Overview The vagina is a stretchable muscular cavity lined with mucous membranes in the female reproductive system that extends from the uterus (womb) to the vaginal opening. The cervix of the uterus forms the interior end of the vagina, while the vulva–or the external parts of the female genitalia–and labia (singular: labium) form the exterior…
Category: Female Reproductive System
Menopause
What is menopause? Menopause is the cessation of a woman’s menstruation, a normal and natural transition all women go through as they age. When a woman reaches her early to mid-40s, she may start to notice her period becoming irregular. This is often a sign that her body has started the process of becoming infertile,…
Menstrual Products
The most familiar stage of a female’s menstrual cycle is the period. A period is characterized by bleeding from the vagina that lasts approximately three to seven days. Menstrual products provide feminine hygiene by collecting or absorbing blood. There are countless different methods and products that provide this hygienic benefit. The most commonly used menstrual…
The Menstrual Cycle
The menstrual cycle is an automatic and self-regulating process during which the female body undergoes physiological and hormonal changes over the course of 24 to 42 days. This process plays an integral role in to the overall health and function of the female reproductive system and fosters the growth of fertilized ovum into developing fetuses….
The Clitoris
The clitoris is a female sexual organ located at the top part of the vulva, or external female genitalia. The clitoris is an erogenous, highly sensitive zone that contains more nerve endings than any other body part. During sexual arousal, the clitoris becomes larger and firmer due to erection. Although stimulation of the clitoris is…
The G-Spot
The Gräfenberg spot (G-spot), named after German gynecologist Ernst Gräfenberg, is an erogenous area in the vagina, which upon proper stimulation may cause a person to experience sexual arousal that can lead to orgasm, and in some instances ejaculation. The G-spot is located approximately two to three centimeters inside the vaginal canal on the anterior (front wall) of the vagina and changes in size in response to physical stimulation. 1 Prior to stimulation, the…
Overview of the Reproductive System: People with Vaginas
Note: This article was previously titled ‘An Overview of the Female Reproductive System.’ We have changed the language from ‘female’ to ‘people with vaginas’ in the title and throughout the article to be more inclusive, as not all people who identify as women or female have vaginas and not all people with vaginas identify as…
The Breasts
The breast is a tissue that covers both male and female chest muscles. They are secondary sex characteristics and develop differently in males and females. When talking about breasts people generally refer to those of the female. This is because they are an important part of breastfeeding and sexual pleasure. Breasts vary in size, shape,…
The Ovaries and the Ovum
The ovaries are the female gonads, or sex glands. These glands carry out two important functions: ovulation, and the production and secretion of sex hormones. Ovulation is the process of releasing an ovum, or egg, to prepare a female for possible implantation and consequent impregnation. Sex hormones regulate the process which dictates ovulation, known as…