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Sexuality
and Sexual Health - Keeping My Pink Bits Healthy
Maybe
you weren't there the day they covered this at school; maybe
you went to the kind of school that didn't do sex education,
or maybe you were so embarrassed that you didn't pay attention.
Whatever the reason, if you're a little confused about female
genitalia and reproductive organs, here's your chance to get
back to basics and find out what's going on 'down below'.
External
genitalia
The anatomical name for the external female genitalia is the
vulva.
The
vulva includes
- Labia
majora. These are the large lips of the vagina, fatty folds
of skin covered in hair on the outside.
- Labia
minora. These are the small lips, delicate folds of skin
located between the labia majora.
- Clitoris.
This is a tiny knob of tissue and nerve endings located
at the top of the labia minora. The clitoris is the female
equivalent of the penis in terms of sensitivity and sexual
arousal.
- Vestibule.
This is the cleft below the clitoris and between the labia
minora.
- Urethra.
This is located just below the clitoris, the urethra is
the external opening to the urinary tract. Urine is expelled
from the urethra
The
Vagina
The
vagina is both a genital and a reproductive organ with the
vaginal opening located just below the urethra.
In
some young women the vagina is covered by the hymen, a thin
membrane with at least one opening. Although an intact hymen
is still considered a sign of virginity in some cultures,
many women break their hymen during sport or through sexual
exploration. The hymen bleeds when it tears and if this occurs
during sexual intercourse it may be painful.
The
vagina is a muscular tube of great elasticity. While the walls
normally remain close together, it has the capacity to expand
to allow childbirth to occur.
Internal
organs
- Ovaries.
These are two small, almond-shaped glands that produce eggs
(ova). The ovaries also make the sex hormones oestrogen
and progesterone. An egg is released from the ovary approximately
every 28 days in a process called ovulation.
- Fallopian
tubes. These are small hollow tubes that lead from the ovaries
to the top of the uterus. The egg travels to the uterus
via the Fallopian tubes. Sperm travels to the Fallopian
tubes in search of an egg to fertilise.
- Uterus.
Commonly known as the womb, the uterus, is an upside-down,
pear-shaped, hollow reproductive organ located in the pelvis
between the bladder and the rectum. Its lining is called
the endometrium which is where a foetus (fertilised egg)
is implanted and grows during pregnancy.
- Cervix.
This is the neck or entrance to the uterus. The cervix is
located at the top of the vagina. It helps hold the developing
foetus in place.
Page
maintained by:FPV Webmaster
Last updated:24/01/2006
© Family Planning Victoria
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