Vagina, Cervix, Uterus, Fallopian Tubes, and Ovaries

The female internal genitalia consist of the vagina, cervix, uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries.

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Vagina

The vagina is a canal that opens between the labia minora and extends upward towards the cervix and uterus. The vagina has three layers of tissues; mucous membrane, muscle tissue, and fibrous tissue.

• The mucous membrane is the layer of tissues that you feel when you insert a finger into the vaginal opening. The inner wall of vagina consist of folded tissues that feels soft, moist, and warm like the inside feeling of the mouth.

• The second layers consist mostly of muscle tissues around the vaginal opening.

• The third layers surrounds the muscular layer consist of fibrous tissues that causes the vagina to expand and contract during sexual intercourse.

The only function of the vagina is sexual intercourse, passage for childbirth, and passage for menstrual flow. The vagina is a sex organ that has few nerves endings compare to the clitoris. However, some women enjoy the erotic pleasure from stretching sensation and pressure during sexual intercourse. Some women experience more pleasure and arousal from vaginal stimulation than from clitoris stimulation.

Cervix

The cervix is located at the back of vagina and contains glands that secrete cervical mucus which is important for predicting when you are most fertile for getting pregnant. The cervical mucus also protects the uterus from bacterial infections. The center has an opening called the os that allow sperm to pass through from vagina and enter into the uterus. The opening also allows menstrual flow to pass through from uterus and into the vagina.

Uterus

The uterus is a hollow reproductive organ within which the fetuses develop. The uterus is approximately 3 inches long and 2 inches wide in woman who never had a child. The uterus wall consists of three layers called the perimetirum, myometrium, and endometrium.

• Perimetirum is the external layer a thin membrane covering the outside of the uterus.

• Myometrium is the middle layer consists of muscular layer that enables the uterus to stretch during pregnancy and contract during labor and orgasm.

• Endometrium is the inner layer of tissues that lines the inside of the uterine wall. Endometrium nourishes sperm and egg that is united together when fertilized egg travel down to the uterus from fallopian tubes.

Fallopian Tubes

The fallopian tube is a 4-inch tube that extends from the uterus towards an ovary on each side of the pelvic cavity. The outside ends of the fallopian tubes called the fimbriae near the ovary draws egg into the tube after being release from ovary. The contraction of the tube wall moves the egg at about 1 inch every 24 hours. At this stage the egg can survive for about 24 to 48 hours after release from ovary.

Ovaries

There are two ovaries about the shape and size of almonds located at the end of the fallopian tubes on each side of the uterus. The ovaries contain approximately 472,000 immature ova at birth and only about 400 ova mature during a woman’s menstrual cycle from puberty until menopause.

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