The female reproductive system contains these parts:

• Ovaries
• Egg tubes (fallopian tubes)
• Uterus (pronounced “yoo-ter-russ”)
• Cervix
• Vagina.
• Ovaries

The two ovaries hold hundreds of undeveloped female sex cells called egg cells or ova. Women have these cells in their bodies from birth – whereas men produce new sperm all the time.

Egg tubes

Each ovary is connected to the uterus by an egg tube. This is otherwise known as the Fallopian tube. The fallopian tube is lined with cilia, which are tiny hairs on cells. Every month, an egg develops and becomes mature, and is released from an ovary. The cilia waft the egg along inside the fallopian tube and into the uterus.

Uterus and cervix

The uterus is also called the womb. It is a muscular bag with a soft lining. The uterus is where a baby develops until its born. The cervix is a ring of muscle at the lower end of the uterus. It closes to keep the baby in place while the woman is pregnant.

Vagina

The vagina is a muscular tube that leads from the cervix to the outside of the woman’s body. A man’s penis goes into the woman’s vagina during sexual intercourse. The opening to the vagina has folds of skin called labia that meet to form a vulva. The urethra also opens into the vulva, but it is separate from the vagina, and is used for passing urine from the body.

The Reproductive System – Periods

The female reproductive system includes a cycle of events called the menstrual cycle. It lasts about 28 days, but it can be slightly less or more than this because everyone is different. The cycle stops while a woman is pregnant. These are the main features of the menstrual cycle.

• The start of the cycle, day 1, is when bleeding from the vagina begins. This is caused by the loss of the lining of the uterus, with a little blood. This is called menstruation or having a period.
• By the end of about day 5, the loss of blood stops. The lining of the uterus begins to re-grow and an egg cell starts to mature in one of the ovaries.
• At about day 14, the mature egg cell is released from the ovary. This is called ovulation. The egg cell travels through the egg tube towards the uterus.
• If the egg cell does not meet with a sperm cell, the lining of the uterus begins to break down and the cycle repeats, (i.e. menstruation).
• If the egg cell meets and joins with a sperm cell, it is fertilised. It attaches to the lining of the uterus and the woman becomes pregnant.