7.1 – Introduction to the Female Reproductive System

Learning Objectives

  • Identify the anatomy and describe the main functions of the female reproductive system
  • Analyze, translate, and define medical terms and common abbreviations of the female reproductive system
  • Practice the spelling and pronunciation of female reproductive system medical terminology
  • Identify the medical specialties associated with the female reproductive system and explore common diseases, disorders, diagnostic tests and procedures

Female Reproductive System Word Parts

Click on prefixes, combining forms, and suffixes to reveal a list of word parts to memorize for the female reproductive system.

Female Reproductive System Word Parts

Prefix

  • peri– (surrounding)
  • endo– (within, inside)
  • a– (absence of, without)
  • an– (absence of, without)
  • dys– (painful, difficult, abnormal, laboured)
Combining Form
  • arche/o (first, beginning)
  • cervic/o (cervix)
  • colp/o (vagina)
  • endometri/o (endometrium)
  • episi/o (vulva)
  • gyn/o (woman)
  • gynec/o (woman)
  • hymen/o (hymen)
  • hyster/o (uterus)
  • mamm/o (breast)
  • mast/o (breast)
  • men/o (menstruation)
  • metr/o (uterus)
  • metr/i (uterus)
  • oophor/o (ovary)
  • pelv/i (pelvis, pelvic bones, pelvic cavity)
  • perine/o (perineum)
  • salping/o (fallopian tube)
  • trachel/o (cervix)
  • vagin/o (vagina)
  • vulv/o (vulva)
Suffix
  • –al (pertaining to)
  • –atresia (occlusion, closure)
  • –clesis (surgical closure)
  • –ectomy (excision, surgical removal)
  • –gram (the record, radiographic image)
  • –graphy (process of recording, radiographic imaging)
  • –itis (inflammation)
  • –logist (specialist or physician who studies and treats)
  • –logy (study of)
  • –osis (abnormal condition)
  • –pexy (surgical fixation, suspension)
  • –plasty (surgical repair)
  • –rrhaphy (suturing, repairing)
  • –rrhea (flow, discharge)
  • –salpinx (fallopian tube)
  • –scope (instrument used for visual examination)
  • –scopy (visually examining)
  • –tomy (cut into, incision)

Activity source: Female Reproductive System by Kimberlee Carter licensed under CC BY 4.0.

Introduction to the Female Reproductive System

The female reproductive system produces gametes and reproductive hormones. In addition, the female reproductive system supports the developing fetus and delivers it to the outside world. The female reproductive system is located primarily inside the pelvic cavity. The female gonads are called ovaries and the gamete they produce is called an oocyte.

Female reproductive system. Image description available.
Figure 7.1 Female Reproductive System. The major organs of the female reproductive system are located inside the pelvic cavity. From Betts, et al., 2013. Licensed under CC BY 4.0. [Fig. 7.1 Image description.]

Watch Reproductive System, Part 1 – Female Reproductive System: Crash Course Anatomy & Physiology #40 (10 min) on YouTube

Media 7.1: CrashCourse. (2015, October 26). Reproductive system, part 1 – Female reproductive system: Crash Course anatomy & physiology #40 [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/RFDatCchpus

Female Reproductive System Medical Terms

Female Reproductive System Medical Terms (Text version)

Practice the following female reproductive system words by breaking into word parts and pronouncing.

