Female Anatomy and Function

Female anatomy includes the internal and external structures, including those responsible for hormones, reproduction, and sexual activity.

The female reproductive system is essential for hormone regulation, sexual pleasure, pregnancy, breastfeeding, and more.

The main parts of the female anatomy can be broken up into external and internal parts. These include external genitalia, internal organs and structures, and breasts (which have internal and external parts).

A Note on Gender and Sex Terminology

Verywell Health acknowledges that sex and gender are related concepts, but they are not the same. To reflect our sources accurately, this article uses terms like “female,” “male,” “woman,” and “man” as the sources use them.

The word “female” is used throughout this article to refer to anatomical reproductive classification and people assigned female at birth based on visible reproductive organs. Some people who identify as women do not have the anatomy depicted, while others who have the anatomy depicted do not identify as women and may use different terminology to refer to their anatomy.

Female Anatomy Diagram

This labeled diagram and detailed descriptions below explain the location of specific parts to the female reproductive and urinary systems.

External Female Anatomy

The vulva is made up of the structures outside the vaginal opening. These external structures include:

• Mons pubis: The mons pubis is the rounded, fleshy area on the front of the pelvic bone (the lower belly area) where pubic hair usually grows.
• Labia majora: The labia majora are the fleshy outer folds of protective skin located on each side of the vaginal opening. They cover and protect the more delicate external genital organs. "Labia" is the Latin word for lips. The labia majora is often referred to as the outer lips.
• Labia minora: The labia minora are skinfolds that are just inside the labia majora. In some people, the labia minora extends past the labia majora. Together these majora and minora skin folds are sometimes referred to as bifolds. The two parts of the inner fold meet at the bottom, called the fourchette.
• Clitoris: The clitoris sits at the top of the vulva, above the urethral opening. A fold of skin called the clitoral hood covers most of the clitoris, leaving only the tip (nub) visible. The rest of the clitoris is a spongy shaft that goes back several inches inside the body.
• Urethral opening: The urethra is the tube that carries urine from the bladder to the outside of the body. Its opening is located below the clitoris, directly above the vaginal opening.
• The vaginal opening: The vaginal opening is located between the urethra and the anus.
• Bartholin glands: Bartholin glands sit on both sides inside the vaginal opening. They release secretions that lubricate the vagina to make sexual intercourse more comfortable.
• Skene's glands: The Skene's glands are located on either side of the urethra. They lubricate the urethral opening. Skene’s glands are sometimes called "the female prostate." Some scientists think these glands are responsible for "female ejaculation" or "squirting" during sexual arousal.
  

Functions of the Vaginal Opening

The vaginal opening is where:

• Menstrual blood leaves the body
• Sexual intercourse for reproduction and/or pleasure occurs
• A baby exits the body during vaginal birth
  

Internal Female Anatomy

The rest of the female genitalia are inside the vaginal opening. These internal structures of female anatomy include the following:

• Vagina: The vagina is a muscular canal that connects the cervix to the outside of the body. Parts of the vagina are made of collagen and elastin, which help it expand during sexual stimulation and childbirth.
• Cervix: The cervix is the end of the uterus that sits within the top of the vagina. It may play a role in lubrication. Contact between the penis and cervix during sexual intercourse may be pleasurable for some but painful for others. During childbirth, the cervix dilates so the baby can move out of the uterus, into the vagina, and out of the body.
• Uterus: The uterus is located in the lower belly area between the hips (pelvis), through the vagina just past the cervix. It's also called the womb. The uterus is where a fetus develops during pregnancy. The uterus has three layers. The middle muscular layer is one of the strongest muscles in the body.
• Ovaries: The ovaries are small organs located on both sides of the pelvis. They play an important role in female hormone production and produce eggs during ovulation.
• Fallopian tubes: The fallopian tubes connect the ovaries to the uterus on each side. Hairlike structures called cilia guide the egg from the ovary to the uterus.
• Hymen: The hymen is a thin tissue that sits at the vaginal opening. It has no known biological function. The hymen becomes more elastic with age and breaks or ruptures at some point in a person's life. While sexual activity is one way this can happen, a broken hymen is not evidence of sexual activity.

How Many Eggs Do I Have?

At birth, the ovaries are loaded with about 1 million to 2 million eggs. But most will eventually die off naturally via a process known as atresia. At the time of your first period, around 300,000 to 500,000 eggs remain in the ovaries. By age 37, you can expect to have around 27,000 eggs. This reserve will continue to decrease significantly throughout your life.

Female Breast Anatomy

The breast contains multiple structures within it, including:

• Adipose tissue: Each breast has fatty ( adipose ) tissue that is used to store extra energy.
• Lobules: There are 15 to 20 sections called lobules in the fatty tissue. They are attached to ducts that can produce milk.
• Milk ducts: The milk ducts are internal structures that go to the areola and nipple, which are the outer portion of the breast.
• Areola and nipples: The areola is the darker area on the outside of the breast that surrounds the nipple in the center.

Functions of Female Body Parts

The various parts of the female anatomy serve different functions, which include hormone production, sexual arousal, conception, and pregnancy.

Hormonal Changes

Estrogen and progesterone are the primary female hormones produced by the reproductive system. Hormone production increases at puberty, giving a person the ability to menstruate and conceive.

Female hormones also promote vaginal lubrication and increase sexual desire.

Sexual Arousal

Female anatomy is designed for both intimacy and conception. The vulva, vagina, and breasts are sensitive to being touched, which helps with sexual arousal.

The role of the clitoris is just for sexual pleasure. It has many sensitive nerve endings that respond to touch. When you're aroused, the clitoris tissue gets bigger—just like erectile swelling in the penis.

Where is the G-spot?

Researchers are not sure if a person's erotic G-spot is an actual structure or a sensitive area in the vagina. You can try to find the G-spot by inserting a finger (palm up) a few inches into your vagina. Then, curl your finger in a “come here” motion to see if that stimulates the tissue there.

Conception and Pregnancy

During ovulation, an ovary releases an egg that travels to a fallopian tube, where it stays for a brief period. If a sperm from semen introduced during penile-vaginal intercourse swims to the egg and joins it, fertilization (conception) occurs.

This creates a zygote, which evolves further as it finds its way to the uterus, where it implants. This is what develops into an embryo. Fertilization can happen hours or days after sexual intercourse.

If the egg is not fertilized and pregnancy does not occur, the uterine lining sheds instead. This part of the menstrual cycle is known as your period. Most people who menstruate have a cycle every 28 to 31 days, in the absence of pregnancy, but this varies depending on how often they ovulate.

Health Conditions That Affect Female Anatomy

A number of medical concerns are associated with female reproductive system. Some of these are related to directly to the functions of female anatomy and others are conditions that are common to other areas of the body as well.

Common medical conditions related to female anatomy include:

• Endometriosis
• Uterine fibroids
• Uterine cancer
• HIV
• Interstitial cystitis
• Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
• Sexually transmitted infections

Summary

The internal and external structures of the female anatomy make up the reproductive system. External areas of the female anatomy include the vulva. The internal anatomy includes the vagina, uterus, and fallopian tubes.

Female breasts include both internal and external structures.

These female organs, channels, and types of tissue play important roles in sexual arousal, intercourse, conception, pregnancy, and childbirth.

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

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By Brandi Jones, MSN-ED RN-BC
Jones is a registered nurse and freelance health writer with more than two decades of healthcare experience.

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