The document summarizes the anatomy and functions of the female reproductive system. It describes the primary sex organs (ovaries), which produce eggs and sex hormones. It then details the internal genital organs (uterus, fallopian tubes, vagina), and external genitalia. For each organ, it outlines the structure including tissue layers, and functions such as transporting eggs and sperm, and roles in menstruation and childbirth. The ovaries' roles in egg production (oogenesis) and hormone secretion are also summarized.

1. FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE
SYSTEM
Dr SANA SIDDIQUI

2. • Primary sex organs or ovaries
• The primary sex organs are a pair of ovaries
which correspond with testes in males. The
main functions of ovaries are:
• To produce ova
• To secrete female sex hormones
– Accessory sex organs
• The accessory sex organs of females include
internal genital organs and external genitalia.

3. FEMALE INTERNAL GENITALIA
• The internal genital organs include uterus, fallopian tubes
and vagina.
• Uterus
• Uterus is a hollow, thick-walled muscular organ. It can be
divided into two parts:
• Body of the uterus. It forms the upper 2/3rd part of the
uterus. Its lower limit is marked by a constriction which
corresponds to narrowing of uterine cavity at internal os.
• Body of the uterus can be divided into two parts:
• Fundus is the rounded part of the body that lies superior to
the opening of the fallopian tubes.
• Isthmus is the relatively constricted region of the body
(approximately 1 cm long) just above the cervix.

6. – Cervix of the uterus. It is the cylindrical lower part which
protrudes into the upper most vagina.approximately 2.5
cm long in an adult non-pregnant woman.
• Structure of uterus
• The wall of body of uterus is consisting of three layers:
• Perimetrium is the external serosal layer.
• Myometrium is the middle muscular layer comprising
bundles of smooth muscles amongst which there is
connective tissue.
• capable of undergoing great elongation
• Contractions of myometrium are responsible for the
expulsion of the fetus at the time of child birth.

7. • Endometrium is inner layer of uterus which
consists of epithelial lining and the stroma:
• Epithelial lining is made up of columnar cells.
Before menarche ,the cells are ciliated, but
thereafter most of the cells may not have cilia.
• Stroma of the endometrium is highly cellular
and contains numerous blood vessels and
numerous simple tubular uterine glands,
which are lined by the columnar epithelium

8. • Functional divisions of endometrium.
• Stratum functionale includes the superficial two-
thirds thickness of endometrium, which
undergoes monthly cyclic changes in preparation
for the implantation of fertilized ovum and is
shed during menstruation. This portion of
endometrium is supplied by long and spiral
(coiled) arteries.
• Stratum basale is the deeper one-third layer of
endometrium. It does not participate in the cyclic
changes but functions as a regenerative layer.
This part of endometrium is supplied by short
and straight basal arteries

10. Structure of cervix
• Perimetrium is the outermost serous layer.
• Myometrium layer of the cervix is much less muscular
as compared to the body of uterus and contains more
connective tissue. During child birth, when the
myometrium of body of uterus contracts, the
myometrium of cervix dilates, consequently the
cervical canal becomes large enough for the fetal head
to pass through.
• Endocervix refers to the innermost mucosal layer of
cervix. Endocervix is not shed at the time of
menstruation. Endo- cervix consists of:

11. • Epithelium. The mucous membrane of the
upper two- thirds of cervical canal is lined by
ciliated columnar epithelium, but its lower
one-third epithelium is non-ciliated columnar.
Near the external os, the canal is lined by
stratified squamous epithelium.
• Stroma. The stroma of the cervix is less
cellular than that of the body of uterus.

12. Fallopian tubes
• Each fallopian tube (also known as uterine tube) is approximately
10 cm in length and 8 mm in diameter. It has a medial or uterine
end which is attached to and opens into the uterus and a lateral end
opens into the peritoneal cavity near the ovary.
• Parts. Each fallopian tube can be divided into four parts :
• Uterine or interstitial part is the most medial part which passes
through the thick uterine wall.
• Isthmus is the relatively narrow and thick-walled part which is just
next to the uterine part about 2.5 cm in length.
• Ampulla is the next thin walled and dilated part of the uterine tube.
It is the largest part (7 cm) of uterine tube.
• Infundibulum refers to the funnel-shaped lateral end of the tube. It
is prolonged into a number of finger-like processes known as
fimbria.

