What is reproduction?

All living organisms reproduce themselves, otherwise extinct species. Reproduction is a term for the process by which organisms, including humans, forming new organisms like themselves. This is one of the fundamental characteristics that distinguish living from nonliving things.

In human reproduction includes two types of gametes. The male gamete, spermien (sperm) and the female gamete, the egg cell. These cells meet in the woman’s reproductive system, and melt together and form a new individual. Both the male and female reproductive system is essential for reproduction. The woman needs a male to fertilize her eggs, but it is the woman who carries the fetus through pregnancy until delivery.

People will, like other organisms, certain features of its own to the next generation through its genes – the carriers of the genetic material. The genes that parents transmit to their children, making that siblings are similar but they also make each child unique. These genes come from the man’s sperm and the woman’s eggs, which are formed respectively in the male and female reproductive system (sex organs).

The woman’s vulva

The woman’s reproductive system are located in the pelvis. The outer parts of the female reproductive system called the labia (vulva), and the clitoris, vulva. Vulva covers the opening to the vagina (vaginal), and the other parts of the reproductive organs which are located further inside.

The area just above the top of the vaginal opening is called the mons pubis mons. Two pairs of skin flaps called the labia, labia, located around the opening to the vagina. It is the major (labia majora) and the small (labia minora) labia. The labia minora are located on the inside of the large labia. The clitoris is a small sensing means, located in the upper portion of the vulva, where the labia meet. Between the labia, clitoris just below, are the opening to the urethra. Just below the urethral meatus, the opening to the vagina. When girls become sexually mature, the outer labia and the mons be covered with pubic hair.

Hymen (hymen) is a thin membrane with one or more holes, which partially covers the entrance to the vagina. Hymen is different from person to person. Most women find that their virginity cracks during their first sexual intercourse. Hymen can be connected to the first intercourse bleed a little, and some may feel a brief, mild pain or discomfort when the hymen rupture. In some cases can cause ruptures in the hymen, although the woman is still a virgin. That there is no bleeding during the first sexual intercourse is not evidence that the girl was not a virgin.

The woman’s internal reproductive organs

The woman’s internal reproductive organ is the vagina, womb (uterus), fallopian tubes and ovaries (ovarian).

The vagina

The vagina is a muscular hollow tube extending from the vaginal opening up to the uterus. The vagina is about 8 to 12 cm deep in an adult woman. Because the vagina has muscles in the wall, it can expand and contract. This feature allows the vagina to adapt. The vagina can pull together and keep a tampon in place, and can expand, so a child can be born. Muscle walls of the vagina is lined by a mucous membrane, which protects the sheath, keeping it moist.

The vagina is:

• Birth way that brings a child into the world
• The transport route for the menstrual blood that leaves the uterus and excreted from the body

The uterus

The sheath is connected to the uterus. The lower part of the uterus, cervix (cervical) protrude down into the upper part of the vagina. The part of the cervix, which sticks out of the vagina, called the portio. The cervix has strong, thick walls. The opening to the cervix is ​​small, no wider than a knitting needle. Therefore, a tampon never disappear completely into a girl’s body. During a contraceptive ensures the strong muscles of the cervix, the child is inside the uterus. When the birth starts, extended cervix and opens so that the child can pass out of the womb.

The uterus is shaped like a pear, which is upside down. Inside the uterine cavity is a mucous membrane, which vary in thickness during the menstrual cycle. The wall of the uterus consists of strong musculature. In fact, the uterus some of the strongest muscles in the female body. These muscles are able to expand, so there is room for a growing fetus. When the birth starts, pull the muscles together (labor) and ensures that the child gradually expelled from the uterus. When the woman is not pregnant, the uterus of an adult female 7-8 cm long and 5 cm wide.

The fallopian tubes and the ovaries

At the upper corners of the uterus connects a fallopian tube, on each side, the uterus with the two ovaries. The ovaries are two oval-shaped organs, located on the right and left of the uterus. The produces, stores and releases the eggs that are picked up by the fallopian tubes in the ovulation (ovulation). At an adult female measuring each ovary 4-5 cm in the longest level.

There are, as I said two fallopian tubes, one on each side of the uterus. They are each about 10 cm long and about as wide as a spaghetti. The inside of each tube is thin, there is a passage which is not wider than a sewing needle. At the end of the tube facing the ovary is the oviduct trumpet-shaped with a frayed edge, which is similar to the tentacles. These tentacles enveloping ovary, but is not fixed on it. When an egg is released from the ovary, captured it the fallopian tube. When the egg enters the fallopian tube, provides small cilia in the lining that the egg is transported through the narrow fallopian tube toward the uterus.

The ovaries are also part of the body’s endocrine system and produce the female sex hormones estrogen and progesterone.

What can the female resproduktionssystem?

The female reproductive system enables a woman able to:

• produce eggs
• have sexual intercourse
• protect and nourish a fertilized egg until it is fully developed
• bear children