Anatomy of The Female Reproductive System

Anatomy of the Female Reproductive
System
Anatomy of the Female Reproductive System
• External genitalia
• Internal genitalia
• Support structure / ligaments
• Blood supply / venous drainage
• Lymphatic drainage
• Nerve supply
• Breast
• Adjacent structures
Female Reproductive Organs
• The primary sex organs of the female are the ovaries

• The accessory sex organs are:
• Uterus
• Vagina
• Uterine tubes
• Mammary glands
Embryology of Female Genital
Organs
Stage of Indiffe Factor From The organ
differentiation rent determine the
stage differentiation
In ♂testes Up to 7 the presence or Gonadal or genital ridge Gonads
In♀ ovaries) weeks absence of SRY +Germ cells originate in the (testes
gene
Indiffere (sex determining yolk sac & migrate to the ,ovaries)
nt region Y ) found on genital ridge
gonads Y chromosome
In ♂M regress and W Both ♂ Presence or Genital ducts 1)wolffian INTERNAL

developed and form♂ and ♀ absence of MIF (mesonephric), for ♂ internal GENITAL
internal genital organs have 2 secreted by the genital organs (epididymis, ORGANS
In♀ W regress and M pairs of sertoli cells 7 weeks vas deferens, seminal
developed and form M and ,Testosterone by vesicle and ejaculatory
♀internal genital organs W Ducts interstitial cells duct).
Up to 8 8weeks 2) Mullerian (para
weeks mesonephric) for ♀internal
genital organs (Fallopian
tubes, Uterus and upper
vagina)
In ♂ tubercle → glans, Genital Presence or Genital tubercle ,Genital EXTERNAL

folds→ fuse penile urethra. tubercle absence of folds and Genital swelling GENITAL
Swelling →fuse scrotom ,folds dehydrotestosteron ORGANS
In ♀ tubercle →clitoris and
folds →separated libia swelling
minora, Up to 10
swelling weeks
→separated libia majora
Ovaries
 Paired almond-sized female gonads.
 Measuring 3 x 2 x 1 cm.
 Not covered by peritoneum
 Held in the pelvic cavity by folds of peritoneum (ligaments):
1. Broad ligament (includes Mesovarium)
2. (Proper) Ovarian ligament
3. Suspensory ligament (Infundibulopelvic ligament, IP ligament)
Support of Ovaries
Structure of the Ovary
 Covered by a thin epithelium and a deeper tunica albuginea.
 Internally, the ovary is divided into a cortex and medulla.
 The cortex contains ovarian follicles and the medulla contains connective
tissue, blood vessels, lymphatic vessels and NN.
 Ovarian follicles consist of an oocyte (egg cell) surrounded by follicle cells.
 There are several types of follicles, each at different stages of development.
(primordial, primary, secondary, vesicular/mature)
Structure of Ovary
Vesicular Follicle
Corpus Luteum
• Following expulsion of the oocyte (ovulation) from the follicle, the remnants
of the follicle (minus the oocyte) become the corpus luteum.
• The corpus luteum secretes progesterone and estrogen which stimulates
the growth of the uterine endometrium.
Uterine Tubes
 2 tortuous tubes (10 cm in length) lie in the free upper part of the broad
ligament.
 The uterine tubes (fallopian tubes) extend laterally from both sides of the
uterus.
 The secondary oocyte is usually fertilized here and travels for 2-3 days to
the lumen of the uterus.
 Infundibulum – lateral opening of the tube encircled by fingerlike
projections called fimbriae
Uterine Tubes and Uterus
4 parts
Wall of Uterine Tubes
Comprised of three layers:

1. Mucosa – ciliated columnar epithelial cells > help in movement + nutrient
2. Muscularis
3. Serosa
Uterus
 Pear-shaped, thick-walled muscular organ

 Possesses a lumen that is continuous with the uterine tubes laterally and
with the vagina inferiorly
 May be anteverted (forward) or retroverted (tilted backward)
 Measuring around 7.5 x 4.0 x 2.5 cm in the longitudinal, transverse, and
anteroposterior diameters
 Functions:
1. Site of oocyte implantation
2. Supports the developing pre-embryo/embryo/fetus
3. Ejects the fetus during labor
Position of the uterus
Angle of anteversion
• Anteversion relates the long axis of the
cervix to the long axis of vagina which
is about 90°.
• Anteflexion relates the long axis of the

body to the long axis of the cervix and
is about 120°.
Angle of anteflexion
Regions of the Uterus
There are four regions of the uterus:

1. Fundus
2. Body (corpus)
3. Isthmus
4. Cervix
The uterine wall is comprised of three layers:

5. Perimetrium – outermost serosal layer
6. Myometrium –smooth muscle wall
7. Endometrium – mucosa composed of a simple columnar epithelium and
an underlying lamina propria. The lamina propria is filled with uterine
glands which enlarge during the uterine cycle
The isthmus:
– an area 4-5 mm in length that lies between the anatomical internal os
above, and the histological internal os below. It is lined by low columnar
epithelium and few glands.
– The isthmus expands during pregnancy forming the lower uterine
segment (10 cm) during the last trimester.
The cervix:
• The elongated lower part of the uterus
• Measuring 2.5-3.0 cm.
Support of the Uterus
Several structures support the uterus:

