Medical Terminology in Female Reproduction

Learning the medical terminology of the female reproductive system is not as difficult as you might think. Each organ interacts with the others to perform the primary reproductive functions. Knowing the main terms and organs is a good place to start.

Vagina

• The vagina is a muscular canal that starts at the cervix and extends all the way to the outside of the body. Average vaginal length is 6 to 7 inches. The walls of the vagina are covered with mucus membrane. During sexual intercourse, the penis enters the vagina. Sperm from the penis travel up the vagina and through the cervix to fertilize the egg. The vagina is also the passageway for childbirth and menstrual flow.

Ovary

• Ovaries are responsible for the production of eggs and the hormones estrogen and progesterone. They are almond-sized, and located in the pelvis with one on the right and one on the left. Estrogen produced by the ovaries is responsible for breast development, onset of menses or menstrual cycle, widening of the pelvis, enlargement of the fallopian tubes and other female development. Progesterone works in tandem with estrogen to produce a regular menstrual cycle. Progesterone is also responsible for preparing the breasts for milk production during pregnancy.

Fallopian Tube

• The main function of a fallopian tube is to carry the ovum, or egg, to the uterus. The tubes are about 4 inches long and are not connected to the ovaries. Small finger-like projections on the end of the fallopian tubes called fimbriae surround the ovaries. When the ovary releases an egg, the fimbriae make currents in the fluid that guide the egg into the fallopian tube. The egg is then carried to the uterus by cilia and muscle contractions in the fallopian tube. Fertilization of the egg is most desirable in the fallopian tubes.

Uterus

• The uterus is a pear-shaped, hollow organ found between the rectum and the bladder. The two most important functions of the uterus are menstruation and receiving, retaining and nourishing the egg until it is a fully developed fetus ready for childbirth. The uterus is divided into four parts: the corpus, fundus, cervix and isthmus. The walls of the uterus are made of three layers. The layers are the endometrium, the myometrium and the perimetrium. The fertilized egg burrows into the endometrium and stays there throughout the entire pregnancy. When a woman is not pregnant the lining of the endometrium sheds about once a month due to changing hormone levels in the blood; this process is known as menstruation.

Fetus

• A developing baby is called a fetus, even though the fetal stage of development does not start until after the 11th week of pregnancy. Height at the beginning of this stage is usually about 1.2 inches and weight is about 8 grams. Fetal movements can be felt around 20 to 23 weeks for most mothers. A fetus is considered full-term between 35 and 40 weeks. During the last stage of fetal development the baby begins to store fat at a rapid rate. The average height at birth is 19 to 21 inches.