Human Sexuality
• Between the ages of 9-17 children go through
puberty, which marks the beginning of
adolescence
• Puberty refers to the physical changes that occur
during adolescence.
• During puberty, secondary sex characteristics
appear, and the reproductive structures mature.
• During puberty, both boys and girls will grow
quickly, perspire more, have body odor, and
develop oily skin and some pimples.
Human Sexuality
•Puberty occurs as a result of the release of
male and female hormones into the
bloodstream.
•Testosterone – male hormone
•Estrogen and progesterone – female
hormones
•Male and female hormones are responsible
for the physical, emotional, and social changes
that occur.
Physical Changes
• The development of sex characteristics
• Primary sex characteristics are directly related to
•
the production of the reproductive cells – sperm
for males, and ovum for females
Secondary sex characteristics – body hair in both
males and females
– Females - the development of breasts and widening
of the hips
– Males - the broadening of the chest and the
deepening of the voice
Concerns over physical changes
• As people reach puberty, there is great
variation in the size and shape of people of
the same age
• Girls can be much taller than boys
• Boys voices can “crack” – due to an
increase in the size of the larynx
• Hands and feet may appear large and
awkward
• Testes & breast may vary in size
Mental changes
• Brain reaches its adult size and weight
• Cognition – the act or process of
knowing, (including both awareness and
judgment) and memory both increase.
• You are able to predict the outcomes of
many situations – you look at different
ways of problem solving
• Your ability to think logically, or think
things out, increases
• You can understand someone else’s point
of view
• New interests will develop and career
goals may begin to come into focus
Emotional changes
• Strong emotional feelings can come to the
surface
• You can experience mood swings, sulking
and crave privacy
• You may have difficulty in letting others
know how you are feeling.
Male Reproductive System
• During puberty, the pituitary gland stimulates
•
•
the testes to begin producing the male sex
hormone, testosterone.
Testosterone causes the production of sperm –
male reproductive cell
The two main biological functions of the male
reproductive system are production of sperm
and the transfer of it to the female’s body during
sexual intercourse
Male reproduction system
• Click here to see the male reproductive
system
Male Reproductive System is made up of
both internal and external organs
External organs:
1. Testes (testicles) – are two small glands
that produce sperm. Testes hang outside of
the body in a sac called the scrotum.
This sac protects sperm by keeping the
testes at a temperature slightly below normal
2. Penis – the external sex organ in which
the sperm is delivered to the females body.
Composed of spongy tissue that contains
many blood vessels. As a result of increased
blood flow, the penis becomes enlarged and
erect.
Internal male reproductive organs
• Plays a role in the delivery of the sperm
• Urethra – carries sperm and urine to the outside
•
•
•
of the body. (a valve prevents the two fluids
from mixing)
Epididymis – located on the outer surface of the
testes – sperm mature here
Vas-deferens – a pair of connecting tubes that
receives the sperm from the epididymis
As the sperm travels through the vas deferens,
they combine with fluids from the seminal
vesicles, prostate gland and Cowper’s gland
and the to form semen.
Ejaculation- A series of muscular contractions
during sexual arousal.
During ejaculation, semen is released
Nocturnal emissions- Orgasm and ejaculation
may occur during sleep.
Can be referred to as a “wet dream”
Occurs because sperm production during
puberty causes increased pressure in the
reproductive system.
At birth, the tip of the penis is covered with a fold of
skin called Foreskin
Circumcision – the surgical removal of the foreskin
CIRCUMCISED PENIS
Intact penis
Care of the reproductive system
• Includes cleanliness, protection, and self-
examination
• A male who is intact must practice extra
hygiene
• Avoid wearing clothing that is too tight
• Wear a protective or supporter during
strenuous exercise
• Perform a monthly self exam of the testes
to check for any thickening or lumps
Problems of the male reproductive system
1. Hernia – occurs when part of an organ pushes
through an opening of a membrane or muscle that
usually contains the organ. Inguinal hernia
2. Sterility – condition in which a person is
unable to reproduce.
• …can be a result of producing too few
sperm. This can be caused from
environmental hazards that damage the
sperm making process - exposure to Xrays, radiation and lead from motor
exhaust, factories, etc.
• Can also be caused from temperature
change, exposure to certain chemicals,
smoking and disease.
