In my previous blog post, we covered all of the external lady bits. Now let’s talk about the internal bits…
Vagina
The vulva is often called the vagina but as we cleared up before, the vulva refers to all of the external lady parts. The vagina is an internal tube approximately 8-10 cm long that extends from the vestibule up to the cervix. It is where we can insert a tampon or menstrual cup to capture the blood when we have our period. It is the ‘penis hole’ as my sister calls it, where we can have penetrative intercourse. Babies also pass through the vagina during childbirth.
We often think of it as a space or a void but it actually has thin, stretchy walls like a sock. At All Women’s Health, we have socks in our desk drawers to demonstrate how the vaginal walls can move and stretch! This can be helpful to know when it comes to prolapse.
Uterus
The uterus is a hollow organ, shaped like an upside-down pear that sits at the top of the vagina. The main function of the uterus is to house, nourish and protect a fertilised egg. That is why we lovingly refer to it as ‘the womb.’ As the baby grows during pregnancy, the uterus expands up into the abdominal cavity. When we aren’t pregnant, the uterus is roughly the size of our fist.
The inner lining of the uterus is called the endometrium. This is where the fertilised egg implants and what sheds if we don’t fall pregnant and get our period. The uterus also has a thick muscle layer called the myometrium with muscle fibres wrapping around in all directions. During labour, the myometrium performs strong, rhythmic contractions to open the cervix and push the baby out. The uterus also contracts when shedding its lining which can cause period pain and discomfort.
CERVIX
The cervix is where the end of the uterus narrows and extends 2-3 cm into the top of the vagina. It looks a bit like a doughnut with a hole in the middle that forms a channel between the uterus and vagina. By opening and closing and producing different fluids, the cervix acts as a gatekeeper, controlling the entry of sperm and exit of menstrual blood. In pregnancy, it is sealed up with a mucus plug to keep the baby inside and bacteria out. During childbirth, the cervix dilates to allow the baby to pass into the vagina and out of the body.
Your cervix is also the reason why things don’t get lost inside of you. When you can’t find the string of the tampon for instance, be rest assured the tampon can’t disappear into oblivion because of the cervix!
FALLOPIAN TUBES
The fallopian tubes are two J-shaped tubes approximately 10 cm in length. They act as a passageway between the uterus and ovaries. Although it looks like it in drawings, the fallopian tubes are not directly attached to the ovaries. Finger-like projections at the end of the fallopian tubes capture an egg released from the ovary. They usher it into the tube where it can meet up with a sperm before travelling to the uterus.
OVARIES
The ovaries are two small, almond shaped structures located near the end of the fallopian tubes. We are born with around 2 million follicles inside our ovaries. Each follicle houses an immature egg. If the conditions are just right, one lucky follicle gets chosen each month to release an egg, kicking off ovulation.
With so much attention on your period (the release of blood), we often forget about ovulation (the release of an egg). But ovulation is the other key moment in the menstrual cycle. And your ovaries, fallopian tubes, uterus, cervix and vagina are all part of the process!
Now that we have the anatomy out of the way, in my next blog post we will dive into the menstrual cycle. There is much more to your menstrual cycle then just getting a period…
