Your Sexual Anatomy - Understanding Sexuality: Womens Sexual Health
Content provided by the Faculty of the Harvard Medical School
Your sexual anatomy
You know these parts of your body are there, even if you don't know them by name. The following descriptions and the accompanying diagrams will acquaint you, part by part, with the structures that make up the male and female genitals.
Female genitals
The appearance of a woman's genital organs is as individual as her face or body type. However, certain basic structures are common to all women (see Figure 1). The following parts make up the outer genitals, collectively called the vulva:
Figure 1: Female genitals
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Mons pubis: The fatty mound of tissue that covers the pubic bone. Often called the "mons."
Outer lips (labia majora): The fleshy folds of skin, fat tissue, and smooth muscle that enclose the vaginal opening. Pubic hair, which may be plentiful or sparse depending on the individual, grows along the outer edges of the labia.
Inner lips (labia minora): A second set of thinner tissue folds, closer to the vaginal opening. Unlike the pubic hair–studded outer lips, the labia minora have a smooth surface and are rich in tiny blood vessels and nerve endings.
Clitoris: The most sensitive part of a woman's genital anatomy. This small mound of tissue is located at the point where the upper ends of the labia minora meet, above the vaginal opening. It's constructed from the same tissue as the head of a man's penis (the glans). A soft fold of tissue called the clitoral hood covers the pea-shaped protrusion.
Perineum: A stretch of hairless, sensitive skin that extends from the bottom of the vaginal opening back to the anus.
Unseen within a woman's body are these structures:
Vagina: A 3- to 5-inch tube of highly elastic tissue that extends from the vaginal opening to the cervix, at the base of the uterus. Just inside the entrance of the vagina is a ridge of muscles. Normally, the vaginal walls rest against one another. During childbirth, however, the vagina stretches wide enough to allow the baby to pass through. The vagina is lined with a layer of cells that secrete fluid to keep the inner surfaces moist. Blood vessels are plentiful within the vaginal walls, but most of the nerve endings are clustered in the outer third of the vagina.
Cervix: The knoblike tip of the uterus that forms the opening to the uterus from the vagina. Some women find pressure against the cervix enjoyable during intercourse.
Uterus: A muscular, fist-sized organ shaped like an upside-down pear. The primary job of the uterus is to harbor a growing fetus during pregnancy. Uterine muscles contract during orgasm, producing a pleasurable sensation.
Male genitals
Compared with a woman's genitals, a man's sexual anatomy is a straightforward affair (see Figure 2). The primary structure is the penis. This organ does triple duty serving a man's sexual, reproductive, and urinary functions. The penis includes these structures:
Figure 2: Male genitals
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Glans: The head of the penis. The urethral opening at the tip of the glans allows urine and semen to leave the penis.
Corona: The ridge that separates the glans from the shaft. This and the glans are the most sensitive portions of a man's penis.
Shaft: The main part of the penis. It houses the corpora cavernosa and the corpus spongiosum.
Corpora cavernosa (erectile bodies): Two flexible cylinders of erectile tissue that run the length of the penis to support erection.
Corpus spongiosum (spongy body): A cylindrical body of erectile tissue that surrounds the urethra and includes the glans.
Central artery: The vessel that supplies blood to erectile tissue in the corpora cavernosa.
Scrotum: The sac of skin at the base of the penis that holds the testes. The scrotum is covered, to varying degrees depending on the individual, with pubic hair.
Testes or testicles: The reproductive glands that produce sperm.
Urethra: A narrow tube that extends the length of the penis and carries both urine and semen out of the body.
Prostate gland: A walnut-sized gland located at the base of the bladder. The prostate produces a milky fluid that carries the sperm out of the body during ejaculation.
Cosmetic surgery for the vaginaCosmetic surgery can reshape your nose, transform your figure, erase wrinkles and sags, and even change the appearance of your vagina. "Vaginal rejuvenation" is a controversial cosmetic surgery aimed at improving the look of the vagina. An array of procedures are available, including tightening vaginal muscles, reshaping asymmetrical labia minora, trimming the labia minora so the tissue doesn't extend past the outer lips, transplanting fat to the labia majora to give them a more youthful appearance, and removing unwanted fat from the mons pubis and upper parts of the labia majora with liposuction. These procedures aren't to be confused with traditional gynecologic surgeries that are performed to correct abnormalities stemming from scarring or birth defects or to treat bladder or rectal problems that sometimes occur in women who have had multiple childbirths. Unlike vaginal surgeries that are medically necessary to minimize pain or discomfort, vaginal rejuvenation is marketed to women who want to change the appearance of their genitals. Some doctors who perform vaginal rejuvenation state that it also enhances sexual function, but there is no scientific data to back up these claims. The idea of advertising surgery to "improve" the aesthetics of a vagina upsets people who feel that this is just another way to make money off of the insecurities of some women. The list of critics includes women's advocates, as well as many physicians and gynecologic surgeons, who question what "ideal" female genitals look like. "There is no standard of beauty here," says Dr. Alan Altman, assistant clinical professor of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive biology at Harvard Medical School and a medical editor of this Special Health Report. "Appearances of the outer genitals vary from woman to woman. And who is to say what normal is? It's an outrageous procedure." Critics also point out that the procedures are costly (ranging from $3,000 to $8,000 or more) and not without risks, including the possibility of nerve damage and painful scarring. For those reasons, vaginal surgeries are best left for women who really need them. |
| Last updated: | January 23, 2007 |
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Medical content reviewed by the Faculty of the Harvard Medical School. Harvard Health Publications, Copyright © 2007 by President and Fellows of Harvard College. All rights reserved. Used with permission of StayWell.
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