13. • Structure. Fallopian tubes consist of
endometrium, myometrium and perimetrium.
• Functions. The uterine tubes convey ova, shed by
the ovaries, to the uterus. Ova enter the tube at
its fimbriated end.
• The sperms enter the uterine tube at its medial
end after traversing the vagina and uterine cavity.
• Fertilization takes place in the ampulla
• fertilized ovum travels towards the uterus
through the tube.
• The ciliated epithelial cells lining the tube help to
move ova towards the uterus

14. Vagina
• The vagina is a musculomembranous tube (about 8–10 cm
long) located anterior to the rectum and posterior to the
urethra and urinary bladder.
• Structure. The wall of vagina consists of:
• Mucous membrane shows numerous longitudinal folds. In
adult female, the vaginal mucosa lined by stratified
squamous epithelium. The epithelial cells are rich in
glycogen and this property is oestrogen dependent.
• Muscle coat is made up of an outer layer of longitudinal
fibres and a much thinner layer of circular fibres. Many
elastic fibres are present among the muscle fibres. The
lower end of vagina is surrounded by striated fibres of the
bulbospongiosus muscle that form a sphincter for it.
• Adventitial coat surrounds the muscle coat and is made up
of fibrous tissue containing many elastic fibres.

15. • Functions. The vagina serves following functions:
• It serves as the excretory duct for menstrual fluid,
• It forms the inferior part of pelvic (birth) canal,.
• Note. No glands open into the vagina. The small
amount of secretion present in the vagina is
derived partly from the mucous discharge from
the cervix and partly from the transudation of
fluid from the vaginal epithelium, which con-
tains glycogen. Action of bacteria on the glycogen
present in the vaginal secretion produces lactic
acid, which maintains the vaginal pH around 4.5.
Acidic environment of vagina prevents the growth
of pathogenic organisms

16. FEMALE EXTERNAL GENITALIA
• The external genital organs include mons pubis, labia majora, labia
minora, clitoris, vestibule of vagina, bulbs of vestibule and greater
vestibular glands .
• Clitoris is an erectile organ located where the labia minora meet
anteriorly. It functions solely as an organ of sexual arousal.
• Vestibule is the space between the labia minora that contains the
opening of urethra, vagina, and ducts of greater and lesser
vestibular glands. The vaginal orifice is surrounded by a thin fold of
mucous membrane called hymen. After child birth, only a few
remnants of the hymen— hymenal caruncles (tags)—are visible.
• The synonymous terms vulva and pudendum include all these parts.
The vulva serves:
• As sensory and erectile tissue for sexual arousal and intercourse
• To direct the flow of urine
• To prevent entry of foreign material into the urogenital tract

17. FUNCTIONAL ANATOMY OF OVARIES
• A pair of ovaries is located (one on each side) behind and
below the fallopian tubes. The ovaries are ovoid glands
with a combined weight of 10–20 g during reproductive
years,which decreases with an increasing age.
• Each ovary is about 3–5 cm in length and is attached to the
uterus by the broad ligament and round ligament of ovary.
• Structure
• Histologically, each ovary consists of following parts :
– Germinal epithelium. Germinal epithelium refers to the
epithelium lining the outer surface of ovary and consists
of a single layer of cuboidal cells.
• Cortex. The cortex is the outer thick main part of the
substance of the ovary. It consists of following tissues

18. – Tunica albuginea is the outer condensation of the con-
nective tissue present immediately below the germinal
epithelium.
– Stroma of the cortex, present deep to the tunica albu-
ginea, is made up of reticular fibres and numerous fusi-
form cells that resemble mesenchymal cells.
– Ovarian follicles at various stages of development are
scattered in the stroma. Each follicle contains a develop-
ing ovum.
– Medulla. The medulla is the inner small part of the sub-
stance of ovary. It consists of connective tissue in which
numerous blood vessels (mostly veins), smooth muscles
and elastic fibres are present.
– Hilum. The hilum refers to the area where ovary attaches
to mesentery. It is the site for entry of blood vessels and
lymphatics.

19. FUNCTIONS OF OVARIES
• The two principal functions of ovaries are:
– Gametogenic function, i.e. oogenesis
• Endocrine function, i.e. secretion of female hormones called
ovarian hormones
• OOGENESIS
• Oogenesis refers to the process of formation of ova from the
primitive germ cells.
• Primitive germ cells. When the bipotential gonads differen-
tiate into ovaries in genetic female (44 + XX) embryo by 10th
week of gestation, the primitive germ cells increase in number
by mitosis to form oogonia.

20. • Oogonia are the stem cells from which ova are derived.
The oogonia proliferate by mitosis to form primary
oocytes.
• Primordial follicles. The diploid primary oocytes
become enveloped by a single layer of flat granulosa
cells and in this form are called primordial follicles
After puberty, the oogenesis or formation of ovum
occurs in a highly cyclic fashion, once every 28 days till
menopause.
• Every month, in each ovary, more than one primordial
follicles start undergoing maturation process but only
one reaches maturity and the rest undergo atresia at
different stages of development. Thus throughout the
whole normal reproductive life of about 30 years (from
13–42 years) about 450 ova are expelled and the
remainder degenerate.

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