A woman's reproductive system coordinates an incredible environment to produce and nurture a new person. A woman's body not only contributes half of the genetic material needed to create a baby (in the form of an egg or 'ova') but also provides the optimum conditions for her egg to become fertilised by the man's sperm, so that her newly conceived baby can implant in her womb. Her body then changes to protect, nourish and accommodate the growth of her baby for about 9 months, before the baby is ready to leave her body to survive independently.
The following provides an overview of the non-pregnant female reproductive system. We will first describe the woman's external genitals before explaining the internal reproductive organs.
Woman's external genitals
Woman's internal reproductive organs
Woman's external genitals
A woman's external genitals are collectively known as her 'vulva', which means 'covering'. A woman's vulva is made up of several structures that surround the entrance to her vagina. Each structure has its own separate function and are as follows:
Labia majora
Labia minora
Clitoris
Vaginal vestibule
Urethral meatus
Perineal body
Labia majora. The 'labia majora' are the two large folds of fatty tissue on either side of the vagina. (The word 'labia' means 'lips' and 'majora' means 'main'.) The labia majora are covered on the outer surface with skin and pubic hair and contain sweat glands. The inner surfaces of the 'lips' are free from hair, and covered by a moist, slippery skin known as a 'mucous membrane'. The size of each woman's labia majora will vary considerably from woman to woman and their main function is to protect the other parts of her genitalia lying between them. The tissue that forms the labia majora in baby girls, is the same tissue that forms the scrotum in baby boys, when they are developing in the womb.
Labia minora. The 'labia minora' (or 'small lips') lie within the two labia majora.