The fallopian tubes (oviducts) are two tubes in mammals which carry eggs from the ovary to the uterus. Eggs are fertilised in the Fallopian tubes by sperm, and then moved to the ovary by way of cilia. Research Fallopian Tubes
The female reproductive system is responsible for generating the ovum, or egg, for storing the fertilized ovum, and nourishing the gestating embryo and fetus. The chief organs include the ovaries, the uterus, vagina, and the fallopian tubes. External (vulvar) organs include the labia majora, the labia minora, the mons pubis, the clitoris, the vestibule, and the greater vestibular cleft. The ovum, or egg, contains the female's contribution to the genetic make-up of the new child, and is generated in the ovaries. The newly generated ovum is passed through the fimbriated extremity of a fallopian tube, into the fallopian tube and there is fertilized by a spermatozoon (a sperm cell). During sexual arousal, a fluid created by the male's seminal vesicles and the prostate gland combines with the sperm cells to create semen, which is carried through the urethra and out of the opening, or meatus, in the end of the erect penis.
When the semen is deposited in the female vagina, the spermatozoa swims through the uterus to the fallopian tube, where it fertilizes the ovum, or egg. The fertilized egg travels down the fallopian tube within the next three days and becomes attached to the wall of the uterus (womb). There, during pregnancy, the fertilized egg will be nourished and will develop into the embryo and, later, the fetus. Once fully developed (after about 9 months), muscular contractions (labor) will push the fetus out of the womb. Research Female Reproductive System
A hysterectomy is the surgical removal of the uterus. It is one of the most common of all surgical procedures. Sometimes only the uterus and cervix are removed; in other cases, called a complete
hysterectomy, the uterus, cervix, Fallopian tubes, and ovaries are all removed. After hysterectomy, a woman no longer menstruates, and she is unable to bear children but no change in sexual functioning or feelings follow a hysterectomy. If the hysterectomy includes removal of both ovaries, however, the woman may experience symptoms of menopause, because the ovaries are a woman's major source of estrogen. Research Hysterectomy
The ovarian ligaments are strands of connective tissue which attach the ovaries to the fallopian tubes and the upper margin of the exterior of the uterus. Research Ovarian Ligament
The ovaries are lobe-like structures which are responsible for generating the mature ova, or eggs, in the female reproductive system. They are about the same size as the testes in the male, being about 2.5 cm wide and 3.8 cm long. The ovaries are located on either side of the pelvic cavity and are attached to the fallopian tubes and the upper margin of the uterus by the ovarian ligaments. Within the ovaries are a number of small sacs, called graafian follicles, which contain the maturing ova. The ovaries produce a mature ovum about once every month. When this occurs, called ovulation, the follicle containing the mature ovum erupts from the surface of the ovary and the ovum passes into a fallopian tube. If the ovum is fertilized, the graafian follicle then develops into a corpus luteum. If the ovum is not fertilized, the follicle disintegrates into a small scartissue, called a corpus albicans. In addition to generating the mature ova, the ovaries also produce female sex hormones, such as estrone and estradiol, which regulate mammary growth, placental development, and menstruation. Research Ovaries
The peritoneum is a complex, serous membrane lining the lower abdominal cavity. Its function is to provide a lubricating surface against which the viscera may move so that they are not damaged by friction. In the male body, the peritoneum is predominately a closed, sac-like structure, while in the female, the fallopian tubes penetrate the peritoneum. The peritoneum contains the lesser cavity at the upper abdomen, near the stomach and transverse colon. The duplicating folds of the peritoneum are called omenta. The greater omentum is the largest of these and hangs down from the stomach over the small intestine. The greater omentum is composed of highly vascularized and innervated fatty tissue, protecting the lower viscera from shock and infection. Research Peritoneum
PID (pelvic inflammatory disease) is an inflammation of a woman's womb, Fallopian tubes, or ovaries as a result of infection with one of a group of bacteria. Research PID
The Probert Encyclopaedia was designed, edited and programed by
Matt and Leela Probert
Abbreviations
Research Fallopian Tubes