1. Muscles of the pelvic floor
2. The round ligaments
3. The transverse cervical ligaments (cardinal ligaments)
Weakness of this support can result in prolapse of the uterus, in which it
protrudes through the vagina
Pelvic organ support
Vagina
• The vagina is a fibromuscular tube about 10 cm in length (average)
• Length:
– anterior wall is 8-9 cm
– posterior wall is 10 -11 cm
• that connects the uterus to the outside of the body.
• The vaginal wall is thin and distensible with a mucosa of stratified squamous
epithelium.
• Near the opening, folds of the mucosa form a membranous barrier called
the hymen
• The fornix is the deepest part of the vagina around the cervix.
Three layers;
- mucosa, formed of squamous epithelium without glands
- masularis, which is fibromuscular with some fibres from
the levator ani inserted into it, and the
- adventitia, which is connective tissue continuous with the
paracolpos.
Nerve supply of the vagina:

The pudendal nerve gives sensory fibres to the lower
vagina.
Ligaments (support structure)
• Board ligament (include mesovarium)
• Infundubulpelvic ligament (suspensory ligament)
• Ovarian ligament
• Round ligament
Pelvic Diaphragm
The levator ani muscles + the fascia which covers their upper and lower
surfaces
• In the midline, the pelvic floor is pierced by the
– Urethra
– Vagina
– Rectum.
External Genitalia
• The external genitalia can collectively be called the vulva (bordered by
labia majora and the mons pubis)
External Genitalia
 The mons pubis is an area of skin and subcutaneous fat anterior to the
pubic symphysis.
 The labia majora are paired folds of skin, covered with hair, possessing
sebaceous and sweat glands and are homologous with the male scrotum.
External Genitalia
 The labia minora are medial to the labia majora and hairless.
 The space between the labia minora is the vestibule.
 Within the vestibule are the urethral orifice and the vaginal orifice.
External Genitalia
External Genitalia
 Also within the vestibule are two greater vestibular glands,(bartholins

glands) which produce a mucus similar to that produced by the homologous
male bulbourethral glands
 The glans clitoris is a small erectile body, located superior to the urethral
opening and homologous to the penis of the male
 The prepuce is an external fold of the labia minora that forms a hoodlike
covering over the clitoris.
External Genitalia
Blood supply
1. The ovarian artery
 Orginated as branches of the abdominal aorta

 Turn over the common iliac artery and ureter,descend into the pelvis.
Enter into ovary through the mesovarium/
Blood supply
2. The uterine artery

 a terminal branch of the hypogastric artery
 Cross the ureter near the cervix (2cm)
 Ascend along the lateral border of the uterus
 uterine body branch and cervix-vagina branch
3. Vaginal artery
4. Internal Pudendal artery
Venous drainage
 Uterine venous plexus
 The uterine plexuses lie along the sides and superior angles of the uterus
between the two layers of the broad ligamnet, and communicate with the
ovarian and vaginal plexuses
 They are drained by a pair of uterine veins into the corresponding
hypogastric vein.(internal iliac vein)
Two pouches are formed from peritoneal folds in the pelvic cavity:
1. Vesicouterine pouch –between uterus and urinary bladder
2. Rectouterine pouch –between uterus and rectum
Uterine
malformations
• Definition
• A uterine malformation is the result of an
abnormal development of the Mullerian ducts
during embryogenesis.
• Symptoms range from amenorrhoea,
infertility,
recurrent pregnancy loss, and pain, to normal
functioning depending on the nature of the
defect
• Embryological development of
uterus
• The female genital tract is formed in early embryonic
life when a pair of ducts develops.
These paramesonephric or mullerian ducts come
together in the midline an fuse into a Y- shaped canal.
The open upper ends of this structure lead into the
peritoneal cavity and the unfused portions become the
uterine tubes. The fused lower portion forms the
uterovaginal area, which further develops into the uterus
and vagina
• Incidence
• The prevalence of uterine malformation is
estimated to be 6.7% in the general
population, slightly higher (7.3%) in the
infertility population, and Significantly higher
in a population of women with a history of
recurrent miscarriages (16%).
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Anatomy of the Female Reproductive

• The primary sex organs of the female are the ovaries

In ♂M regress and W Both ♂ Presence or Genital ducts 1)wolffian INTERNAL

In ♂ tubercle → glans, Genital Presence or Genital tubercle ,Genital EXTERNAL

Comprised of three layers:

 Pear-shaped, thick-walled muscular organ

• Anteflexion relates the long axis of the

There are four regions of the uterus:

The uterine wall is comprised of three layers:

Several structures support the uterus:

Nerve supply of the vagina:

 Also within the vestibule are two greater vestibular glands,(bartholins

 Orginated as branches of the abdominal aorta

2. The uterine artery

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