REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM
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Structure and Function
• Function of the reproductive system is to
produce offspring
• Puberty is the age at which the reproductive
organs mature sufficiently to allow
reproduction
• Reproductive organs of both the male and
female produce sex cells called gametes
• A combination of the female gamete (ova)
and male gamete (sperm) is called
fertilization
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Male Organs of Reproduction
• Testes
– Produce sperm and secrete testosterone causing
the appearance of secondary sexual characteristics
like facial and body hair, deepened voice,
increased muscle mass, and thickening of the
bones
• Epididymis
– A tube on the surface of each testis that stores
the sperm while they mature
• Penis
– Semen and urine are excreted
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Female Organs of
Reproduction
• Ovaries
– Glands that produce eggs and hormones estrogen
and progesterone
• Fallopian tubes
– Transport the mature ovum from the ovary to the
uterus
• Uterus
– A muscular structure in which the zygote is
implanted following conception
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Female Organs of Reproduction
(continued)
• Cervix
– Neck of the uterus; for delivery of a fetus
• Vagina
– A muscular tube that extends from the cervix to
the exterior of the body
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Female Organs of Reproduction
(continued)
• Clitoris
– Small projection of tissue located between the
labia minora
• Mammary glands
– Ducts that secrete milk (lactation) following
pregnancy
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Menstrual Cycle
• Lasts approximately 28 days
• A complex process of hormone secretion and tissue
changes in the uterus
• A mature ovum is released from an ovary on about
the 14th day of each cycle
• If the released ovum is not fertilized, the
endometrium is released from the body along with
the ovum
• The sloughing of this bloody tissue, or menses, lasts
from 3 to 7 days
• The menstrual cycle continues until 45 to 50 years of
age
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Figure 20-6 Menstrual Cycle
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Pregnancy
• Pregnancy results from the union of the ovum and
sperm, usually in the fallopian tube
• Growth of an offspring in the uterus lasts about 280
days (9 months)
• The fertilized egg is known as a zygote from the time
of conception to 2 weeks
• It is then considered to be the morula and enters the
uterus
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Pregnancy (continued)
• As a blastocyst, it implants in the uterine wall and is
considered to be an embryo through the eighth week
• From 8 weeks to birth, the unborn baby is called a
fetus
• During the first 30 days of life, the baby is considered
to be a neonate
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Labor and Delivery
• Three stages of labor
– First stage: muscle contractions of the uterus
cause the amniotic sac to rupture and the cervix
to open (dilate) to about 10 cm in diameter
allowing passage of the fetus
– Second stage: delivery of the baby, called
parturition
– Third stage: delivery of the afterbirth, or placenta,
which takes place about 15 minutes later
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Growth and Development
• Growth refers to the changes that can
be measured by changes in height and
weight as well as changes in body
proportions
• Development describes the stages of
change in psychological and social
functioning
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Assessment Techniques
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Cystoscopy
Prostate-specific antigen (PSA)
Pap smear
Mammography
Amniocentesis
Ultrasonography
Chorionic villus sampling (CVS)
Self-examinations
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Disorders of the
Reproductive System
• Benign prostatic hypertrophy
– An age-associated condition in men in which the
prostate grows and may stiffen, causing blockage
of the urethra
• Cancer of the female reproductive system
– Breast, endometrial, and cervical
• Cancer of the testes
• Chancroid
– A contagious bacterial infection characterized by
painful ulcers on the genital area
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Disorders of the Reproductive
System (continued)
• Chlamydia
– Caused by the bacteria Chlamydia trachomatis, is
the most common sexually transmitted disease
• Cryptorchidism
– The failure of the testes to descend into the
scrotal sac prior to birth
• Ectopic pregnancy
– One that occurs in an abnormal location in the
body
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Disorders of the Reproductive
System (continued)
• Endometriosis
– Growth of endometrial tissue in an area other than
the uterus
• Erythroblastosis fetalis
– Condition that may develop in an Rh+ fetus of an
Rh- mother who has developed antibodies against
the Rh blood protein in a prior pregnancy
• Fetal alcohol syndrome
– Physical and mental birth defects that result from
damage to the fetus by alcohol consumed by the
mother
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Disorders of the Reproductive
System (continued)
• Fibroid tumors
– Benign growths found in the uterus
• Genital warts
– Caused by one type of human papillomavirus
• Gonorrhea
– Bacterial infection and one of the most prevalent
sexually transmitted diseases
• Herpes simplex virus
– One of the most common sexually transmitted
diseases
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Disorders of the Reproductive
System (continued)
• Human papillomavirus
– Infection often does not cause visible symptoms
• Klinefelter's syndrome
– A defect appearing in males who carry an extra
chromosome resulting in a karyotype of XXY
• Leukorrhea
– A whitish vaginal discharge
• Menstrual disorders
• Orchitis
– An inflammation of the testes
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Disorders of the Reproductive
System (continued)
• Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)
– Associated with infection by gonorrhea or
Chlamydia
• Phimosis
– A narrowing of the foreskin of the glans penis
• Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)
– Women experience irritability, depression,
impaired concentration, headache, and edema
• Pubic lice
– Yellow-gray parasites found in the pubic hair
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Disorders of the Reproductive
System (continued)
• Syphilis
– Caused by a spirochete bacteria, Treponema
pallidum
• Trichomonas vaginalis
– A parasitic protozoon
• Vaginitis
– A nonspecific infection
• Yeast infection
– An overgrowth of yeast in the vagina
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Issues and Innovations
• Alternatives in conception
– Birth control
– In vitro fertilization
– Surrogacy
• Infertility
– One out of every six couples is infertile
– Factors include low sperm count, STDs, and stress
• Redefining the sexes
– Homosexual and bisexual
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