament and transverse ligament

Question 38

From the bottom what ligament keeps the uterus in place?

Answer 38

superficial and deep pelvic floor muscles

Question 39

Describe the position of the uterus?

Answer 39

It is anteverted and anterflexed. The top part is flexible but the cervix is anchored in its position and limited to slight changes.