The Female Reproductive

System

GanSheng-Wei

Department of Anatomy
Introduction
Function
A.To produce: ovum---
maintaining the life of
species
B. Sexual hormone---
maintaining the 2nd
sexual female
characteristics
Formation
Ⅰ. Internal genital organs
⒈ The gonad---ovary
⒉ The genital ducts
uterine tubes
uterus
vagina
Ⅱ. External genital organs
⒈ Female pudendum
ⅠThe internal genital organs
⒈The ovary
⑴ The external features:
It’s almond in shape and situated in the ovarian
fossa, which is between the bifurcation of the
internal and external iliac arteries.
2 surfaces
lateral and medial surfaces
2 borders
anterior and posterior borders
2 extremities
tubal extremity (superior extremity) close to
the fimbriae of uterine tube
uterine extremity (inferior extremity )
connecting the fundus of the uterus
 ⑵ The structures of
the ovary

Proper ligament of
ovary

Susupensory ligament
of ovary

Hilum of ovary
⒉The uterine
tubes
A funnel –shaped
muscular tube
Parts
⑴Uterine part
⑵Isthumus of
uterine tube: ligation
⑶Ampulla of
uterine tube: fertilization
⑷Infundibulum of
uterine tube: abdominal
orifice/ fimbrae
 1.The uterus
It’s a single , hollow, thick walled and
pear-shaped muscular organ
⑴ The parts:
fundus of uterus
body of uterus
isthumus of uterus
cervix of uterus
supravaginal part of cervix
vaginal part of cervix
⑵ The cavity of uterus
Cavity of uterus---a triangular space
Cervical canal ---the cavity of cervix
Orifice of uterus(anterior\posterior lip)
⑶The location of the uterus
it’s between the urinary bladder
and rectum, so the normal
anatomical position is:
Anteflexion
the body and neck of the uterus
form an obtuse angle. It’s called the
anteflexion.

Anteversion
the long axis of the uterus and the
vagina form an right angle. It’s called
the anteversion.
⑷ The supporting structures of the uterus
Many structures, such as various ligaments, the muscles of
pelvic floor, maintain the normal position of uterus.
We put the stress on the ligaments:
① the broad lig.
it’s composed of 2 layers of peritoneum between the lateral
margin of the uterus and lateral wall of pelvis.
Between the 2 layers of peritoneum, there are uterine tube,
ovary, proper lig. of ovary, round lig. of uterus, blood
vessels, lymphatic vessels, nervous plexus and connective
tissue.
Parts
Mesovarium
Mesosalpinx
Mesometrium
② the round lig.
it tends to keep the uterus in the
anteverted position.
③ the cardinal lig.
it’s the chief lig, supporting the
uterus to prevent from dropping
down into the vagina.
④ the uterosacral lig.
hold the cervix of uterus in its
normal position relative to the
rectum.
The vagina
⑴ it’s a muscular canal and a lower position of the “
birth canal”
⑵ the relation of neck of the uterus to the vagina
The fornix: the upper portion of the vagina
surrounds the vaginal portion of the neck of uterus,
to form a circular recess , called fornix. The latter
includes anterior fornix, bilateral fornix and the
posterior fornix. The posterior wall of vagina and a
layer of peritoneum are between the posterior fornix
and the rectouterine pouch.
II. The external reproductive organs
Study by yourselves
 Summary
Ⅰ. The ligaments of uterus
Broad lig. / round lig. / cardinal lig. / uterosacral lig.
Ⅱ The peritoneum and peritoneal cavity
1. The definition of the peritoneum
it’s a layer of serous membrane lining the inner surface of
the abdominal cavity and pelvic cavity and covering the
organs in these cavities.
⒉ The parts
Parietal peritoneum: it lines the inner surface of the
abdominal cavity and pelvic cavity.
Visceral peritoneum: it covers the organs in these
cavities.
Both of them are continuous membranes.
The space between the parietal and visceral parts is
called peritoneal cavity.(difference between male and
⒊The relationship between viscera and
peritoneum
The different visceral organs have the different extent of the peritoneal
investment. According to the differences of the peritoneal investment,
the visceral organs can be divided into three categories:
⑴ The intraperitoneal visera.
If a viscera is completely surrounded by peritoneum the viscera is
called the intraperitoneal viscera.
⑵ The interperitoneal viscera.
If the most surfaces of a viscus is wrapped by peritoneum, the viscus is
called the interperitoneal viscus.
⑶The retroperitoneal viscera
if a viscus is situated in the retroperitoneal space, and only one surface
of it is covered by peritoneum, the viscera is called the retroperitoneal
viscera.
⒋The peritoneal reflections
The peritoneum reflects from one viscus to another or
from the abdominal wall to the viscus. Through the
process, the peritoneum forms the peritoneum
reflection.
According to the different location of the reflection, the
reflections have different terms.
⑴ the omenta
A. the lesser omentum
It’s a peritoneal fold between the porta hepatis and the
lesser curvature of the stomach as well as the
commencemet of the duodenum.
Hepatogastic lig.
The lesser omentum
Hepetoduodenal lig.
.
B. The greater omentum
It’s a double peritoneal sheet, 4 layers of peritoneum.
The gastrocolic lig. is a part of the great omentum
between the greater curvature of stomach and the
transverse colon

⑵ The mesenteries and mesocolons.

①The mesentery of the small intestine
②The mesoappendix
③The transverse mesocolon
④The sigmoid mesocolon
⑶ The lig.
①The lig. related to liver
②Suspentory lig. of the duodenum(lig. of treitz)
It’s an important landmark for the commencement of the
jejunum.

⑷ The recesses and pouches

recesses will be studied in regional anatomy.
Pouch is a large fossa. For example:
①for male : the rectovesical pouch lies between the
rectum and the urinary bladder
② for female
The rectouterine pouch: perform the puncture of the
posterior fornix to drain the blood for test.
There are the posterior wall of the vagina and a layer of
peritoneum between the posterior fornix of vagina and
the rectouterine pouch.
If the rectouterine pouch contains blood or fluid, the
drainage may be performed through the posterior fornix.

The vesicouterine pouch

5. The differences between the male peritoneal cavity

and the female peritoneal cavity:
Male---a completely closed space
Female---it’s open to the outside through the female
genital tubes.
Mesosalpinx

Mesovarium

Mesometrium