Do you familiarize with your private place? Female’s Reproductive System Explained

As a woman, do you fully understand your own physiological structure? Today, let’s take a look at the complete physiological structure of women to make you better understand your private parts.

 

 

First, look at the below figure:

 

 

 

Vulva

Vulva is an important part of the female reproductive system

 

 

Anatomically, the female vulva is between the subcondylar pubic bone and the buttocks, and the structure includes the clitoris, labia majora, labia minora, clitoris, vestibular bulb, vaginal vestibule, urethra, vaginal opening, hymen, and large vestibular gland. Other features of the vulva include the cleft lip, the genitourinary triangle (the first half of the perineum, including the labia majora, labia minora, ischiocavernosus and bulbocavernosus muscles, Urogenital triangle or Regio urogenitalis), and pubic hair and its sebaceous glands. The main function of the vulva is related to urination, sexual behavior, menstruation, and childbirth. It is the entrance to the female's internal reproductive system. It connects the vagina and uterus through the vaginal opening, and provides double-layer protection for the vaginal opening by the folds of the vulva and inner labia. The structure of the vulva is supported by the pelvic floor muscles and other muscles of the urogenital triangle. 

 

 

The shape, size, color, etc. of the female vulva vary considerably. It is also common for the female vulva to be asymmetrical.

 

 

 

Mons pubis

Mons pubis is a soft, fatty tissue that bulges at the front of the genitals and covers the pubic bone. For both sexes, Mons pubis can play a buffering role in sexual intercourse, and this function is more obvious in women than men. The pupa is separated from the vulva and divides the pupa into labia majora. After puberty, the clitoral foreskin and labia minora, which are originally located in the clefts, may become more visible, and the clitoris and labia are usually covered by pubic hair, which is an inverted triangle in the lower abdomen and extends backward along the labia majora.

 

 

 

Labia majora

The labia majora is located on both sides of the vulva. The outer folds separated by the labia are the labia majora, and the other structures of the vulva are protected by the labia majora. The labia majora may cover part or the entire vulva. The outside color of the labia majora may be closer to other parts of the body, and the inside may be darker or lighter. But in fact this has many different changes. The genitourinary triangle is formed between the labia majora, the cleft lip and the anus (anterior of the perineum) in front of the vulva

 

 

 

Labia minora

Labia minora is two soft folds located outside the vaginal opening and inside the labia majora. They are more colorful and darker than the labia majora. Their color is usually pink or brownish black, and it is related to human skin color. The labia minora has relatively many sebaceous glands. The lower ends of the two labia minora meet at the labia minora, which is a folded restrictive tissue. The upper end of the labia minora meets in front of the clitoris and forms a clitoral foreskin. The appearance of the female genitals varies from person to person, and most of these differences can be attributed to changes in the size, shape, and color of the labia minora. Although called "little" labia, they can also be quite large and can even protrude from the labia majora or labia majora.

Clitoris

The clitoris is where the two labia minora meet at the front of the vulva. The visible part of the clitoris is the head of the clitoris. Its general shape and size are similar to peas, ranging from about 6-25 mm in length. The erection also varies in size. The female clitoral head and male penis glans are homologous organs and can also erect. Although the glans of the male penis is much larger than those of the clitoris, they have the same number of nerve endings, so they are very sensitive. Generally, women are less likely to reach orgasm during sexual intercourse because the clitoris cannot be directly stimulated during the process. Since the clitoris is quite sensitive, as long as the clitoris is stimulated, the female can reach orgasm, which is much easier than the simple orgasm. The clitoral foreskin is protective, folded skin that varies in shape and size from person to person and may partially or completely cover the clitoris. The clitoris is a homolog of the penis (Homologue). The clitoral foreskin is equivalent to the male foreskin and may be completely or partially hidden inside the cleft.

 

Vestibule

The area where the vestibule is located between the labia minora, the vaginal opening and the urethra is called the Vulval vestibule or Vestibule of the vagina. Between the vestibule and the anus is the perineum.

Urethra

The urinary tract (Urinary meatus) and the urethral opening are located at the lower edge of the pubic symphysis, below the clitoris and above the vaginal opening. They are irregular oval holes, and urine flows out of them and passes out of the passage through the labia majora. There is a pair of glands in the back wall, called paraurethral glands, which open in the back wall of the urethra, often where the bacteria lurk.

