How does the female reproductive system work?The female reproductive system provides several functions. The ovaries produce the egg cells, called the ova or oocytes. The oocytes are then transported to the fallopian tube where fertilization by a sperm may occur. The fertilized egg then moves to the uterus, where the uterine lining has thickened in response to the normal hormones of the reproductive cycle. Once in the uterus, the fertilized egg can implant into thickened uterine lining and continue to develop. If implantation does not take place, the uterine lining is shed as menstrual flow. In addition, the female reproductive system produces female sex hormones that maintain the reproductive cycle. Show
During menopause, the female reproductive system gradually stops making the female hormones necessary for the reproductive cycle to work. At this point, menstrual cycles can become irregular and eventually stop. One year after menstrual cycles stop, the woman is considered to be menopausal. What parts make-up the female anatomy?The female reproductive anatomy includes both external and internal structures. The function of the external female reproductive structures (the genital) 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:
The internal reproductive organs include:
What happens during the menstrual cycle?Females of reproductive age (beginning anywhere from 11 to 16 years of age) experience cycles of hormonal activity that repeat at about one-month intervals. Menstru means "monthly” – leading to the term menstrual cycle. With every cycle, a woman’s body prepares for a potential pregnancy, whether or not that is the woman’s intention. The term menstruation refers to the periodic shedding of the uterine lining. Many women call the days that they notice vaginal bleeding their “period,” “menstrual” or cycle. The average menstrual cycle takes about 28 days and occurs in phases. These phases include:
There are four major hormones (chemicals that stimulate or regulate the activity of cells or organs) involved in the menstrual cycle. These hormones include:
Follicular phaseThis phase starts on the first day of your period. During the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle, the following events occur:
Ovulatory phaseThe ovulatory phase (ovulation) usually starts about 14 days after the follicular phase started, but this can vary. The ovulatory phase falls between the follicular phase and luteal phase. Most women will have a menstrual period 10 to 16 days after ovulation. During this phase, the following events occur:
Luteal phaseThe luteal phase begins right after ovulation and involves the following processes:
How many eggs does a woman have?During fetal life, there are about 6 million to 7 million eggs. From this time, no new eggs are produced. At birth, there are approximately 1 million eggs; and by the time of puberty, only about 300,000 remain. Of these, only 300 to 400 will be ovulated during a woman's reproductive lifetime. Fertility can drop as a woman ages due to decreasing number and quality of the remaining eggs. How does pregnancy change the functioning of the mother's body quizlet?How does pregnancy change the functioning of the mother's body? - The uterus presses on the urinary bladder, causing stress incontinence. - The hormone relaxin helps widen the pelvic girdle. - A woman has a higher blood volume and cardiac output during pregnancy.
What structural and functional changes occur in the mother during pregnancy quizlet?What structural and functional changes occur in the mother during pregnancy? The uterus continously enlarges, weight-gain, increased protein, fat, and mineral storage, increase in stroke volume, increase in tidal volume, increase appetite and decreased motility, frequency to urinate, increased pigmentation.
Which body system of a pregnant woman shows the most dramatic physiological changes during pregnancy?Pregnancy is a dynamic process associated with significant physiological changes in the cardiovascular system. These changes are mechanisms that the body has adapted to meet the increased metabolic demands of the mother and fetus and to ensure adequate uteroplacental circulation for fetal growth and development.
Which of the following occurs 9 12 weeks into pregnancy during the fetal period?From 9–12 weeks, the sex organs begin to differentiate. By the 12th week, the fetus has all its body parts including external genitalia. In the following weeks, the fetus will develop hair, nails, teeth and the excretory and digestive systems will continue to develop.
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