Difference Between Women And Men Part 3

The Uterus: This is a hollow, muscular organ, which is located in the middle of the bony pelvis, lying between the bladder in front and the bowel behind. It is pear-shaped, and its muscular front and back walls bulge into cavity which is normally narrow and slitlike, until pregnancy occurs.

Basically, the uterus is an even more remarkable organ than the vagina. Before pregnancy, it averages 9cm (3 1/4m) in length, 6cm (2 1/2m) I width at its widest point, and weighs 60g (2oz). In pregnancy, it enlarges to weigh 1000g (2 1/4lb), and is able to contain a baby measuring 40cm (17in) in length.

The Oviducts: These are otherwise called Fallopian tubes. These are two small, hollow tubes, one on each side, which stretch for about 10cm (4in) from the upper part of the uterus to lie in contact with the ovary on each side. The outer end of each oviduct is divided into long finger-like processes, and it is thought that these sweep up the egg when it is expelled from the ovary. The oviduct is lined with cells shaped like goblets, which lie between cells with fond-like boarders. The oviduct is of great importance, as it is within it that fertilization of the egg takes place, and it is likely that its secretion helps to nourish the fertilized egg as it moved by the cells with long fronds towards the uterus.

The two ovaries are almond-shaped organs, averaging 3.5cm (1 1/2m) in length and 2cm ( 3/4m) in breadth. In the infant they are small, delicate, thin structures, but after puberty, they enlarge to reach the adult proportions mentioned. After the menopause, they become small and wrinkled, and in old age, they are less than half their adult size.

Each ovary has a center made up of small cells and a mesh of vessels. Surrounding this is the ovary proper-the cortex-which contains about 200,000 egg cells lying in a cellular bed called the stroma, and outside again, protecting the egg cells and the ovarian stroma, is a thicken layer of tissue.

The Ovaries are the equivalent of the male testes and in addition to containing the egg cells on which all human life depends, are hormone factory producing the female hormone, which are so important.

Finally, as can be appreciated, the passage within the genital track extends from the vestibule, along the vagina, through the cervix and uterus, and along the tubes to the ovaries. It is because of this that the male spermatozoa can reach the female egg for fertilization to take place within the body.