Essay: Male and Female Reproductive System

Do you know how you were born? Do you know how you came to be? The reproductive system is the system that made that all possible. Without the reproductive system you wouldn’t have been born. In order to produce offspring, the male and female reproductive systems have to be different. Each system has different parts, problems and care. Each system have different purposes, the male reproductive system’s function is to produce sperm, while the female reproductive system’s function is to produce ova, store ova and house a fertilized egg.

The male reproductive system is divided into two categories: internal and external reproductive organs. External organs are outside the body and internal organs are inside the body.

The external reproductive organs are the penis, testes, scrotum, epididymis, and somniferous tubules, which are in the testes. The penis allows liquid waste and semen to leave the body. The testes, which are comprised of somniferous tubules, produce sperm. Sperm mixes with seminal fluids to produce semen. Semen is released through the penis and sperm in the seminal fluid has the ability to fertilize an egg. The scrotum protects and holds the testes and epididymis. The epididymis stores sperm. It also allows them to mature

The internal reproductive organs are the vas deferens, seminal vesicles, Cowper’s gland, and the prostate gland. The vas deferens extends from each epididymis. They allow the sperm to leave the scrotum and mix with seminal fluids. The seminal vesicles, Cowper’s gland, and the prostate gland have similar functions. They are located at the base of the penis and they produce and store seminal fluid.

There are numerous problems that affect the male reproductive system. Problems of the testes include testicular trauma, testicular torsion, testicular rupture, and testicular cancer. Testicular trauma is receiving a blow to the testes and minor pain occurs. OUCH! They may seem painful but other problems are even more serious. Testicular torsion is the twisting of one testical cutting off blood supply. Another serious but extremely rare problem is testicular rupture. It is caused by the testical being crushed and blood leaks into the scrotum. Treatment for both includes surgery within 6 hours of receiving the injury. One of the most serious problems is testicular cancer. It is the number one cancer in males ages 15 to 35. It can, however, be detected early by performing monthly testicular self-exams. (TSEs)

There are problems that occur in areas other then the testes. The best known problem is prostate caner. It isn’t as easy to detect as testicular cancer, but it can be removed by surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation. Another problem of the prostate, which is common with aging, is an enlarged prostate gland. It can be correct by surgery, and it is not a major problem. Other problems that don’t affect a certain organ are sterility and inguinal hernias. Sterility is inability to produce sperm is sufficient numbers. There is no known cure for this disease. Inguinal hernia is the final major problem. It is the pushing of organs into the abdominal pain, causing a weakened abdominal wall. It can be corrected by surgery.

Caring for the male reproductive system is important. You can bathe or shower daily. It is important that you avoid wearing tight fitting underwear and clothing. Be sure to wear protective gear to protect from testical injuries. Perform monthly TSEs to detect cancer. Finally be sure to eat healthy food containing plenty of vitamins and minerals.

The female reproductive system is a complex and important system. All parts of the female reproductive system are inside the body. The system serves three main functions: to store ova, to produce ova, and to house a fertilized egg until it is ready to live on its own.

The system is comprised of a variety of different parts. The first part is the ovaries. The ovaries contain thousands of immature ova at first that eventually mature during puberty. The ovaries produce estrogen and progesterone which allow the ova to mature. Next are the fallopian tubes. They are tubes that carry the ova from the ovaries to the uterus. The uterus is a pear shaped organ. It shelters and nourishes a developing baby, or fetus. The endometrial lines the uterus. It thickens during pregnancy. The opening of the uterus is the cervix. The vagina is the muscular passage from the uterus to the outside of the body. It serves as a passing place for menstrual fluid and other discharge.

The menstrual cycle is something that a lot of girls and even guys have questions about. The menstrual cycle is something that only girls go through once they experience puberty. It is nothing more then the route of an egg through the female’s reproductive system. The menstrual cycle starts as the egg matures in the ovary. The egg is then released from the ovary during the process called ovulation. The egg then travels in the fallopian tube until it reaches the uterus. If it is not fertilized by a sperm, through fertilization, then it out of the body in a process known as menstruation, or a period.

