Transcript Female Reproductive Anatomy

Female Reproductive
Anatomy
Personal Living Skills
I. Ovaries
 Almond shaped

1 inch wide by 1 ½ inches long
 Two Functions
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Produce female hormones
 Estrogen
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and Progesterone
STORE eggs (ovum)
Ovum
 Eggs are produced BEFORE birth
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250,000 eggs at birth
10,000 present at puberty
Average woman ovulates 400 in lifetime
Eggs numbers reduce due to damage and
degeneration.
 Because eggs are stored in the body,
they can be affected by poor nutrition
and substances a woman ingests.
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MAJOR Concerns: Nutrasweet
(Aspartame), marijuana, radiation
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Cigarettes and alcohol are dangerous
during pregnancy, but do not affect eggs.
 Ovulation: the release of an egg from
the ovary into the fallopian tube.
 Most women do not perceive ovulation
 Others will experience Mittleschmerz

Pain that accompanies ovulation from
slight internal bleeding at ovulation site.
Hormones
 The estrogen level changes throughout
the month.
 It peaks at ovulation
 This peak increases sex drive
 Pregnancy can ONLY occur in the 24-48
hours surrounding ovulation.
PMS
 PMS: Premenstrual Syndrome is
caused by a sharp drop in estrogen.
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Symptoms:
 Irritability
 Tension
 Mild
depression
 Headache
 Fatigue
 Food cravings (simple carbohydrates)
 Bloating/ temporary Weight gain
PMDD
 Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder:
Serious problem with depression and
requires medical intervention.
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PMS Symptoms AND
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Feelings of worthlessness
Inability to function in normal activity
Violent feelings toward self or others
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II. Fallopian Tubes
 Trumpet Shaped
 3 to 5 inches long
 Fertilization occurs here
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Can ONLY occur in the 24 hours following
ovulation
 Very thin

Scar easily
 STD
(Gonorrhea, Chlamydia)
 Injury
 Scaring of fallopian tubes can lead to:
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Infertility
Ectopic Pregnancy
III. Uterus
 AKA… Womb
 Resembles and upside down pear
 Two Layers
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Myometrium… Muscle layer
Endometrium… Blood cell layer
Menstruation
 If a woman does not become pregnant in
a given month, she will shed the
endometrium. This is menstruation.
 Blood vessels to the endometrium close
off and it dies. This causes it to separate
from the uterus.
 Average length is 5 days
Menstruation Terms
 Menarche = first menstrual period
 Average U.S. age is 12
 Average age worldwide is 14
 Menopause = last menstrual period/ permanent
infertility
 Perimenopause = "around menopause" when
a woman's body makes its natural transition
toward permanent infertility

also called the menopausal transition.
 Menorrhagia = abnormally heavy
menstrual flow.
 Dysmenorrhea = painful menstruation
 Amenorrhea = absence of menstruation
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Primary = never menstruated
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Secondary = occurs due to pregnancy,
nursing, medication use, or
perimenopause.
Toxic Shock Syndrome
 Rare, but serious, and occasionally fatal
illness that occurs in menstruating
women under the age of 30.
 Caused by overgrowth of bacteria and
all reported cases involve tampon use.
 Most common on third or fourth day of
menstruation
TSS Symptoms
 Sudden fever (102 or greater)
 Vomiting
 Diarrhea
 Fainting, Near fainting, dizziness on
standing
 A sunburn like rash all over the body
 Severe drop in blood pressure
Causes
 Tampon use
 Bacteria on fingers during tampon
insertion
 Trauma to vaginal wall due to insertion
or from intercourse/ other events
Prevention
 Wash hands BEFORE inserting a tampon
 Use tampons with minimum absorbancy
 Do not wear tampons more than four hours
 Avoid tampons overnight
 Wear high quality tampons ONLY
OR
 Avoid tampon use entirely
 If you have TSS symptoms, remove the
tampon immediately.
 Seek medical attention
IV. Cervix
 Also called the “neck” of the uterus
 Function: Retain and protect a growing
baby during pregnancy
Cervical Cancer
 The cervix is a common site of cancer in
women.
 ALL cervical cancer is caused by HPV–
a sexually transmitted virus.
Cervical Cancer Statistics
 33 American woman are diagnosed each day.
 12,000 + American women are diagnosed each
year.
 4.030 American women will die every year of
cervical cancer.
 Gardasil is an immunization that can greatly
reduce chances of contracting cervical cancer.
Pap Smear/ Pap Test
 Tests for cervical cancer and Chlamydia
and Gonorrhea.
 Should be done yearly after a woman is
sexually active.
Did you know that a
woman is HIGH RISK for
cervical cancer if she has
had three or more sexual
partners?
V. Vagina
 Three Functions
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Birth Canal
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Site of Sexual Intercourse/ Pleasure
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Allows for the exit of menstrual flow
 The vagina is a muscular organ that is
about 5-6 inches long.
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Has accordion like folds to accommodate
child birth
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Upper 3 to 4 inches only have pressure
sensors
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Lower 1 ½ to 2 inches can feel pain or
pleasure
VI. Hymen
 Mucous membrane that protects the
vaginal opening.
 An intact hymen does not protect from
pregnancy… virginal pregnancy is
possible.
 A broken hymen can occur without
sexual intercourse.
VI. Labia
 Labia Majora– covered with pubic hair
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Cover and protect the openings to the
female reproductive system
 Labia Minora- hairless, cover the clitoris
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Sometimes called the clitoral hood
Protects the sensitivity of the clitoris
Related the to foreskin of the penis
VII. Clitoris
 The only organ in the human body that
only functions to provide pleasure.
 Most female orgasm is related to clitoral
stimulation
 Upon arousal, the clitoris fills with blood,
becomes firm, and emerges from the
clitoral hood.
VIII. Bladder and Urethra
 The female urethra is only about 1 ¼
inches long. This makes women highly
susceptible to bladder infections.
 Bladder infections can lead to long term
problems and can even be fatal.
Prevention
 Wipe front to back
 Urinate within 15 minutes of sexual
intercourse
 Urinate regularly throughout the day
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About every 4 waking hours
 Drink enough fluid
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How much is the right amount?
IX. Breast Cancer
 Breast cancer is the number two cancer killer in
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American women.
120,000 women will be diagnosed this year.
40,000 women will die of breast cancer this
year.
1 in 7 American women will develop breast
cancer in her lifetime.
8 out of 10 breast tumors are benign
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(NOT CANCER)
Are self breast exams
necessary?
 90% of breast tumors are found by
women themselves
 Women who detect breast cancer in its
early stages have a 95% five year
survival rate.
Breast Exam Basics
Risk Factors for Breast
Cancer
 Age
 Up to age 39: 1 in 229
 Age 40-59: 1 in 24
 60 -79: 1 in 13
 Lifetime: 1 in 7
 Family History of breast cancer
 Mother
 Sister
 Aunt
 Daughter
 Genetic Predisposition
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BRCA 1 or
BRCA 2
 Being overweight
 Caucasian
 Drinking more than one alcoholic drink per day
 Menarche before age 12
 Menopause after age 55
 Nipple piercing (s)
 Smoking cigarettes
 Having no pregnancies or first pregnancy after
age 35