  1. menarche
    • men/arche
    • beginning of menstruation
  2. cervicitis
    • cervic/itis
    • inflammation of the cervix
  3. endocervical
    • endo/cervic/al
    • pertaining to within the cervix
  4. colpocleisis
    • colp/o/cleisis
    • surgical closure of the vagina
  5. colpoperineorrhaphy
    • colp/o/perine/o/rrhaphy
    • suturing of the vagina and the perineum
  6. colpoplasty
    • colp/o/plasty
    • surgical repair of the vagina
  7. colporrhaphy
    • colp/o/rrhaphy
    • suturing of (a tear in) the vagina
  8. colposcope
    • colp/o/scope
    • instrument used to view the vagina and the cervix
  9. colposcopy
    • colp/o/scopy
    • process of viewing the vagina
  10. endometriosis
    • endometri/osis
    • abnormal condition of the endometrium
  11. endometritis
    • endometr/itis
    • inflammation of the endometrium
  12. episiorrhaphy
    • episi/o/rrhaphy
    • suturing of the vulva
  13. episioperineoplasty
    • episi/o/perine/o/plasty
    • surgical repair of the vulva and the perineum
  14. gynopathic
    • gyn/o/pathic
    • disease pertaining to the women
  15. gynecologist
    • gynec/o/logist
    • specialist or physician who studies and treats disorders and diseases of women
  16. gynecology
    • gynec/o/logy
    • study of women
  17. hymenectomy
    • hymen/ectomy
    • excision of the hymen
  18. hymenotomy
    • hymen/o/tomy
    • incision into the hymen
  19. hysterectomy
    • hyster/ectomy
    • excision of the uterus
  20. hysteropexy
    • hyster/o/pexy
    • surgical fixation of the uterus
  21. hysterosalpingo-oophorectomy
    • hyster/o/salping/o/-oophor/ectomy
    • excision of the uterus, uterine tubes, and ovaries
  22. hysterosalpingogram (HSG)
    • hyster/o/salping/o/gram
    • radiographic image of the uterus and uterine tubes
  23. hysteroscope
    • hyster/o/scope
    • instrument used for visual examination of the uterus
  24. hysteroscopy
    • hyster/o/scopy
    • visual examination of the uterus
  25. sonohysterography (SHG)
    • son/o/hyster/o/graphy (SHG)
    • process of recording the uterus by use of sound
  26. mammoplasty
    • mamm/o/plasty
    • surgical repair of the breast
  27. mammogram
    • mamm/o/gram
    • radiographic image of the breast
  28. mammography
    • mamm/o/graphy
    • radiographic imaging of the breast
  29. mastitis
    • mast/itis
    • inflammation of the breast
  30. mastectomy
    • mast/ectomy
    • surgical removal of the breast
  31. mastopexy
    • mast/o/pexy
    • surgical fixation of the breast
  32. mastalgia
    • mast/algia
    • pain in the breast
  33. dysmenorrhea
    • dys/men/o/rrhea
    • painful menstrual flow
  34. amenorrhea
    • a/men/o/rrhea
    • absence of menstrual flow
  35. menometrorrhagia
    • men/o/metr/o/rrhagia
    • excessive bleeding from the uterus at menstruation
  36. menorrhagia
    • men/o/rrhagia
    • excessive bleeding at menstruation
  37. metrorrhagia
    • metr/o/rrhagia
    • excessive bleeding from the uterus
  38. oligomenorrhea
    • olig/o/men/o/rrhea
    • scanty menstrual flow
  39. myometritis
    • my/o/metr/itis
    • inflammation of the uterine muscle
  40. perimetritis
    • peri/metr/itis
    • inflammation surrounding the uterus
  41. oophoritis
    • oophor/itis
    • inflammation of the ovary
  42. oophorectomy
    • oophor/ectomy
    • excision of the ovary
  43. pelviscopic
    • pelv/i/scop/ic
    • pertaining to visual examination of the pelvic cavity
  44. pelviscopy
    • pelv/i/scopy
    • visual examination of the pelvic cavity
  45. perineorrhaphy
    • perine/o/rrhaphy
    • suturing of (a tear in) the perineum
  46. salpingitis
    • salping/itis
    • inflammation of a fallopian/uterine tube
  47. salpingectomy
    • salping/ectomy
    • excision of the uterine/fallopian tube
  48. salpingo-oophorectomy
    • salping/o/-oophor/ectomy
    • excision of the uterine tube and ovary
  49. salpingostomy
    • salping/o/stomy
    • creation of an artificial opening in the uterine tube
  50. trachelectomy
    • trachel/ectomy
    • excision of the cervix
  51. trachelorrhaphy
    • trachel/o/rrhaphy
    • suturing of the cervix
  52. vaginitis
    • vagin/itis
    • inflammation of the vagina
  53. vaginosis
    • vagin/osis
    • abnormal condition of the vagina
  54. vulvovaginitis
    • vulv/o/vagin/itis
    • inflammation of the vulva and vagina
  55. vaginal
    • vagin/al
    • pertaining to the vagina
  56. vesicovaginal
    • vesic/o/vagin/al
    • pertaining to the bladder and the vagina
  57. vulvovaginal
    • vulv/o/vagin/al
    • pertaining to the vulva and vagina
  58. vulvectomy
    • vulv/ectomy
    • excision of the vulva
  59. hematosalpinx
    • hemat/o/salpinx
    • blood in the uterine/fallopian tube
  60. hydrosalpinx
    • hydro/salpinx
    • water in the uterine/fallopian tube
  61. pyosalpinx
    • py/o/salpinx
    • pus in the uterine/fallopian tube
  62. leukorrhea
    • leuk/o/rrhea
    • white discharge
  63. menopause
    • men/o/pause
    • cessation on menstruation
  64. menses
    • men/ses
    • the monthly bleeding from the uterus
  65. perimenopause
    • peri/men/o/pause
    • period of time before and after menopause

Activity Source: Female Reproductive System Medical Terms by Kimberlee Carter, licensed under CC BY 4.0.

Image Descriptions

Figure 7.1 image description: This figure shows the structure and the different organs in the female reproductive system. The top panel shows the lateral view with labels (clockwise from top): uterus, ovary, fornix of uterus, cervix, rectum, vagina, anus, labium majora, labium minora, clitoris, urethra, mons pubis, pubic symphysis, bladder; and the bottom panel shows the anterior view with labels (clockwise from top): ovary, ovarian ligament, broad ligament, labia minora, labia majora, vagina, cervix, uterine tube, uterus, fimbriae. [Return to Figure 7.1].

Attribution

Except where otherwise noted, this chapter is adapted from “Female Reproductive System” in Building a Medical Terminology Foundation by Kimberlee Carter and Marie Rutherford, licensed under CC BY 4.0. / A derivative of Betts et al., which can be accessed for free from Anatomy and Physiology (OpenStax). Adaptations: dividing Female Reproductive System chapter content into sub-chapters.

 

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Building a Medical Terminology Foundation 2e Copyright © 2024 by Kimberlee Carter; Marie Rutherford; and Connie Stevens is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

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