YOUR ANATOMY

Think of your body as a computer. From the moment of conception it has been programmed to perform all bodily functions. Just as the clock on your computer updates automatically, your body continues to grow and prepare itself for its own “updates.” The best way to learn about your own anatomy is to explore yourself and all your wonderful parts.  All women should know their bodies and how they work. It is a well-known fact that women who are in tune with their bodies often know when something is amiss long before doctors and tests can confirm it.
 
EXTERNAL REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM: 

  •  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 2 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 alongside 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.

 INTERNAL REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM AND HOW IT WORKS:

  • Vagina: The vagina is a canal that joins the cervix (the lower part of the uterus) to the outside of the body. It is also known as the birth canal.

  • Uterus (womb): The uterus is a hollow, pear-shaped organ that is the home to a developing fetus. 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 cells) to travel from the ovaries to the uterus. Conception, the fertilization of an egg or ovum by a sperm, normally occurs in the fallopian tubes. The fertilized egg then moves to the uterus, where it implants itself into the lining of the uterine wall.

THE ROLE OF HORMONES IN OUR BODIES:

Females of reproductive age experience cycles of hormonal activity that repeat at about one-month intervals. With every cycle, a woman’s body prepares for a potential pregnancy, whether or not that is the woman’s intention. The term menstruation refers to the periodic shedding of the uterine lining. (Menstru means “monthly.”)

The average menstrual cycle takes about 28 days and occurs in phases: the follicular phase, the ovulatory phase (ovulation), and the luteal phase. There are four major hormones (chemicals that stimulate or regulate the activity of cells or organs) involved in the menstrual cycle: follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, estrogen, and progesterone.