Your guide to the female reproductive system

The female reproductive system is designed to carry out several functions. It produces the female egg necessary for reproduction, called the ova or oocytes. The system is designed to transport the ova to the site of fertilisation. Conception, the fertilisation of an egg by a sperm, normally occurs in the Fallopian tubes. The next step for the fertilised egg is to implant into the walls of the uterus, beginning the initial stages of pregnancy. If fertilisation and/or implantation does not take place, the system is designed to menstruate (the monthly shedding of the uterine lining).

In addition, the female reproductive system produces female sex hormones that maintain the reproductive cycle. During the menopause, the female reproductive system gradually stops making the female hormones necessary for the reproductive cycle to work. When the body no longer produces significant levels of these hormones a woman is considered to be menopausal.

What parts make up the female anatomy?

The female reproductive anatomy includes internal and external structures.

The function of the external female reproductive structures (the genitals) 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:

• Labia majora. The labia majora enclose and protect the other external reproductive organs. Literally translated as “large lips”, the labia majora are relatively large and fleshy, and are comparable to the scrotum in males. The labia majora contain sweat and oil-secreting glands. After puberty, the labia majora are covered with hair.
• Labia minora. Literally translated as “small lips”, the labia minora can be very small or up to two inches wide. They lie just inside the labia majora, and surround the openings to the vagina (the canal that joins the lower part of the uterus to the outside of the body) and urethra (the tube that carries urine from the bladder to the outside of the body).
• Bartholin's glands. These glands are located next to the vaginal opening and produce a fluid (mucus) secretion.
• Clitoris. The two labia minora meet at the clitoris, a small, sensitive protrusion that is comparable to the penis in males. The clitoris is covered by a fold of skin, called the prepuce, which is similar to the foreskin at the end of the penis. Like the penis, the clitoris is very sensitive to stimulation and can become erect.

The internal reproductive organs include:

• Vagina. The vagina is a canal that joins the cervix (the lower part of uterus) to the outside of the body. It also functions as the birth canal.
• Uterus (womb). The uterus is a hollow, pear-shaped organ that is the home to a developing foetus. The uterus is divided into two parts: the cervix, which is the lower part that opens into the vagina and the main body of the uterus, called the corpus. The corpus can easily expand to hold a developing baby. A channel through the cervix allows sperm to enter and menstrual blood to exit.
• Ovaries. The ovaries are small, oval-shaped glands that are located on either side of the uterus. The ovaries produce eggs and hormones.
• Fallopian tubes. These are narrow tubes that are attached to the upper part of the uterus and serve as tunnels for the ova (egg) to travel from the ovaries to the uterus. Conception, the fertilisation of an egg by a sperm, normally occurs in the Fallopian tubes. The fertilised egg then moves to the uterus, where it implants to the uterine wall.