Reproductive System

All living things reproduce. Reproduction the process by which organisms make
more organisms like themselves is one of the things that set living things apart
from nonliving matter.
In the human reproductive process, two kinds of sex cells, or gametes, are involved.
The male gamete, or sperm, and the female gamete, the egg or ovum, meet in the
female's reproductive system. The female needs a male to fertilize her egg, even
though it is she who carries offspring through pregnancy and childbirth. When the
sperm fertilizes, or meets, the egg, this fertilized egg is called the zygote. The
zygote goes through a process of becoming an embryo and developing into a fetus.
The menstrual cycle
Toward the end of puberty, girls begin to release eggs as part of a monthly period
called the menstrual cycle. Approximately once a month, during ovulation, an ovary
sends a tiny egg into one of the fallopian tubes. Unless the egg is fertilized by a
sperm while in the fallopian tube, the egg dries up and leaves the body about 2
weeks later through the uterus. This process is called menstruation. Blood and
tissues from the inner lining of the uterus combine to form the menstrual flow,
which in most girls lasts from 3 to 5 days. A girl's first period is called menarche.
4 stages of Menstrual Cycle:
1.Follicle- maturation of egg in ovary and secretion of estrogen
2.Ovulation- when one egg released from follicle in ovary
3.Corpus Luteum- when the follicle breaks down and form yellow mass cells with
secrete progesterone and enhance thickness of uterine lining or blood
4.Menstruation- when uterine lining or blood sheds and released through vagina.
Common Menstrual Problems
Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)- women with PMS have a wave of emotional and
physical symptoms, it seems to happen because of changing hormone levels in the
body
PMS includes many physical and emotional symptoms, such as:
acne
bloating
backaches
sore breasts
headaches
constipation
diarrhea
food cravings
depression or feeling sad
irritability
anxiety
Cramps- abdominal cramps during the first few days of their periods. They're
caused by prostaglandin, a chemical in the body that makes the smooth muscle in
the uterus contract. These involuntary contractions can range from dull to sharp
and intense.
Irregular Periods-Changing hormone levels might affect the length of a period.
Causes of Irregular Periods
Extreme exercise or dieting
Stress

The pill
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)-This medical condition causes tiny cysts to form
on ovaries, interfering with regular ovulation. Women with PCOS usually have a
history of irregular periods. In addition to causing infertility, PCOS can increase the
risk of diabetes and heart disease.
Hypermenorrhea, also known as menorrhagia- she is losing more blood than
she normally would during an average menstruation cycle, although the timing of
her cycle may remain completely within the time frame of what usually occurs for
her.
Amenorrhea is the absence of menstrual bleeding and may be primary or
secondary.
Girls who haven't started their periods by the time they're 15 years old or 3 years
after they've shown the first signs of puberty have primary amenorrhea. This is
usually caused by a genetic problem, a hormone imbalance, or a problem with the
way the reproductive organs developed. Hormone imbalances also can lead to
secondary amenorrhea, which is when a girl who had normal periods suddenly
stops menstruating for more than 6 months or three of her usual cycles.
Oligomenorrhe-when a girl misses or has infrequent periods, even though she's
been menstruating for a while and isn't pregnant.
Dysmenorrhea (Painful Periods)- Primary dysmenorrhea is very common in
teens and is not caused by a disease or other condition. Instead, the culprit is
prostaglandin, the chemical behind cramps. Some prostaglandin can lead to mild
cramps. But large amounts of prostaglandin can lead to nausea, vomiting,
headaches, backaches, diarrhea, and severe cramps. Fortunately, these symptoms
usually only last for a day or two. Secondary dysmenorrhea is pain caused by
some physical condition like polyps or fibroids in the uterus, endometriosis, pelvic
inflammatory disease (PID), or adenomyosis (when tissue that usually lines the
uterus grows into the muscular wall of the uterus).
Endometriosis- a condition resulting from the appearance of endometrial tissue
outside the uterus and causing pelvic pain.
Smell of vaginaThe egg (ovum)
A females entire egg supply is developed when she is still an unborn baby. At the
start of puberty, the eggs are ripened inside the ovary and released every month.
Each egg contains genetic material. At menopause, the ovaries stop making
hormones and eggs are no longer ripened or released.
How Many Eggs Does a Woman Have?
The vast majority of the eggs within the ovaries steadily die, until they are depleted
at menopause. At birth, there are approximately 1 million to 2 million eggs; by the
time of puberty, only about 300,000 remain. Of these, only about 500 will be
ovulated during a woman's reproductive lifetime. Any remaining eggs gradually die
out at menopause.
Fertilization
If a female and male have sex within several days of the female's ovulation,
fertilization can occur. When the male ejaculates (when semen leaves a male's
penis), between 0.05 and 0.2 fluid ounces (1.5 to 6.0 milliliters) of semen is
deposited into the vagina. Between 75 and 900 million sperm are in this small
amount of semen, and they "swim" up from the vagina through the cervix and

uterus to meet the egg in the fallopian tube. It takes only one sperm to fertilize the
egg.
About a week after the sperm fertilizes the egg, the fertilized egg (zygote) has
become a multicelled blastocyst. A blastocyst is about the size of a pinhead, and it's
a hollow ball of cells with fluid inside. The blastocyst burrows itself into the lining of
the uterus, called the endometrium. The hormone estrogen causes the
endometrium to become thick and rich with blood. Progesterone, another hormone
released by the ovaries, keeps the endometrium thick with blood so that the
blastocyst can attach to the uterus and absorb nutrients from it. This process is
called implantation.
As cells from the blastocyst take in nourishment, another stage of development, the
embryonic stage, begins. The inner cells form a flattened circular shape called the
embryonic disk, which will develop into a baby. The outer cells become thin
membranes that form around the baby. The cells multiply thousands of times and
move to new positions to eventually become the embryo.