More problems affect the female reproductive system then the male reproductive system. Ovarian tumors are found on the ovaries, they can be benign or malignant. They are easily removed by surgery. Ovarian torsion, similar to testicular torsion, is the twisting of the ovary. A common problem of the female reproductive system is ovarian cysts. They are sacs on the ovaries filled with fluid or semisolid material. Polycystic ovary syndrome (POS) is a problem relating to the endocrine system as well. POS involves the overproduction of male hormones. It can be treated by female hormone pills. Ovarian cancer is the most serious problem of the ovaries. It can be correct by surgery, chemotherapy, and/or radiation.

Virginities is a problem that affects the vagina. It is an infection of the vagina. Pain and itchiness are symptoms that will occur. Vaginal bleeding is a problem caused usually by inserted foreign objects into the vagina. To prevent this problem from happening, avoid putting foreign objects near the vagina, other then a tampon. There are also problems that affect menstruation. Those problems are dysmenorrheal, painful periods, or oligomenorrhea, missed or infrequent periods. Both problems may be corrected by hormone pills, or pain medications. Other problems that occur include breast, and uterus cancer.

Care for the female reproductive system is important, especially during menstruation. It is important to change tampons every 4-6 hours to prevent toxic shock syndrome. Regularly see a gynecologist, a doctor specializing in care of the female reproductive system. Bathe and shower daily. Be sure to perform monthly breast self-exams to detect or prevent breast cancer. Finally be sure to get healthy foods containing plenty of vitamins and minerals.

The reproductive system is a complex, but very important system. It may be embarrassing to talk about, but it is vital to known about it. Without this system and the information you have, guess what? There wouldn’t be any life at all. So remember this information will better help you understand yourself and your body. The reproductive system is questionably the body system that is the most important influence on life as we know it. It is the w ay in which we procreate and ensure our existence as a species. However, the penis is only one part of the male reproductive system, which constitutes of a series responsible for generating, storing, and transporting the genetic material contained in the sperm cells. The main organs include: testicles (or testes), the epididymides, the vas deferens, the ejaculatory duct, the urethra, and the penis. Others are the scrotum, urogenital opening, and the prostate gland.

The penis is a male organ, responsible for transporting urine and semen outside the body. It is a flexible, that splits into a Y shaped rod (an attached root and a free body, capable of expanding,1 attached to the underside of the pubic bone. The penis consists of various components such as nerve and blood vessels, fibrous tissue and three cylinders

