Most of the sex organs of a woman are not visible to the naked eye, particularly those which actually are helpful in reproduction. Female sex organs are more complicated than the male organs. A brief description of all the major female organs is given here.
VAGINA
It is like a canal or tube that extends from the vulva to the cervix (neck of the uterus) and measures about 3½ to 4 inches in length, when in its normal and relaxed position. It is a gateway to admit insertion of the penis and is capable of expanding so as to adjust itself to the length and thickness of the penis. Vagina has manifold functions to perform viz.
• Allowing entry of male organ (penis) and not letting the same ruptured or injured due to
its cosy and flexible walls by producing a liquid which keeps the penis and vagina saturated,
moisture and lubricant.
• It receives male sperm and carries the same towards the uterus (womb) to meet ova.
• It allows the passage of menstrual and leucorrhoea flows.
• Through this tube the child passes out.
• Its flexible walls secrete a fine fluid that is a great cleanser and moisturiser.
• Despite its narrow passage but due to its capacity for contraction and expansion, it can accommodate even a large-sized penis.
In certain ladies, particularly young girls, accommodation of even an average penis is a problem, due to the fact that vaginal walls neither expand nor excrete vaginal moisturiser. But, as time passes, it regains its lost capacity.
WOMB OR UTERUS
The uterus is a pear-shaped muscular organ that resembles almost the shape of an infant’s feeding bottle. In a virgin, its length is about 2-3 inches and width about 2 inches. Its muscles expand with the growing size of the child during the course of pregnancy. It is situated at right angles to the vagina. It has an opening or neck which is called the cervix, and its upper part is connected with two fallopian tubes that emanate from the ovaries.
Strong ligaments of the pelvis support the uterus. Its upper end is heavy and directed towards the front of the pelvis whereas the cervix (small end) opens into the vagina and closes its upper end.
It is endowed with so much of elastic-power that it starts secreting after childbirth and gradually returns to its original position. Its muscles are so powerful that they help the baby to move out. From the inception of the formation of the baby until the delivery the vagina retains a sufficient amount of food supplies to nurture and nourish the child.
OVARIES AND FALLOPIAN TUBES
Ovaries’ function is like that of male testes. The upper end of the womb is joined by the fallopian tubes each fallopian tube measuring about 5½ inches in length. The chief function of these fallopian tubes is to conduct the passage of the ovum from the ovaries to the uterus, which function is attained through contractibility of the tubes’ finger like fringes called as ‘Fimbria’ whose sweeping motion remains only in one direction that helps the egg cells to move in a particular direction i.e. from fallopian tubes towards the womb. ‘Ovulation’ is the technical term used for fertilization of an egg cell (ovum) which takes place, in some cases, during the time of its journey (movement) from the fallopian tube. When an egg gets fertilised, it moves down the fallopian tube towards the uterus.
MORE ABOUT OVARIES AND FALLOPIAN TUBES
There is no existence of fallopian tubes in a male, but male testes are compared to female’s ovaries. Fallopian tubes join the upper end of the uterus and their chief function is to conduct ovum from the ovaries to the uterus. But, for the ovaries and fallopian tubes, there would have been no production of ovum, which at the time of ejaculation, establishes contact with the male sperm. An ovum is born when it takes up its journey from the tube to the uterus. In some ladies, fallopian tubes are so thick, rigid and hard, narrow that eggs can neither enter the tube nor travel to the uterus. A narrow passage of these tubes also hinders feeding to the foetus. Since the ovum develops in these tubes, the aforesaid inhibitory factors stand out as obstacles.
Atrophy and narrow passage should be fully treated, so that defect is removed in time. The hormonal function of the ovaries is far more complex as compared to the male testes. Hormonal secretions govern the personality and make-up of a lady and her female character. Ovaries also govern normal functioning and various other chemical substances that control reproductive functions. If ovaries are removed at the time of puberty or even earlier, female development gets drastically changed.
The egg cells start to mature from the time of onset of menstruation.
VULVA
These two fleshy folds (which are covered with hair) are the two outer lips (labia majora) but, when parted with the help of fingers, they look like inner lips (called labia), in the inner side of which (labia) are covered with a mucus membrane. These inner labia are the seats of sexual excitement and sensation. During the course of conjugation, those lips are continuously massaged by to-and-fro movement by rubbing action of the penis.
