Human Sexuality - Sept 17,2010

Female Sexual Anatomy

External Sex Organs

Mons Veneris

- covers pelvic bone, just above the clitoris

Labia Majora

- Labia means 'lips'

-Protective layer, contains fatty tissue

Labia Minora

- form the prepuce

Clitoris

- Penis and Clitoris develops from the same tissue, just without testosterone

- Also attached right to the pubic bone

- During arousal, this tissue engorges with blood - the crura and the vestibular bulbs

- Only seems to have the purpose of sexual arousal

Vestibule

-refers to area in the labia minora

- where urine flows out, and vaginal opening

- Susceptible to infection

Perineum

-Between the vagina and the anus

- Often cut during child birth

Vaginal Opening

- Before sexual intercourse, there is a thin membrane, called the hymen.

Covers vaginal opening. Has holes, to allow for menstrual cycle

- Hymen symbol of virginity, some women stuck blood soaked sponges internally, and tried to 'sew' it back on to appear to be a virgin.

Bartholins glands

- excrete drops of fluid during arousal - do not contribute to lubrication

Muscles allow control over urethra, with child birth and aging, muscles relax and stretch.

Do a series of exercises to strengthen muscles. Do your KEGELS !

Internal Sex Organs

Vagina

- Soft layer, similar to in the mouth

-Next layer is muscular

- Final layer is fiberous

-Between 7 1/2 - 12 inches long, and can collapse

- Before puberty, the walls dont stretch and are fairly thin

- During puberty, walls become thicker and form lots of blood vessels

- From the blood vessels lubrication actually occurs.

- During menopause the blood vessels start to die away - lubrication is more difficult

- Nerve endings is quite low, clitoris has the most nerve endings, vagina doesnt have as many.

- The G-spot, on the bladder side 1/3rd of the way up. Provides sexual pleasure, creates orgasmic experience.

- Equivilant to a mans prostate

- The Skenes gland enlarges during sex, is the reason for the G-spot

- Vagina cleanses itself through discharge

Uterus

-where fertilized egg goes

-Under most layer is called the endometrium

-period is the shedding of the layers in the endometrium

Miometrium

-muscular layer

-muscles contract during child birth

Fallopian tubes

-ovaries release mature egg through fallopian tube

-fertilization occurs here.

-eggs only live for 2 days, egg moves 2 centimeters

-eptopic pregnancy, when the fallopian tube bursts and there is

internal bleeding - due to fertilized egg that was stuck.

- All the eggs a woman has, she has a birth