Vaginal opening

The vaginal opening is located at the bottom of the vulva and vestibule. The vagina is usually collapsed and the opening is closed. The vaginal opening of young women often has a tissue called the "hymen (hymen)". The hymen usually ruptures during the first intense sexual intercourse, and the blood that comes out of the rupture is considered a symbol of chastity. However, during exercise or normal activities, the hymen may also break due to stretching. Using tampons and menstrual cups can also rupture the anterior membrane. Some people's hymen may also be so small that it isn't even noticeable. In some rare cases, the hymen may completely cover the vaginal opening (the stone woman) and a hymenotomy is required. On both sides of the vaginal opening are two larger vestibular glands called the vestibular glands. These glands secrete mucus to lubricate the vagina and vulva. They are homologous to the urethral glands of men. The smaller vestibular glands on the anterior wall of the vagina are called Skien's glands, which are homologous to the male prostate gland and also known as the female prostate.

 

 

Muscle: (Please note the female pelvic muscle figure)

 

Pelvic floor muscles support the structure of the vulva. The contraction of the vaginal opening is responsible for the Pubococcygeus muscle and a part of the Levator ani muscle; it is mainly responsible for the bulgospongiosus. During orgasm, the vestibular bulbs (Vestibular bulbs) also contract, and the corpus cavernosa muscles also play an important role in their contraction. Other muscles of the genitourinary triangle support the vulvar area, including: transverse perineal muscles, corpus cavernosa and ischiocavernosus muscles.

 

Blood, lymph and nervous system

Tissues of the vulva are highly vascularized, and they have three genital arteries that provide blood supply and return through the external and internal genital veins. Lymphs of organs and tissues of the vulva are excreted through superficial inguinal lymph nodes located near the blood vessels.

 

The iliac inguinal nerve originates from the first lumbar nerve and extends out of the branch including the anterior labial nerve, connecting the skin of the penis and labia majora. The perineal nerve is one of the terminal branches of the genital nerve and connects the labia through the posterior labial nerve branch. The branches of the genital nerve include the dorsal clitoral nerve, which transmits the stimuli sensed by the clitoris. The clitoral head has a large number of tiny nerves, the number of which decreases as it gets closer to the urethra. Cavernous nerves from the uterine vaginal plexus connect the erectile tissue of the clitoris. The clitoris connects below the pubic bone through the dorsal nerve. The genital nerve enters the pelvis through the smaller sciatic foramen and extends from the inside to the internal genital artery. Many smaller nerves are separated from the genital nerves. The deep branch of the perineal nerve connects the perineal muscle, and its branches also dominate the vestibular sphere

 

Do you now understand the structure of your private parts better? Next, we will introduce how to maintain women's reproductive system, don't miss it!

 

Women's private parts are perfect and the structure is complex, but "she" is very sensitive. We need to take good care of her.

 

References:

J., Tortora, Gerard. Principles of anatomy and physiology 12th ed. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons. 2010. J., Tortora, Gerard. Principles of anatomy and physiology 5th ed. Harper international ed. New York: Harper & Row. 1987.

Anatomy and Physiology of the Female Reproductive System · Anatomy and Physiology. philschatz.com. [2018-09-19] .

New Oxford American Dictionary. Oxford University Press. 2011. "The rounded mass of fatty tissue lying over the joint of the pubic bones, in women typically more prominent and also called the mons veneris."

1864-1956., Dorland, W. A. Newman (William Alexander Newman),. Dorland's illustrated medical dictionary. 32nd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Saunders/Elsevier. 2012.

Superficial Inguinal Lymph Nodes - Medical Definition from MediLexicon. www.medilexicon.com. [2018-09-19].

1864-1956., Dorland, W. A. Newman (William Alexander Newman),. Dorland's illustrated medical dictionary. 32nd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Saunders/Elsevier. 2012.

Oakley, Susan H.; Mutema, George K.; Crisp, Catrina C.; Estanol, M. Victoria; Kleeman, Steven D.; Fellner, Angela N.; Pauls, Rachel N. Innervation and histology of the clitoral-urethal complex: a cross-sectional cadaver study. The Journal of Sexual Medicine. 2013-9, 10 (9): 2211–2218.

1864-1956., Dorland, W. A. Newman (William Alexander Newman),. Dorland's illustrated medical dictionary. 32nd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Saunders/Elsevier. 2012.

 Yucel, Selcuk; De Souza, Antonio; Baskin, Laurence S. Neuroanatomy of the human female lower urogenital tract. The Journal of Urology. 2004-7, 172 (1): 191–195.

Clinical Case - Perineum & External Genitalia. 2009-02-27 [2018-09-19].

L., Hoffman, Barbara; 1866-1931., Williams, J. Whitridge (John Whitridge),. Williams gynecology 2nd ed. New York: McGraw-Hill Medical. 2012.

 Won., Chung, Kyung. Gross anatomy 5th ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Willkins. 2005.