The Reproductive System
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Upon completion of this chapter, you should be able to:
• List the major organs of the male and
... [Show More] female reproductive systems and describe their functions.
• Identify and use the word elements of the male and female reproductive systems.
• Briefly describe symptoms and treatments in response to disorders of the reproductive system.
• Describe the major drug classifications used to treat reproductive system disorders.
• Identify and interpret selected abbreviations relating to the reproductive system.
• Label diagrams of the male and female reproductive systems.
• Analyze and define the new terms introduced in this chapter.
Word Elements • The Reproductive System
ROOT MEANING
amni/O amnion; innermOst Of the extraembryOnic membranes envel- Oping the embryO in utero and cOntaining the amniotic fluid
balan/O glans penis
cervic/O cervix
circum/O around
cOlp/O; vagin/O vagina
gOnad/O gOnads; sex glands
gynec/O wOman; female
lact/O milk
mast/O; mamm/O breast
men/O menses; menstruation
nat/O birth
OOphOr/O; OO Ovary; egg
Orch/O; Orchi/O; Orchid/O; test/O testes
Ovari/O Ovary
prostat/O prostate gland
salping/O tube; fallOpian tube
spermat/O; sperm/O sperm
uter/O; hyster/O; metr/O uterus
vas/O vessel; vas deferens
vulv/O vulva
An Overview of the Reproductive System
The primary function of the reproductive system is tO perpetuate life. The reproductive pro- cess begins with fertilization, which Occurs when a male gamete (alsO called a sperm Or spermatozoon; plural: spermatozoa) fertilizes a female gamete (alsO called an ovum; plural: ova). The cOllective name fOr any female Or male Organ that produces a gamete is gonad.
The single cell fOrmed at fertilization is called a zygote, which cOntains mOre than a trillion mOlecules, despite its diameter measuring Only 0.1 mm. These trillions Of mOlecules all cOm- municate and wOrk tOgether in the gestation process. The period of gestation is the time lapse between the fOrmation of the zygOte and birth.
Obstetricians (from obstetrix, the Latin wOrd fOr midwife) are the specialists whO provide medical care tO pregnant wOmen and deliver babies. Gynecologists (gyn/O, gynec/O means “wOman”) diagnose and treat disOrders Of the female reproductive system, and urologists diag- nose and treat disOrders Of the urinary and male reproductive systems. TwO additional specialists are the neonatologist, whO specializes in newborns (neO- means “new”; nat/O means “born”), and the pediatrician, whO specializes in children (ped/O means “child”). [Show Less]