3. Enlarged prostate gland – can
enlarge for reasons such as an
infection, a tumor, or old age. When
the gland enlarges, it tends to squeeze
the urethra, resulting in frequent or
difficult urination
4. Testicular torsion:
twisting of testis so
that blood vessels
leading to the testis
also twists, cutting off
the blood supply.
5. Cancer of the Prostate: often a cancer site of
older men.
6. Cancer of the testes: occurs between the ages
of 15 and 35.
Hard lumps, or nodules, on
the testes may be a sign of
cancer. There may or may
not be pain associated with
the lumps. 90% of all
cases can be cured if
caught early.
Female Reproductive System
The Female Reproductive System stores
female reproductive cells, or ova. It also
nourishes and protects each fertilized
ovum from the beginning of pregnancy
through birth.
1. Vagina – also called the birth canal, is a
hollow tube leading from the uterus to the
outside of the body. Sperm from the male
enters the female reproductive system
through the vagina.
Female reproductive system
• Click here to view
female reproductive
system
Females Reproductive Organs
2. Ovaries – two small organs that have two
functions: 1. releases estrogen and
progesterone 2. produces and releases a
mature egg (ova) once a month – called
ovulation
*Female babies are born with approx. 400,000
immature ova in the ovaries. During puberty,
hormones cause the immature ova to mature.
3. Fallopian tubes – two small tubes that
carry a released egg from the ovary to the
uterus. When an egg is released from the
ovary, it moves into the fallopian tubes
and fimbria (finger like projections) draw
the egg into the uterus.
*If intercourse occurs
during the time there is
an egg in the fallopian
tube, sperm may unite
with the egg and
fertilization occurs.
4. Uterus (womb) is a small, muscular, pearshaped organ, about the size of a fist. The
fertilized egg (zygote) will develop and
grow in the uterus. The uterus has layers
of tissue and a rich supply of blood to
protect and nourish the developing fetus.
.
The base of the
uterus is called
the cervix. It
expands during
childbirth to allow
the passage of
the baby.
Birth video
http://www.babycenter.com/2_i
nside-pregnancy-labor-andbirth_3658872.bc
Menstruation
• If the ovum does not become fertilized, the lining
•
•
of the uterus breaks down and is passed out of
the vagina. The shedding of the uterine lining is
called Menstruation
Usually lasts 3-5 days
Menstrual cycle, which is the time from the
beginning if one menstrual cycle to the onset of
the next, is usually a 28 day cycle
• Onset – usually between the ages of 10 – 15
• Can be very irregular at first
• Can also be affected by poor nutrition, stress
and illness
Menstrual cycle
• Click here to view menstrual cycle
Problems of the FRS
Menstrual cramps –
•Usually mild, lasting for several hours
• A heating pad, over the counter medication and
light exercise can help
Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS).
•PMS is a variety of symptoms that can occur
several days to two weeks before the menstrual
period.
•Symptoms – nervous tension, anxiety, irritability,
mood swings, fatigue, bloating
Toxic shock syndrome (TSS) –related to tampon
use during the menstrual period.
• This is a rare but serious disease that may be
fatal.
• The presence of a bacterium, staphylococcus
aureus, causes the infection.
• Flu-like symptoms – aching muscles, sore
throat, sudden high fever, vomiting, diarrhea,
fainting, rash.
Problems that
can cause
infertility
• Blocked fallopian tube - leading cause of female infertility.
Can be caused by pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) of
abdominal surgery.
• Endometriosis – uterine tissue grows outside the uterus,
often appearing on the ovaries, fallopian tubes in in the
abdominal cavity.
• Pelvic Inflammatory Disease - an infection of the fallopian
tubes, ovaries and surrounding areas in a woman’s pelvis.
It can damage the reproductive organs and is usually
caused by sexually transmitted diseases.
Other reproductive
disorders
• Cervix, uterus and ovaries are common
sites of cancer. Cervical cancer is
detected through a Pap test, a test in
which samples of cells are taken from the
cervix by a doctor. All sexually active
females should have a yearly Pap smear
and all women from the age of 18 and
older should also have a yearly Pap smear.
• FDA approved a vaccine that prevents
infection from 4 strains of the HPV virus
Breast self-examination
• Is an important habit for females to
develop
• Should be done once a month, about a
week after the start of their menstrual
period
• Should check for anything unusual, such
as any discharge from the nipples, lumps
or mass under the skin