Reproductive System
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11 THE reproductive system
What is Female Reproductive System ?
11.1 A woman’s reproductive organs are more complex than those of a man because she plays a somewhat larger role than he does in the reproductive process. Reproduction in human beings involves two partners – one male and the other female. The female partner carries the young one in her body till the baby is fully formed and ready to come into the world. The process by which the baby is brought out from the body is called giving birth.
11.2 Ovaries – The primary reproductive organs – the ovaries, lie on each side of the pelvis. The two almond-shaped ovaries are about 3.5 centimetres long. They have two functions: to secrete female hormones and to produce eggs. The ovaries are covered by a layer. Internally, the ovary is distinguishable into two parts – an outer, broader zone called the cortex and an inner, narrower zone called the medulla. The cortex is filled with spherical groups of cells. These cells perform many important functions in the ovaries. They include the secretion of hormones, which play a vital role in the development of the female sexual characteristics.
11.3 Fallopian Tubes – Close to each ovary is an expanded funnel-shaped tube, down which the ova or eggs pass, when released from the ovary. This tube is called the Fallopian tube. The Fallopian tubes have finger-like projections which envelop the ovaries. They are also known as oviducts. Both oviducts are narrow tubes that open into the uterus. The oviducts have hair-like structure in their walls that sweep the ovum towards the uterus. The ovum is fertilised inside the Fallopian tube. So, the Fallopian tube is an important part of the female reproductive system. Fertilisation of the egg takes place in the Fallopian tube before it grows in another part called the uterus. If, in some cases, the Fallopian tubes are blocked, the fertilisation of the egg may not be possible at all.
11.4 The Uterus or Womb – The uterus is a large, pear-shaped, muscular, thick-walled organ, measuring about 5 centimetres by 10 centimetres and connected on either side to the Fallopian tubes. The body of the uterus is made of three coats. The innermost coat contains specially designed blood vessels and some glands. The middle coat has muscle fibres, and the outermost coat is thick and muscular. The outer layer or coat increases in weight during pregnancy. During labour it exerts a tremendous force. A healthy woman can double the total force by voluntarily contracting her abdominal muscles. Within a few weeks of birth, the uterus reverts to more or less its original size. The innermost layer forms part of the placenta during pregnancy.