What about twins? How are twins made?

There are two types of twins. Identical and non-identical twins.
Identical and non identical twins
In non-identical twins, the mom released two different egg cells, one in each tube.
In this case, two sperm cells would fertilize them and produce two zygotes.
Because they are from two different eggs, they tend to have clear differences
among
them when they are born. The scientific name for this kind of twins is dizygotic.
Non-identical twins are also called fraternal twins.
In identical twins, there is only one egg cell from the mum and one sperm cell from
the dad. Hours after fertilization, the zygote splits into two new zygotes. This means
they will grow into two very similar foetus and identical babies. The scientific name
for this kind of twins is monozygotic. This kind does not happen often. In fact,
identical
twins make about 1/3 of all twins.

Common Diseases:

With the Vulva and Vagina

Vulvovaginitis- an inflammation of the vulva and vagina. It may be caused
by irritating substances (such as laundry soaps or bubble baths). Poor
personal hygiene (such as wiping from back to front after a bowel movement)
may also cause this problem. Symptoms include redness and itching in the
vaginal and vulvar areas and sometimes vaginal discharge. Vulvovaginitis can
also be caused by an overgrowth of candida, a fungus normally present in the
vagina.
nonmenstrual vaginal bleeding- most commonly due to the presence of a
vaginal foreign body, often wadded-up toilet paper. It may also be due to
urethral prolapse, a condition in which the mucous membranes of the urethra
protrude into the vagina and form a tiny, donut-shaped mass of tissue that
bleeds easily. It can also be due to a straddle injury (such as when falling onto
a beam or bicycle frame) or vaginal trauma from sexual abuse.
With the Ovaries and Fallopian Tubes
ectopic pregnancy-, when a fertilized egg, or zygote, doesn't travel into the
uterus, but instead grows rapidly in the fallopian tube. Girls with this
condition can develop severe abdominal pain and should see a doctor
because surgery may be necessary.

endometriosis ,when tissue normally found only in the uterus starts to grow
outside the uterus in the ovaries, fallopian tubes, or other parts of the
pelvic cavity. It can cause abnormal bleeding, painful periods, and general
pelvic pain.
ovarian tumors, although rare, can occur. Girls with ovarian tumors may
have abdominal pain and masses that can be felt in the abdomen. Surgery
may be needed to remove the tumor.
ovarian cysts, noncancerous sacs filled with fluid or semi-solid material.
Although they are common and generally harmless, they can become a
problem if they grow very large. Large cysts may push on surrounding
organs, causing abdominal pain. In most cases, cysts will disappear on their
own and treatment is unnecessary. If the cysts are painful, a doctor may
prescribe birth control pills to alter their growth, or they may be removed by
a surgeon.
polycystic ovary syndrome, a hormone disorder in which too many male
hormones (androgens) are produced by the ovaries. This condition causes the
ovaries to become enlarged and develop many fluid-filled sacs, or cysts. It
often first appears during the teen years. Depending on the type and severity
of the condition, it may be treated with drugs to regulate hormone balance
and menstruation.

Infections of the Female Reproductive System

What
A.

B.

C.

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Also called sexually transmitted

infections (STIs), these include pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), human
immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS),
human papillomavirus (HPV, or genital warts), syphilis, chlamydia, gonorrhea,
and genital herpes (HSV). Most are spread from one person to another by
sexual contact.
Toxic shock syndrome. This uncommon but life-threatening illness is
caused by toxins released into the body during a type of bacterial infection
that is more likely to develop if a tampon is left in too long. It can produce
high fever, diarrhea, vomiting, and shock.
Causes Female Infertility?
Causes of Failure to Ovulate
Hormonal Problems
Scarred Ovaries-multiple surgeries
Causes of Poorly Functioning Fallopian Tubes
Infection- Hydrosalpnix, a condition in which the fallopian tube is
occluded at
both ends and fluid collects in the tube
Abdominal Diseases -The most common of these are appendicitis
and colitis, causing inflammation of the abdominal cavity which can
affect the fallopian tubes and lead to scarring and blockage.
Ectopic Pregnancy This is a pregnancy that occurs in the tube itself
and, even if carefully and successfully overcome, may cause tubal
damage and is a potentially life-threatening condition.
Endometriosis-This condition is characterized by excessive growth of the
lining of the uterus, called the endometrium. Growth occurs not only in the
uterus but also elsewhere in the abdomen, such as in the fallopian tubes,
ovaries and the pelvic peritoneum.

Artificial insemination
Common Contraceptives