Body Parts

Internal Organs of the Female Reproductive System

Ovaries

Pair of almond-shaped organs located in the pelvic cavity.  Egg cells are stored in the ovaries.

Ovum (pl. ova)

Female egg cell.

Graafian follicles

100,000 microscopic sacs that make up a large portion of the ovaries.  Each follicle contains an immature ovum.  Normally one graafian follicle develops to maturity monthly between puberty and menopause.  It moves to the surface of the ovary and releases the ovum, which passes into the fallopian tube.

Fallopian, or uterine, tubes

Pair of 5-inch (12-cm) tubes, attached to the uterus, that provide a passageway for the ovum to move from the ovary to the uterus.

Fimbria (pl. fimbriae)

Finger-like projection at the free end of the fallopian tube.

Uterus

Pear-sized and pear-shaped muscular organ that lies in the pelvic cavity, except during pregnancy when it enlarges and extends up into the abdominal cavity.  Its functions are menstruation, pregnancy, and labor.

Endometrium

Inner lining of the uterus.

Myometrium

Muscular middle layer of the uterus.

Perimetrium

Outer thin layer that covers the surface of the uterus.

Corpus, or body

Large central portion of the uterus.

Fundus

Rounded upper portion of the uterus.

Cervix

Narrow lower portion of the uterus.

Vagina

A 3-inch (7-8 cm) tube that connects the uterus to the outside of the body.

Hymen

Fold of membrane found near the opening of the vagina.

Rectouterine pouch

Pouch between the posterior wall of the uterus and the anterior wall of the rectum (also called Douglas cul-de-sac).

Glands of the Female Reproductive System

Bartholin glands

Pair of mucus-producing glands located on each side of the vagina and just above the vaginal opening.

Mammary glands, or breasts

Milk-producing glands of the female.  Each breast consists of 15-20 divisions, or lobes.

Mammary papilla

Breast nipple.

Areola

Pigmented area around the breast nipple.

External female reproductive structures

Vulva, or external genitals

Two pairs of lips (labia major and labia minora) that surround the vagina.

Clitoris

Highly erogenous erectile body located anterior to the urethra.

Perineum

Pelvic floor in both the male and female.  In females it usually refers to the area between the vaginal opening and the anus.

Prefixes

peri-

surrounding (outer)

Combining Forms

arche/o

first, beginning

cervic/o, trachel/o

cervix

colp/o, vagin/o

vagina

culd/o

cul-de-sac

episi/o, vulv/o

vulva

gynec/o, gyn/o

woman

hymen/o

hymen

hyster/o, uter/o, metr/o, metr/i

uterus

mamm/o, mast/o

breast

men/o

menstruation

oophor/o

ovary

perine/o

perineum

salping/o

fallopian tube (uterine tube)

Suffixes

-atresia

absence of a normal body opening; occlusion; closure

-ial

pertaining to

-salpinx

fallopian tube

Medical Terms – not built from word parts

Adenomyosis

Growth of endometrium into the muscular portion of the uterus.

Anterior and posterior colporrhaphy (A&P repair)

When a weakened vaginal wall results in a cystocele (protrusion of the bladder against the anterior wall of the vagina) and a rectocele (protrusion of the rectum against the posterior wall of the vagina), an A&P repair corrects the condition.

Breast cancer

Malignant tumor of the breast.

Ca-125 (cancer antigen-125 tumor marker)

A blood test used in the detection of ovarian cancer.  It is also used to monitor treatment and to determine the extent of the disease.

Cervical cancer

Malignant tumor of the cervix.

Conization

The surgical removal of a cone-shaped area of the cervix.  Used in the treatment for non-invasive cervical cancer.

Cryosurgery

The destruction of tissue by using extreme cold.  Used in the treatment of early stages of cervical cancer.

Dilation and curettage

Dilation (widening) of the cervix and scraping of the endometrium with an instrument calling a curette.  It is performed to diagnose disease, to correct bleeding, and to empty uterine contents.

Dyspareunia

Difficult or painful intercourse.

Endometrial ablation

A procedure to destroy or remove the endometrium by use of laser or thermal energy.  Used to treat abnormal uterine bleeding.

Endometrial cancer

Malignant tumor of the endometrium.  Also called uterine cancer.

Endometriosis

Abnormal condition in which endometrial tissue grows in various areas in the pelvic cavity, including ovaries, fallopian tubes, intestines, and uterus.

Estrogen replacement therapy

Replacement of hormones to treat menopause (also called hormone replacement therapy).

Fibrocystic breast disease

A disorder characterized by one or more benign cysts in the breast.

Fibroid tumor

Benign fibroid tumor of the uterine muscle (also called myoma of the uterus or leiomyoma).

Fistula

Abnormal passageway between two organs or between an internal organ and the body surface.

Laparoscopy or laparoscopic surgery

Visual examination of the abdominal cavity, accomplished by inserting a laparoscope through a tiny incision near the umbilicus.  It is used for surgical procedures such as tubal sterilization (blocking of the fallopian tubes), hysterectomy, oophorectomy, or biopsy of the ovaries.  It may also be used to diagnose endometriosis.

Menopause

Cessation of menstruation, usually around the ages of 48 to 53 years.

Myomectomy

Excision of a fibroid tumor (myoma) from the uterus.

Ovarian cancer

Malignant tumor of the ovary.

Pap smear

A cytological study of cervical and vaginal secretions used to determine the presence of abnormal or cancerous cells.  Most commonly used to detect cancers of the cervix (also called Papanicolaou smear and Pap test).

Pelvic inflammatory disease

Inflammation of the female pelvic organs.

Premenstrual syndrome

A syndrome involving physical and emotional symptoms occurring in the 10 days before menstruation.  Symptoms include nervous tension, irritability, mastalgia, edema, and headache.  Its cause is not fully understood.

Prolapsed uterus

Downward displacement of the uterus in the vagina (also called hysteroptosis).

Sentinel lymph node biopsy

An injection of blue dye and/or radioactive isotope is used to identify the sentinel lymph nodes, the first in the axillary chain, and most likely to contain metastasis of breast cancer.  The nodes are removed and microscopically examined.  If negative no more nodes are removed.

Speculum

Instrument for opening a body cavity to allow visual inspection.

Stereotactic breast biopsy

A technique that combines mammography and computer-assisted biopsy to obtain tissue from a breast lesion.

Toxic shock syndrome

A severe illness characterized by high fever, rash, vomiting, diarrhea, and myalgia, followed by hypotension and, in severe cases, shock and death.  Usually affects menstruating women using tampons.  Caused by staphylococcus aureus and streptococcus pyogenes.

Transvaginal sonography

An ultrasound procedure that uses a transducer placed in the vagina to obtain images of the ovaries, uterus, cervix, fallopian tubes and surrounding structures.  Used to diagnose masses such as ovarian cysts or tumors, to monitor pregnancy, and to evaluate ovulation for the treatment of infertility.

Tubal ligation

Closure of the fallopian tubes for sterilization.

Vesicovaginal fistula

Abnormal opening between the bladder and the vagina.

Abbreviations

A&P

anterior and posterior colporrhaphy

Cx

cervix

D&C

dilation and curettage

ERT

estrogen replacement therapy

FBD

fibrocystic breast disease

GYN

gynecology

PID

pelvic inflammatory disease

PMS

premenstrual syndrome

SHG

sonohysterogram

TAH/BSO

total abdominal hysterectomy/bilateral salpingo-oophorectomhy

TSS

toxic shock syndrome

TVH

total vaginal hysterectomy

TVS

transvaginal sonography