The Circulatory System The circulatory system in anatomy and physiology is the course taken by the blood through the arteries, capillaries, and veins and back to the heart. In humans and the higher vertebrates, the heart is made up of four chambers the right and left auricles, or atria, and the right and left ventricles. The right side of the heart pumps oxygen-poor blood from the cells of the body back to the lungs for new oxygen; the left side of the heart receives blood rich in oxygen from the lungs and pumps it through the arteries to the various parts of the body. Circulation begins early in fetal life. It is estimated that a given portion of the blood completes its course of circulation in approximately 30seconds. Pulmonary circulation is where the blood from the entire body is transported to the right auricle through two large veins.
The superior vena cava and the inferior vena cava. When the right auricle contracts, it forces the blood through an opening into the right ventricle. Contraction of this ventricle drives the blood to the lungs. Blood is prevented from returning into the auricle by the tricuspid valve, which completely closes during contraction of the ventricle. In its passage through the lungs, the blood is oxygenated, that is, then it is brought back to the heart by the four pulmonary veins, which enter the left auricle. When this chamber contracts, blood is forced into the left ventricle and then by ventricular contraction into the aorta
The bicuspid, or mitral, valve prevents the blood from flowing back into the auricle, and these mil unary valves at the beginning of the aorta stop it from flowing back into the ventricle. Similar valves are present in the pulmonary artery. The aorta divides into a number of main branches, which in turn divide into smaller ones until the entire body is supplied by an elaborately branching series of blood vessels. The smallest arteries divide into a fine network of still more minute vessels, the capillaries, which have extremely thin walls; thus, the blood is enabled to come into close relation with the fluids and tissues of the body. In the capillaries, the blood performs three functions then it releases its oxygen to the tissues, it furnishes to the body cells the nutrients and other essential substances that it carries, and it takes up waste products from the tissues. The capillaries then unite to form small veins.
The veins, in turn, unite with each other to form larger veins until the blood is finally collected into the superior and inferior venues cava from which it goes to the heart, completing the circuit. In addition to the pulmonary and systemic circulations described above ,a subsidiary to the venous system exists, known as portal circulation. A certain amount of blood from the intestine is collected into the portal vein and carried to the liver. There it enters into the open spaces called sinusoids, where it comes into direct contact with the liver cells. In the liver important changes occur in the blood, which is carrying the products of the digestion of food recently absorbed through the intestinal capillaries.
The blood is collected a second time into veins, where it again joins the general circulation through the right auricle. In its passage through other organs, the blood is further modified. Coronary circulation is the means by which the heart tissues them selves are supplied with nutrients and oxygen and are freed of wastes. Just beyond these mil unary valves, two coronary arteries branch from the aorta. These then breakup into an elaborate capillary network in the heart muscle and valve tissue .Blood from the coronary capillary circulation enters several small veins, which then enter directly into the right auricle without first passing into the vena cava. The action of the heart consists of successive alternate contraction and relaxation of the muscular walls of the auricles and ventricles. During the period of relaxation, the blood flows from the veins into the two auricles, gradually distending them.
At the end of this period, the auricles are completely dilated then their muscular walls contract, forcing almost the entire contents through the auricular ventricular openings into the ventricles. This action is sudden and occurs almost simultaneously in both auricles. The mass of blood in the veins makes it impossible for any blood to flow backward. The force of blood flowing into the ventricles is not powerful enough to open the semi lunar valves, but it distends the ventricles, which are still in a condition of relaxation. The tricuspid and mitral valves open with the blood current and close readily at the beginning of ventricular contraction. The ventricular systole immediately follows the auricular systole.
The ventricular contraction is slower, but far more forcible then the ventricular chambers are virtually emptied at each systole. The apex of the heart is thrown forward and upward with a slight rotary motion then this impulse, called the apex beat, can be detected between the fifth and sixth ribs. The heart is entirely at rest for a short time after the ventricular systole occurs. The entire cycle can be divided into three periods then in the first, the auricles contract and in the second, the ventricles contract; in the third, both the auricles and the ventricles remain at rest. In humans, with a normal heart rate of approximately 72 heartbeats per minute, the cardiac cycle has a duration of about 0.8 second.
Auricular systole requires about 0.1 second; ventricular systole occupies approximately 0.3 second. Thus, the heart is completely at rest for about 0.4 second, or during perhaps half of each cardiac cycle. With every beat, the heart emits two sounds, which are followed by a short pause. The first sound, coinciding with the ventricular systole, is dull and protracted. The second sound, made by the sudden closure of the semi lunar valves, is shorter and much sharper. Diseases of the heart valves may change these sounds, and many factors, including exercise, cause wide variations in the heartbeat, even in healthy people.
The normal heart rate of animals varies widely from species to species. At one extreme, the heart of a hibernating mammal may beat only a few times a minute; at the other, the hummingbird has a heart rate of 2000 heartbeats per minute. When it enters the arteries at the moment of ventricular contraction, the blood stretches the walls of the arteries. During diastole, the distended arteries return to their normal diameter, in part because of the elasticity of connective tissue and in part because of the contraction of muscles in the arterial walls. This return to normal is important in maintaining a continuous flow of blood through the capillaries during the period while the heart is at rest.
The expansion and contraction of the arterial walls that can be felt in all the arteries near the surface of the skin is called the pulse. The rate and strength of the heartbeat are controlled by nerves through a series of reflexes that speed it up or slow it down. The impulse to contraction, however, is not dependent on external nervous stimuli, but a rises in the heart muscle itself. A small bit of specialized tissue called the Sino auricular node, embedded in the wall of the right auricle, is responsible for initiating the heartbeat. The contraction then spreads over the auricles in the septum between the auricles, it excites another node called the auricular ventricular node.
The auricular ventricular bundle conducts the impulse from this node to the muscles of the ventricles, and in this way contraction and relaxation of the heart are coordinated. Each phase of the cardiac cycle is associated with the production of an electrical potential that can be recorded by electrical instruments to produce a reading known as an electrocardiogram. Circulation of the blood in superficial capillaries can be observed under the microscope. The red blood cells can be seen moving along rapidly in the middle of the blood current, while the white cells advance more slowly along the walls of the capillaries. The capillaries present a far larger surface with which the blood comes in contact than do other blood vessels end because they consequently offer the greatest resistance to the progress of the blood, they have a great influence on the circulation. Capillaries expand when temperature rises and help to cool the blood then they contract in cold and help preserve internal heat.

