External Female Genitalia
A) Vulva: General term referring to the external genitalia of women and sometimes referring to the entire area between the legs: mons pubis, labia majora, labia minora, clitoris, urethra and vaginal opening.
B) Mons Veneris: Soft elevation of adipose (fatty) tissue at the top of the pubis. Is most often identified by a triangular shaped patch of hair located horizontally below the abdomen.
C) Labia Majora: Thick skin folds covered with pubic hair shaped like lips.
D) Labia Minora: Folds of skin in the shape of lips, grow close to the outer orifice of the vagina. They cover the vaginal vestibule where the vaginal and urethral orifices are located. It is found surrounded by the labia majora.
E) Clitoris: Small pea-sized mass made up entirely of nerves. It is the only organ dedicated exclusively for sexual pleasure.
F) Urethra: Small opening located below the clitoris and above the vagina where urine is excreted.
G) Vagina (Vaginal Opening): Opening in the lower part of the vulva below the urethra. Appearance depends very much on the shape and condition of the hymen.
Hymen: Membrane or thin piece of skin that can have different shapes and sizes, partially covering the vaginal entrance. Has no known function.
Anus: Separate from the external genitalia and lower than the vaginal opening nearer to the backside of the body.
Figure 1. Illustration of External Female Genitalia
Internal Female Genitalia
H) Ovaries: Almond shaped organ found on each side of the uterus. Produce eggs and female hormones (estrogen and progesterone). Contain capsules or follicles, each containing an egg. Every woman is born with approximately 400,000 eggs, which begin to mature during puberty. Thus, each month a follicle is broken releasing a mature egg.
J) Uterus: Hollow organ made of strong muscles shaped like a small, inverted pear; centered between the fallopian tubes. It is here during pregnancy, that the fetus develops. The inner layer of the uterus is called the endometrium, which consists of a rich network of blood vessels that thickens throughout the menstrual cycle until it sheds, which causes monthly bleeding or menstruation.
I) Fallopian Tubes: Two tubelike "passageways" that transport the egg from the ovaries to the uterus helped by cilia (or hairs) that line the tubes. This is where fertilization occurs (union of the egg with the sperm).
K) Cervix: Narrow neck-like passage between the uterus and vagina.
Figure 2. Illustration of Internal Female Genitalia
L) Vaginal Canal: Passageway between the uterus and the outside of the female body. It is the organ of copulation and receptor of semen. Here is where the menstrual flow passes through and the baby during childbirth.
M) Endometrium: Mucous membrane lining the uterus, which thickens during the menstrual cycle in preparation for the possible implantation of an embryo.
Sources:
Sosa Josué; Sansores Deily; Suárez Lizandra y Rodríguez Lucía. (2018). Illustration of External Female Genitalia. [Figure 1]. Sourced from the book of sexual and reproductive health (P. 9).
Sosa Josué; Sansores Deily; Suárez Lizandra y Rodríguez Lucía. (2018). Illustration of Internal Female Genitalia.. [Figura 2]. Sourced from the book of sexual and reproductive health (P. 10).