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What Does It Do?

A Reproductive Primer

By Kelly Burgess

The female reproductive system is almost entirely hidden within the pelvis. It begins at the vulva, the external genital area that runs from the pubic area downward to the rectum. The labia surround the vaginal opening. The clitoris, which is located toward the front of the vulva where the folds of the labia join, is a small cylindrical structure that, when stimulated sexually, can become erect like a man's penis. Inside the labia are openings to the urethra (the canal that carries urine from the body) and the vagina. The hymen, a thin membrane protecting the entrance of the vagina, stretches when you insert a tampon or have intercourse. It's a myth that you must have an intact hymen to be a virgin. A person is a virgin until they have sexual intercourse for the first time.

The vagina itself is a tube about four to five inches long that connects the uterus with the outside of the body. There's a small opening called the cervix where the uterus meets the vagina. The uterus, also often referred to as a womb, is where a baby grows and develops inside the mother. On each side of the uterus there are small organs called ovaries, which contain thousands of egg cells. These eggs are formed inside the ovaries before a girl is even born. The fallopian tubes connect the ovaries to the uterus.

Theoretically, a female can become pregnant any time after beginning menstruation. At the beginning of a normal cycle (Day 1), the brain signals the body to begin releasing hormones. These hormone levels rise until they cause the ovary to release an egg (commonly thought to happen at approximately Day 14). The egg travels through the fallopian tubes to the uterus. If there is no sperm present, the egg is not fertilized and does not implant. Instead, it merely disintegrates, and the hormone levels begin to fall. When they reach a certain stage, the lining is shed and bleeding occurs. If there is sperm present, fertilization may occur. If it does, when the egg reaches the uterus it may implant itself in the wall of the uterus. From that, a baby can grow.

Want to see more?

• At Your Cervix: A Lifetime of Cervical Health
• Yeast Infections: Treatment and Prevention of a Common Condition
• Women and Sexual Dysfunction: Coming to Terms With a Common Problem
• Talk about it!