The female reproductive system is designed to carry out several functions. It produces the female egg cells necessary for reproduction, called the ova or oocytes. The system is designed to transport the ova to the site of fertilization. Conception, the fertilization of an egg by a sperm, normally occurs in the fallopian tubes. The next step for the fertilized egg is to implant into the walls of the uterus, beginning the initial stages of pregnancy. If fertilization and/or implantation does not take place, the system is designed to menstruate (the monthly shedding of the uterine lining). In addition, the female reproductive system produces female sex hormones that maintain the reproductive cycle.
What Parts Make up the Female Anatomy? The female reproductive anatomy includes parts inside and outside the body. The function of the external female reproductive structures (the genitals) is twofold: To enable sperm to enter the body and to protect the internal genital organs from infectious organisms. The main external structures of the female reproductive system include: • Labia majora: The labia majora enclose and protect the other external reproductive organs. Literally translated as "large lips," the labia majora are relatively large and fleshy, and are comparable to the scrotum in males. The labia majora contain sweat and oil-secreting glands. After puberty, the labia majora are covered with hair. • Labia minora: Literally translated as "small lips," the labia minora can be very small or up to 2 inches wide. They lie just inside the labia majora, and surround the openings to the vagina (the canal that joins the lower part of the uterus to the outside of the body) and urethra (the tube that carries urine from the bladder to the outside of the body). • Bartholin's glands: These glands are located beside the vaginal opening and produce a fluid (mucus) secretion. • Clitoris: The two labia minora meet at the clitoris, a small, sensitive protrusion that is comparable to the penis in males. The clitoris is covered by a fold of skin, called the prepuce, which is similar to the foreskin at the end of the penis. Like the penis, the clitoris is very sensitive to stimulation and can become erect.
The internal reproductive organs in the female include: • Vagina: The vagina is a canal that joins the cervix (the lower part of uterus) to the outside of the body. It also is known as the birth canal. • Uterus (womb): The uterus is a hollow, pear-shaped organ that is the home to a developing fetus. The uterus is divided into two parts: the cervix, which is the lower part that opens into the vagina, and the main body of the uterus, called the corpus. The corpus can easily expand to hold a developing baby. A channel through the cervix allows sperm to enter and menstrual blood to exit. • Ovaries: The ovaries are small, oval-shaped glands that are located on either side of the uterus. The ovaries produce eggs and hormones. • Fallopian tubes: These are narrow tubes that are attached to the upper part of the uterus and serve as tunnels for the ova (egg cells) to travel from the ovaries to the uterus. Conception, the fertilization of an egg by a sperm, normally occurs in the fallopian tubes. The fertilized egg then moves to the uterus, where it implants into the lining of the uterine wall.
What Happens During the Menstrual Cycle?
Females of reproductive age experience cycles of hormonal activity that repeat at about one-month intervals. With every cycle, a woman's body prepares for a potential pregnancy, whether or not that is the woman's intention. The term menstruation refers to the periodic shedding of the uterine lining. (Menstru means "monthly"; hence the term menstrual cycle.)
The average menstrual cycle takes about 28 days and occurs in phases: the follicular phase, the ovulatory phase (ovulation), and the luteal phase.
There are four major hormones (chemicals that stimulate or regulate the activity of cells or organs) involved in the menstrual cycle: follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, estrogen, and progesterone.
Follicular Phase of the Menstrual Cycle
This phase starts on the first day of your period. During the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle, the following events occur: • Two hormones, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) are released from the brain and travel in the blood to the ovaries. • The hormones stimulate the growth of about 15 to 20 eggs in the ovaries each in its own "shell," called a follicle. • These hormones (FSH and LH) also trigger an increase in the production of the female hormone estrogen. • As estrogen levels rise, like a switch, it turns off the production of follicle-stimulating hormone. This careful balance of hormones allows the body to limit the number of follicles that mature. • As the follicular phase progresses, one follicle in one ovary becomes dominant and continues to mature. This dominant follicle suppresses all of the other follicles in the group. As a result, they stop growing and die. The dominant follicle continues to produce estrogen.
Ovulatory Phase of the Menstrual Cycle
The ovulatory phase, or ovulation, starts about 14 days after the follicular phase started. The ovulatory phase is the midpoint of the menstrual cycle, with the next menstrual period starting about two weeks later. During this phase, the following events occur: • The rise in estrogen from the dominant follicle triggers a surge in the amount of luteinizing hormone that is produced by the brain. • This causes the dominant follicle to release its egg from the ovary. • As the egg is released (a process called ovulation) it is captured by finger-like projections on the end of the fallopian tubes (fimbriae). The fimbriae sweep the egg into the tube. • Also during this phase, there is an increase in the amount and thickness of mucous produced by the cervix (lower part of the uterus). If a woman were to have intercourse during this time, the thick mucus captures the man's sperm, nourishes it, and helps it to move towards the egg for fertilization.
Luteal Phase of the Menstrual Cycle
The luteal phase of the menstrual cycle begins right after ovulation and involves the following processes: • Once it releases its egg, the empty follicle develops into a new structure called the corpus luteum. • The corpus luteum secretes the hormone progesterone. Progesterone prepares the uterus for a fertilized egg to implant. • If intercourse has taken place and a man's sperm has fertilized the egg (a process called conception), the fertilized egg (embryo) will travel through the fallopian tube to implant in the uterus. The woman is now considered pregnant. • If the egg is not fertilized, it passes through the uterus. Not needed to support a pregnancy, the lining of the uterus breaks down and sheds, and the next menstrual period begins.

