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_Reproductive_Health
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Reproductive HealthDefinition of terms:
HEALTH – state of physical, mental, social well – being and not merely the absence of
disease or infirmity.
REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH – addresses the reproductive processes, functions and
system at all stages of life.
REPRODUCTION – biological process where a new individual
Human reproduction - is any form of sexual reproduction resulting in the conception of
a child, typically involving sexual intercourse between a man and a woman. During
intercourse, the interaction between the male reproductive system and the female
reproductive system results in fertilization of the woman's ovum by the man's sperm,
which after a gestation period is followed by childbirth. The fertilization of the ovum
may nowadays be achieved by artificial insemination methods, which do not involve
sexual intercourse.
ANATOMY
The human male
The male reproductive system contains two main divisions: the penis, and the testes, the
latter of which is where sperm are produced. In humans, both of these organs are outside
the abdominal cavity. Having the testes outside the abdomen best facilitates temperature
regulation of the sperm, which require specific temperatures to survive.
The human female
The female reproductive system likewise contains two main divisions: the vagina
and uterus, which act as the receptacle for the semen, and the ovaries, which produce the
female's ova. The vagina is attached to the uterus through the cervix, while the uterus is
attached to the ovaries via the Fallopian tubes. At certain intervals, the ovaries release an
ovum, which passes through the fallopian tube into the uterus.
If, in this transit, it meets with Spermatozoon, the sperm penetrate and merge with the
egg, fertilizing it. The fertilization usually occurs in the oviducts, but can happen in
the uterus itself. The zygote then implants itself in the wall of the uterus, where it begins
the processes of embryogenesis and morphogenesis. When developed enough to survive
outside the womb, the cervix dilates and contractions of the uterus propel
the fetus through the birth canal, which is the vagina.
The ova, which are the female sex cells, are much larger than the spermatozoon and are
normally formed within the ovaries of the fetus before its birth. They are mostly fixed in
location with in the ovary until their transit to the uterus, and contain nutrients for the
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, later zygote andembryo. Over a regular interval, in response to hormonal signals, a
process of oogenesis matures one ovum which is released and sent down the Fallopian
tube. If not fertilized, this egg is flushed out of the system through menstruation.
PROCESS
Human reproduction is a long process, starting with sexual intercourse, followed by nine
months of pregnancy before childbirth. Many years of parental care is required in order to
finish with a mature human being.
Sexual intercourse
Human reproduction takes place as internal fertilization by sexual intercourse. During
this process, the erect penis of the male is inserted into the female's vagina until
the male ejaculates semen, which contains sperm, into the female's vagina.
The sperm then travels through the vagina and cervix into the uterus or fallopian
tubes for fertilization of the ovum. Upon
successful fertilization and implantation, gestation of the fetus then occurs within the
female's uterus, called pregnancy. This process is also known as "mating" or "having
sex".
Pregnancy
Pregnancy is the period of time during which the fetus develops, dividing
via mitosis inside the female. During this time, the fetus receives all of its nutrition and
oxygenated blood from the female, filtered through the placenta, which is attached to the
fetus' abdomen via an umbilical cord. This drain of nutrients can be quite taxing on the
female, who is required to ingest slightly higher levels of calories. In addition, certain
vitamins and other nutrients are required in greater quantities than normal, often creating
abnormal eating habits. Gestation is 40 weeks in humans.
Birth
Once the fetus is sufficiently developed, chemical signals start the process of birth, which
begins with the fetus squeezing through the vagina, and eventually out of the female. The
newborn, which is called an infant in humans, should typically begin respiration on its
own shortly after birth. Not long after, the placenta is passed as well. The end of the
umbilical cord attached to the child's abdomen eventually falls off on its own.The mid-
wife or nurse assisting the birth will usually detach the mother from the baby using a
clamp, then cutting it off.
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