Before we delve further into the world of infertility, let's have a look at the female reproductive system. The female reproductive anatomy consists of two main parts, namely, the external female genital organs (vulva) and the internal female genital organs. The internal organs include the vagina, cervix, uterus, fallopian tubes and ovaries.
The vagina is a passage which allows the escape of the menstrual flow, received the penis and the ejected sperm during sexual intercourse and provides an exit for the baby during delivery. The cervix lies at its upper part.
The cervix is the base of the uterus. It the passage through which sperm travel to meet the egg, to allow bleeding when menstruation occurs and exit for the baby during delivery. The main function of the uterus is to act as a nurture room for the developing foetus during the whole course of pregnancy. It is also supports the bladder and the bowel. The bladder sits in front of the uterus, and the bowel sits behind it. The lining of the uterus, the endometrium, will shed each month as menstrual blood if no fertilisation occurs.
The fallopian tubes are two very fine tubes which are lined with tiny hair called cilia leading from the uterus to the ovaries. The ends of the tube lying next to the ovaries have a finger-like structure named fimbriae. At ovulation, the fimbrae will catch the egg into fallopian tube after it is released from the ovary. The beating wave of cilia in the fallopian tube will move the egg to the uterine cavity through the tube. They are a path in which an egg will travel through in order to reach the male sperm which was released from the male.
The ovary is the egg-producing organs in female, often found in pairs at the fimbriae ends. It is oval in shape. Usually each ovary takes turns to release eggs every month. However, if there was a case where one ovary was absent or dysfunctional then the other ovary would continue providing eggs to be released.
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