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1. What
is the reproductive system in females like?
The reproductive system in
females consists of outer (external genitals)
and inner structures. The outer structures include vulva and vagina. The inner structures
consist of the uterus, ovaries and cervix.
2 What
are the salient features of the outer
structures?
The outer structures include the vulva and
vagina. The vulva is the external visible
portion while the vagina is a muscular tube
that connects the uterus and cervix to the
outside of the body. The vagina allows for the
flow of menstrual blood and for sexual
intercourse, and is the passageway through
which a baby is born.
3.
What
are the salient features of the inner
structures?
The inner structures consist of
the uterus, ovaries and cervix. The
uterus commonly referred to as the
womb, is a hollow muscular organ located in
the lower abdomen.
The main function of the uterus is to nourish
the developing baby prior to birth.
The cervix is the
lower end of the uterus. It is located at the
top of the
vagina and is about one inch long. The
cervix allows for flow of menstrual blood and
passage of the baby from the uterus during
delivery. It also provides a passage way for
the sperms to move up from the vagina towards
the ovaries. The ovaries are
organs which produce the ovum or egg and are
located at the tubal ends (also known as
fallopian tubes) of the uterus.
What
is the reproductive system in males like?
The reproductive system in
males consists of outer visible structures
which include the penis and scrotum and inner
structures which include testes, vas deferens,
prostrate, epididymis and seminal vesicles.
5. What
are the salient features of the outer
structures?
The penis is the male organ used
for urination and sexual intercourse. It is
made of spongy tissue and blood vessels. The
scrotum consists of a pair of outer
sacs located on both sides of the penis which
contain the testes.
6. What
are the salient features of the inner
structures?
The inner structures include testes, vas
deferens, epididymis and seminal vesicles. The
testes are two egg-shaped male reproductive
organs located in scrotum. They produce sperm
and the male hormone,
testosterone. The sperms are stored
in the epididymis till they attain complete
maturation. The vas deferens is tubes which
carry the sperm to the seminal vesicles, where
the sperms are stored before being released
into the opening of the penis for ejaculation.
The prostrate is a sex gland in men. It is
about the size of a walnut, and surrounds the
neck of the bladder and urethra - the tube
that carries urine from the bladder. The
prostate gland secretes a slightly alkaline
fluid that forms part of the seminal fluid, a
fluid that carries sperm.
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