How Many Eggs Does a Woman Have?

The vast majority of the eggs within the ovaries steadily die, until they are depleted at menopause. At birth, there are approximately 1 million eggs; and by the time of puberty, only about 300,000 remain. Of these, 300 to 400 will be ovulated during a woman's reproductive lifetime. The eggs continue to degenerate during pregnancy, with the use of birth control pills, and in the presence or absence of regular menstrual cycles. The menstrual cycle is the scientific term for the physiological changes that can occur in fertile women for the purposes of sexual reproduction and fertilization. This article focuses on the human menstrual cycle.
The menstrual cycle, under the control of the endocrine system, is necessary for reproduction. It is commonly divided into three phases: the follicular phase, ovulation, and the luteal phase. It is also occasionally misclassified using the uterine cycle: menstruation, proliferative phase, and secretory phase.[1] Menstrual cycles are counted from the first day of menstrual bleeding. Hormonal contraception interferes with the normal hormonal changes with the aim of preventing reproduction.
Stimulated by gradually increasing amounts of estrogen in the follicular phase, discharges of blood (menses) slow then stop, and the lining of the uterus thickens. Follicles in the ovary begin developing under the influence of a complex interplay of hormones, and after several days one or occasionally two become dominant (non-dominant follicles atrophy and die). Approximately mid-cycle, 24–36 hours after the Luteinizing Hormone (LH) surges, the dominant follicle releases an ovum, or egg in an event called ovulation. After ovulation, the egg only lives for 24 hours or less without fertilization while the remains of the dominant follicle in the ovary become a corpus luteum; this body has a primary function of producing large amounts of progesterone. Under the influence of progesterone, the endometrium (uterine lining) changes to prepare for potential implantation of an embryo to establish a pregnancy. If implantation does not occur within approximately two weeks, the corpus luteum will involute, causing sharp drops in levels of both progesterone and estrogen. These hormone drops cause the uterus to shed its lining and egg in a process termed menstruation.
In the menstrual cycle, changes occur in the female reproductive system as well as other systems (which lead to breast tenderness or mood changes, for example). A woman's first menstruation is termed menarche, and occurs typically around age 12-13. The average age of menarche is about 12.5 years in the United States,[2] 12.72 in Canada,[3] 12.9 in the UK[4] and 13.06 ± 0.10 years in Iceland.[5] The end of a woman's reproductive phase is called the menopause, which commonly occurs somewhere between the ages of 45 and 55.

Wrote By: Samantha Justice