1. © PDST Home Economics

2. THE PURPOSE OF SEXUAL REPRODUCTION IS
TO MAKE NEW INDIVIDUALS SO THAT A
SPECIES MAY CONTINUE

3. Female Reproductive System
FALLOPIANFALLOPIAN
TUBETUBE
(OVIDUCT)(OVIDUCT)
OVARYOVARY WOMBWOMB
(UTERUS)(UTERUS)
CERVIXCERVIX
VAGINAVAGINA
CERVICALCERVICAL
CANALCANAL

4. Structure of the Uterus
It is also known as the womb.
It is a muscular hollow organ.
It is the size and shape of an upside down pear.
It is 7.5cm.long and 5cm.wide.
It expands during pregnancy to accommodate the
foetus.
The lining consists of layers of tissues.
The tissues respond to hormonal secretions.
These layers thicken every month.
This thickened layer acts as a nourishing bed for the
fertilised ovum.

5. Function of the Uterus
It is where the foetus grows and develops.
Every month it prepares itself for a possible
pregnancy, if there is a fertilised ovum.
If there is no fertilised menstruation occurs.

6. Structure of the Ovaries
 They are glands.
 They are about the size and shape of an almond.
 One on either side of the uterus.
 They are just below the fallopian tubes.

7. Functions of the Ovaries
They secrete the hormones progesterone and
oestrogen.
 It stores the female sex cells called ova.
 Ova exist in the body at birth. (not mature as
follicles)
 After puberty one follicle develops releasing an ovum
every month.
 This is known as ovulation.

8. Structure of the Fallopian Tubes
They are funnel shaped tubes.
They start at the top of the uterus and continue to the
ovaries.
Functions of the Fallopian Tubes
They are a passage way from the ovaries to the uterus.
The ovum travels down these tubes to the uterus.
Fertilisation takes place here.
Sperm swims up these tubes to reach the ovum.

9. Structure of the Cervix
 It is the narrow neck of the uterus.
 It opens into the vagina.
 It is usually the width of a pencil lead.
 During childbirth it dilates to allow the passage of the
baby.
Function of the Cervix
It forms the first part of the birth canal.
The dilation of the cervix is a measurement used to
determine how soon childbirth will begin.

10. Structure of the Vagina
 It is a muscular passage.
 It leads from the cervix to the vulva.
 During sexual activity the walls fill with blood causing
them to swell.
Functions of the Vagina
It serves as a passageway for the menstrual blood.
It forms part of the birthing canal.
It is the site of penetration during intercourse.

11.  The external organs of female reproductive
system are known as the vulva.
 The vulva is made up of the following:
 Mons pubis
 Labia
 Clitoris

12. THE MENSTRUAL CYCLE
 A girl’s menstrual cycle begins after puberty and
continues until the menopause
 On average, it is a 28 day cycle
 The cycle is controlled by hormones
 The cycle does not take place during pregnancy

13. THE MENSTRUAL CYCLE
MENSTRUATIONMENSTRUATION
(A PERIOD)(A PERIOD)
LINING OFLINING OF
WOMBWOMB
BUILDS UPBUILDS UP
OVULATIONOVULATION
(EGG(EGG
RELEASED)RELEASED)
LINING OFLINING OF
WOMBWOMB
BUILDS UPBUILDS UP
LINING OFLINING OF
WOMB BEGINSWOMB BEGINS
TO BREAKTO BREAK
DOWNDOWN
FERTILE PERIODFERTILE PERIOD

14. The Menstrual Cycle
 It occurs every 28 days from puberty to menopause.
 It occurs only if fertilisation has not taken place.
Day 1-5
 The endometrium (thick lining of the uterus) breaks
down. This is called menstruation.
 Meiosis (cell reproduction) occurs in the ovary to
produce a new egg surrounded by the Graafian
Follicle.

15. Day 6-13
 Oestrogen is produced by the Graafian Follicle.
 Oestrogen also stimulates the endometrium to thicken
again.
 One Graafian follicle with one egg develops.
 Oestrogen stimulated the production of LH
(leuteinising hormone).

16. Day 14
 The surge of LH stimulates ovulation.
 The egg is released from the Graafian Follicle.
 The egg enters the fallopian tube.
 It can be fertilised for the next 48 hours.

17. Day 15-26
 The corpus luteum (yellow body) develops from the remains
of the Graafian Follicle.
 This produces progesterone and some oestrogen.
 The progesterone causes the endometrium to continue to
thicken.
 It also prevents new eggs from forming.
 The egg that was released at day 14 will die if it is not
fertilised.
 If fertilisation did not take place the corpus luteum begins
to break up.

18. Day 26-28
 Oestrogen and progesterone levels decline.
 The endometrium begins to break down.
 Day one of the cycle begins.