CLITORIS
Its male counterpart is the glans-penis of a male. It has erectile tissue and gets into an erectile position when touched by the tip of the male penis or when massaged gently by the thumb and adjoining fingers. Clitoris is covered from above by a hood of skin and is a highly sensitive organ which is a trigger point in sexual stimulation. It is an epicentre of the eminence of sexual feeling that initiates from this organ and sends the female body into volleys of sexual excitement. The sexual excitement, generated by caressed fondling and gentle massage, permeates the whole female body when vaginal juices start secreting giving a clear indication to a man that the lady is ready for intercourse. As blood circulation in the clitoris increases, it attains an erectile position and its form assumes, in certain ladies the size of a thumb or else a mini penis.
Since the clitoris is a highly sensitive organ, it is amenable to bacterial infection. Hence, it must be kept free of any unhygienic effect, lest infection spreads to surrounding organs. In Western countries, clitoris stimulation is a highly valued sexual method.
HYMEN
The hymen is a thin membrane that lies just below the urinary passage. During the first intercourse, the hymen gets ruptured, resulting in mild pain, soreness and bleeding. In young girls, it gets ruptured during the pre-marital stage even, due to falls, jerks, jumpings, during playing games, performing some rigorous work or performing athletic feats etc. Certain hymens are too tough to be broken (ruptured) even after a number of intercourses, but a soft hymen is torn apart by penile thrusts.
Unfortunately, for newly married girls, the hymen is still considered to be a symbol of chastity and virginity, for the simple reason that if a married lady, on first meeting (sexual intercourse) with her husband, does not pass blood, her virginity is suspected upon and an accusing finger is raised against her. In a few cases, it is taken as an excuse for a break-up or
divorce.
BREASTS
The first organ that distinguishes a female from a male is her breast, which indicates the womanhood of a lady. A lady who has undeveloped breasts is called a ‘flat-breasted’ lady. Though, breasts have no role to play in the reproduction of a child, it is the most significant part of her body, next only to her clitoris, to elevate the sexual arousal of a lady. Nipples are generally of light
brown colour and the round area, around the nipples, is known as an ‘areola’. Nipples form one of the most sensitive erogenous zones on a woman’s body. They are directly connected with the lady’s other sex organs. Most sensuous sexual desire reaches its zenith, when nipples are touched, squeezed and sucked and they are a direct source of sending even a ‘cold’ lady into sexual ecstasy. Man always loves to handle, caress and suck his woman’s breast nipples.
Erectile, elevated, rounded, muscular and shapely breasts are indicative of a woman’s beauty and add to her personality. If there are endocrine gland disorders, breasts may enlarge or even remain miniature, but in either case, it does not constitute a disease. Breasts consist of skin, fat matter, milk producing glands, a tube that stores milk within, nipples and areola. Breasts start to develop in; size, volume and shape. As a woman conceives, her breasts enlarge, so as to accommodate milk production. In certain women, breasts get so filled with an extra quantity of milk that milk needs to be squeezed out or else it wets and saturates the bra. These days, small breasts can be easily enlarged by way of plastic surgery or else by using padded bras. There are about twenty ducts and each of them helps to produce milk. Before these ducts open into a nipple, these ducts enlarge and broaden to accommodate the storage of milk. There is no denying the fact that breastfeeding is, by far, the safest and cheapest source of feeding a child.
If breasts are not tied with a bra, they hang down and become pendulous, unshapely and flabby. Moreover, large breasts are not easy to manage, as they spoil the figure of a lady. Hence, due care and hygiene of breasts is an important part of any lady’s personal hygiene. Sagging and pendulous breasts do not delight a male also, and in some cases, they are driven away from sexual pleasure.
In order to keep healthy and attractive breasts the ladies should take the following measures, viz.
• Use only such bras which are neither too tight nor loose. If the bra is extra tight, it will hinder the respiratory process, but if too loose the breasts will hang and sag and lose their shape lines.
• Wash nipples and the area around the nipples daily, while taking a bath and if, there is any injury, eruption or ache get the same treatment.
• Any hardness in any part of the breast needs to be investigated. If there is a growth, which is benign, but is painless, there is no occasion for any anxiety, but when tenderness or pain is felt, it must be got examined.
• Lactating mothers should keep their nipples absolutely free from any infection lest the child’s health gets adversely affected by the transmittance of infection to the child.
• Even after feeding your child, make it a habit to wash your nipples each time, but do not apply any medicine in case of any disorder. You should not breastfeed your child as long as your infection persists. Let out a few drops from your nipples before feeding your child. Make sure that the child doesn’t get suffocated due to extra milk flow from the breasts. If that is the case, there should be provided with some gap when the child is sucking milk—it will provide her much-needed respite and gap.