| The Sexual Anatomy Of Woman |
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| External View, closed |
External View, open and flushed. |
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| The Vulva is the external sexual organ of women. The above view (A) shows the external
view of the female vulva as normally seen when the woman is standing up. View (B)
shows the vulva when it is opened, and from the top down one can clearly see the
Veneris Mons, clitoral hood, clitoris, and labia minora. |
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The Vocabulary of the Vulva
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The external female genitals are collectively referred to as The Vulva. All of the
words below are part of the vulva. |
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Mons Veneris.
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The mons veneris, Latin for "hill of Venus" (Roman Goddess of love) is the pad of
fatty tissue that covers the pubic bone below the abdomen but above the labia. The
mons is sexually sensitive in some women and protects the pubic bone from the impact
of sexual intercourse. |
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Labia Majora
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The labia majora are the outer lips of the vulva, pads of fatty tissue that wrap
around the vulva from the mons to the perineum. These labia are usually covered
with pubic hair, and contain numerous sweat and oil glands, and it has been suggested
that the scent from these are sexually arousing. |
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Labia Minora
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The labia minora are the inner lips of the vulva, thin stretches of tissue within
the labia majora that fold and protect the vagina, urethra, and clitoris. The appearance
of labia minora can vary widely, from tiny lips that hide between the labia majora
to large lips that protrude. The most common metaphor for the labia minora is that
of a flower. Both the inner and outer labia are quite sensitive to touch and pressure. |
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Clitoris
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The clitoris, visible in picture (B) as the small white oval between the top of
the labia minora and the clitoral hood, is a small body of spongy tissue that is
highly sexually sensitive. The clitoris is protected by the prepuce, or clitoral
hood, a covering of tissue similar to the labia minora. During sexual excitement,
the clitoris may extend and the hood retract to make the clitoris more accessible.
Some clitori are very small; other women may have large clitori that the hood does
not completely cover. |
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Urethra
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The opening to the urethra is just below the clitoris. It is not related to sex
or reproduction, but is instead the passage for urine. The urethra is connected
to the bladder. Because the urethra is so close to the anus, women should always
wipe themselves from front to back to avoid infecting the vagina and urethra with
bacteria. |
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| Vagina and Hymen |
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The above illustrations show the area between the labia minora. From top to bottom
can be clearly seen the clitoris, urethral opening, and vaginal opening. A, B, and
C show vaginal openings with a normal hymen, a membrane that partially covers the
opening. The hymen is the traditional "symbol" of virginity, although being a very
thin membrane, it can be torn by vigorous exercise or the insertion of a tampon.
Illustration D shows an imperforate hymen that completely closes the vagina; this
rare condition requires surgical intervention to provide for a normal flow of blood
once menstruation begins. Illustration E is of a vagina in a post-partum woman (one
who has given birth). |
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Perineum
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The perineum is the short stretch of skin starting at the bottom of the vulva and
extending to the anus. The perineum in women often tears during birth to accomodate
passage of the child, and this is apparently natural. Some physicians may cut the
perineum preemptively on the grounds that the "tearing" may be more harmful than
a precise scalpel, but statistics show that such cutting in fact may increase the
potential for infection. |
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Female Internal Sexual Anatomy |
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Vagina
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The vagina extends from the vaginal opening to the cervix, the opening to the uterus.
The vagina serves as the receptacle for the penis during sexual intercourse, and
as the birth canal through which the baby passes during labor. The average vaginal
canal is three inches long, possibly four in women who have given birth. This may
seem short in relation to the penis, but during sexual arousal the cervix will lift
upwards and the fornix (see illustration) may extend upwards into the body as long
as necessary to receive the penis. After intercourse, the contraction of the vagina
will allow the cervix to rest inside the fornix, which in its relaxed state is a
bowl-shaped fitting perfect for the pooling of semen. At either side of the vaginal
opening are the Bartholin's glands, which produce small amounts of lubricating fluid,
apparently to keep the inner labia moist during periods of sexual excitement. Further
within are the hymen glands, which secrete lubricant for the length of the vaginal
canal. |
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"G-Spot"
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| The word is in quotes because there is still some debate as to the existance or
purpose of the G- spot. In the illustration above, what is indicated as the g-spot
in fact points to a region known as the Skenes glands, the purpose of which are
unknown. Despite the controversy, one fact remains-- there are many women who claim
that pressure on this region of the vagina is extremely pleasurable. Usually, two
fingers are used, and because the spot is deep within the tissue, some pressure
may be needed. Also, because the Skenes glands are alongside the bladder, some women
may found that the increased pressure makes them feel as if they need to urinate. |
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| Cervix |
The cervix is the opening to the uterus. It varies in diameter from 1 to 3 millimeters,
depending upon the time in the menstrual cycle the measurement is taken. The cervix
is sometimes plugged with cervical mucous to protect the cervix from infection;
during ovulation, this mucous becomes a thin fluid to permit the passage of sperm. |
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| Uterus |
The uterus, or womb, is the main female internal reproductive organ. The inner lining
of the uterus is called the endometrium, which grows and changes during the menstrual
cycle to prepare to receive a fertilized egg, and sheds a layer at the end of every
menstrual cycle if fertilization does not happen. The utereus is lined with powerful
muscles to push the child out during labor. |
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Ovaries
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The ovaries perform two functions: the production of estrogen and progesterone,
the female sex hormones, and the production of mature ova, or eggs. At birth, the
ovaries contain nearly 400,000 ova, and those are all she will ever have. However,
that is far more than she will need, since during an average lifespan she will go
through about 500 menstrual cycles. After maturing, the single egg travels down
the fallopian tube, a journey of three or four days-- this is the period during
which a woman is fertile and pregnancy may occur. Eggs that are not fertilized are
expelled during menstruation. |
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