Welcome to a quick science lesson! 👩🔬
Reviewed by Ladibug's Medical Advisory Board
Most women don’t fully know their own anatomy — so let’s break it down. The female anatomy can be very simply divided into external and internal parts.
External Anatomy – The Vulva
The external female parts are collectively known as the vulva, and consist of the vaginal opening, the urethral opening, the clitoris, and the labia minora (inner lips) and labia majora (outer lips).
When most women refer to their "vagina", they actually mean their vulva. In reality, the vagina is the internal canal that connects your uterus to the outside of the body.
Source: Medical News Today
Clitoris
The clitoris is located at the top of your vulva and can vary in size! Some women have a clitoris the size of a small pea 🫛 others as large as a thumb. It is a highly sensitive organ, with over 8,000 nerve endings and plays a central role in sexual arousal. It is made of spongy tissue and becomes swollen when you are aroused.
Labia Minora and Majora (Inner and Outer Lips)
The labia are folds of the skin around the vaginal opening. The labia majora (outer labia) contain sweat and oil glands, which provide cushioning during activities like walking or sex. The labia minora (inner labia) are rich in blood vessels and nerve endings, and direct natural vaginal lubrication toward the vaginal opening during arousal.
Urethral opening
The urethra is the tube that connects your bladder to the outside, allowing for passage of urine. It is located just below the clitoris.
Vaginal opening
Remember, the vagina is the canal inside your body that connects your uterus to the outside. It serves at least 3 key functions:
- It is where your menstrual blood leaves your body🩸
- It is where babies are born through during a vaginal delivery 👶
- It is where penetrative sex occurs
The vaginal opening is located just below the clitoris and urethra.
Bartholin's glands
These are two small pea-sized glands located just inside the vaginal opening toward the back. They produce small amounts of fluid that help lubricate the vaginal opening, especially during sexual arousal.
Internal Anatomy
Source: Cleveland Clinic
Uterus
The uterus (also known as the womb) is the pear-shaped organ 🍐 in the pelvis, sandwiched between the bladder and rectum. Its main job is to support a pregnancy, allowing implantation of a fertilized egg and nourishing/protecting the developing fetus until birth. This clever organ is also responsible for your period!
Cervix
The cervix is the lower, narrow part of the uterus that connects it to the vagina. It acts as a gatekeeper between the uterus and the vagina, allowing menstrual blood to leave the body, sperm 🪱 to enter the uterus, and opening during childbirth to let the baby pass through. The cervix also helps protect the uterus from infections and plays a key role in fertility and pregnancy.
Fun Fact: A Pap smear is a screening test for cervical cancer. The doctor uses a brush to collect cells from the surface of the cervix to analyze for precancerous changes.
Ovaries
The ovaries are two small, olive shaped 🫒 glands located on either side of the uterus in the pelvis. Their main functions are to produce eggs for fertilization and to secrete important reproductive hormones, including estrogen and progesterone, which regulate the menstrual cycle and support fertility and pregnancy. Each month during ovulation, an ovary releases a mature egg that travels into the fallopian tube where it may be fertilized.
Fallopian tubes
The fallopian tubes, also known as uterine tubes or oviducts, are two muscular tubes in the female reproductive system that connect the ovaries to the uterus. Their main job is to transport eggs 🥚 from the ovaries to the uterus, and this is also where fertilization by sperm usually happens.
The female internal and external genitalia are a superpower team 🦸 they are built to create, protect and bring life to the world, while also transmitting profound physical and emotional connection!