19. SEXUAL INTERCOURSE
 During intercourse, the man places his penis inside the
woman’s vagina
 Semen is released (ejaculation), containing hundreds
of millions of sperm cells
 The sperm enter the womb and swim towards the
fallopian tubes

20. SEXUAL INTERCOURSE
 Only one sperm can fertilise an egg
 This can take place successfully only in the fallopian
tube
 Fertilisation is also known as conception

21. PREGNANCY
 The fertilised egg travels down the fallopian tube,
growing as it does so into a ball of cells
 Before a woman can be pregnant, this ball of cells
must attach itself to the inside wall of the womb
 This step is called implantation

22. PREGNANCY
The ball of cells grows and becomes an embryo
(up to eight weeks)
Once the embryo is recognisably human, it is
called a foetus
It takes 40 weeks (9 months) for the foetus
to fully develop inside the womb

23. PREGNANCY
 Inside the womb, the foetus is attached to the
placenta by the umbilical cord (which joins to
the baby’s navel)
 The placenta is attached to the inside wall of
the womb
 The foetus is surrounded by amniotic fluid,
which acts as a shock-absorber and to keep
the baby warm

24. THE FOETUS IN THE WOMB
WOMBWOMB
FOETUSFOETUS
VAGINA (BIRTH CANAL)VAGINA (BIRTH CANAL)
PLACENTAPLACENTA
UMBILICALUMBILICAL
CORDCORD
AMNIOTIC FLUIDAMNIOTIC FLUID
CERVIXCERVIX

25. 4 weeks4 weeks5 months5 months
8 months8 months

26. placenta
UmbilicalUmbilical
cordcord

27. Functions of the Parts:
 The placenta is the baby’s “life-support” inside the
womb
 It filters food and oxygen from the mother’s blood
and passes it to the baby
 It removes waste such as CO2 from the baby’s
blood and passes it to the mother’s blood so that
she can excrete it

28.  It also keeps the mother’s and baby’s blood
separate, so that the mother’s immune system
doesn’t reject the baby

29. BIRTH
 During birth, the baby passes down the vagina and out
of the mother’s body
 This stage is known as labour
 After birth, the umbilical cord must be cut

30.  The baby must now breathe on its own for the
first time

31. CUTTING THE UMBILICALCUTTING THE UMBILICAL
CORDCORD

32. PARTS OF THE MALE
REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM
PENISPENIS
TESTICLETESTICLE
SPERMSPERM
DUCTDUCT PROSTATEPROSTATE
GLANDGLAND
BLADDERBLADDER
URETHRAURETHRA
SCROTUMSCROTUM
EPIDIDYMISEPIDIDYMIS

33. Structure of the Penis
 The main external sexual organ of the male.
 It consists of erectile tissue, foreskin and urethra.
 The urethra, a tube runs through the centre and
acts as a duct for urine and semen.
 The tip of the penis is known as the “glans”
 This tissue is full of blood vessels.
 Surrounding the glans is the foreskin which protects
the glans.

34. Function of the Penis
It is an organ of excretion. (urine)
It is an organ of reproduction.
 It becomes erect during intercourse.
 This increases the amount of blood circulating in
the penis.
 It will become rigid which allows for penetration
into the vagina.
 It delivers semen.

35. Structure of the Testes
 The testes are two glands.
 They are within a sac of skin called the scrotum.
 They develop in the abdomen and descend into the
scrotum before birth.

36. Functions of the Testes
 They produce sperm.
 Testosterone (hormone) is responsible for male
sexual characteristics.
 Sperm is also stores in the testes, because they
must be kept at a slightly lower temperature than
average body temperature.

37. Structure of the Epididymis
 It is a tightly coiled tube.
 It straightens out into the sperm duct.
Function of the Epididymis
It stores semen.
It transports semen.
Its where immature sperm develop.

38. Structure of the Scrotum
 It is a sac containing the testes, epididymis.
 It has an outer layer of skin.
 An inner layer of muscle.
Functions of the Scrotum
It protects the testes keeping them at the right
temperature.
The testes are outside the body to keep them cooler.

39. Structure of Sperm
 Sperm look like tadpoles.
 They have a head, middle section and a tail.
 The tail helps to propel the sperm along the vagina.
 The head is the nucleus and has 23 chromosomes.

40. Function of Sperm
 It fertilises the ova.
 The head inserts itself into the ovum and the tail
breaks away.
 Only one sperm is needed to fertilise an ovum.
 The semen is a fluid which contains sperm.
 Semen is excreted from the prostate gland and
seminal vesicle.

41. Structure of the Prostrate Gland
 It’s a small gland.
 It lies between the bladder and rectum.
Functions of the Prostrate
Gland
It produces two secretions.
One moistens the urethra.
The other is part of the seminal fluid, which helps the
semen to travel along the urethra.