How well do you know your own anatomy?
For some of us, sex education lessons at school were a long time ago! Female reproductive health is still being studied, and new discoveries are being made all the time, which is excellent news for our health and well-being.
As a woman, it’s important to know how our bodies work. Whether you know it all and you fancy a refresher, or your body remains a bit of a mystery to you, here’s an overview of the incredible female anatomy.
External parts
The external parts of the female anatomy have several different areas, each of which is very important.
Mons pubis
The mons pubis is the fleshy part above your vulva, which grows hair after you reach puberty. Underneath this fleshy part is the pubic bone.
Labia
The labia, or the lips, surround the vaginal opening. The labia can vary hugely in terms of size, length, colour, and shape, and there’s no ‘standard’ look. You may even find that one side is longer or droopier than the other, which is completely normal.
They can also change shape and size as you get older.
The labia can swell when you are aroused and are sensitive to the touch.
Clitoris
The clitoris, perhaps, is one of the most misunderstood parts of the female anatomy. The tip (or the glans) is found at the top of the vulva. It’s incredibly sensitive, with thousands of nerve endings, which is why the clitoris is so integral for women’s pleasure.
The tip of the clitoris can vary in size and shape; again, there is no ‘normal’.
However, the amazing thing about the clitoris is that it’s far bigger and more complex than you could imagine from how it looks on the outside. It extends into your body, splitting off into two ‘legs’.
Bonus fact: did you know that the clitoris can become engorged, a bit like an erection? Blood rushes to the tissue in the clitoris, causing it to swell. You can find out more about the clitoris from Jessica Pin, an educator campaigning for a better understanding of the female anatomy.
Vaginal opening
This is just below the urethral opening. The vaginal opening serves several purposes. You bleed through your vaginal opening when you have your period, and babies are born through it.
This is also the opening that can be penetrated by penises, fingers, sex toys, and menstrual products like cups or tampons.
Urethral opening
This is a very small hole that you urinate from, located above the vaginal opening and below the clitoris.
Anus
Lastly, there’s the anus (the rectal opening). Some people feel pleasure from having this area stimulated, as it has many nerve endings.
Internal parts
Now, onto the parts of the vagina you can’t see.
Vagina
The vagina itself connects the vulva to the cervix and to your uterus. It’s almost like a tube (but not quite – more on that in a moment!), and allows blood and babies to pass through. Again, this can be penetrated by penises, fingers, sex toys, and so on. You can also insert menstrual cups or tampons here to catch the flow of blood on your period.
The vagina, however, is not always open. When you’re relaxed, it closes, and when you’re aroused, it can stretch and expand.
Cervix
The cervix is the opening to your uterus. It looks almost like a donut with a tiny hole in the middle, that opens only slightly to allow blood and fluids from the uterus on your period.
The cervix also dilates during childbirth to allow the baby to pass through. Both of these dilation periods (during your period and during childbirth) can be painful, although, of course, it dilates a lot less for periods than it does for giving birth!
The cervix is the area that a nurse will take a sample from during a smear test.
It also acts as a barrier, so you can’t get tampons or other items ‘lost’ inside you.
Fallopian tubes
Eggs must pass through your fallopian tubes from your ovaries to your uterus. This happens once a month. Sperm also travels here, to try to fertilize the egg.
Fimbriae
A lesser-known part of the female anatomy these are like very small fingers that sweep eggs from your ovaries into your fallopian tubes.
Ovaries
The ovaries store eggs. You are born with the total amount of eggs that you will have in your lifetime; the average woman is born with 1-2 million eggs.
The ovaries are also responsible for producing hormones like estrogen. This is vital for the health and function of your menstrual cycle and pregnancies.
Glands
There are some glands near your vaginal and urethral openings that are interesting to learn about. Bartholin’s glands, near the vaginal opening, release fluid that makes your vagina wet during arousal.
Skene’s glands, on either side of the urethral opening, may release fluid during female ejaculation.
It is also thought that the Skene’s glands contain substances that can help prevent the development of UTIs.
G-Spot
The G spot actually refers to the Gräfenberg spot. For a long time, the existence of the G spot was hotly contested. But the science has now found the G spot to be a few inches inside your vagina on the front wall. It can swell up, like the clitoris, during arousal.
Hymen
The hymen is not actually a fixed barrier: it’s actually more like a thin bit of tissue that stretches across some of the vaginal opening.
Hymens, like most of the female anatomy, vary in size from person to person. It may not cover the whole opening in the first place, and it may not tear or bleed during your first penetration.
This is why hymen tests for virginity are not reliable, despite still being used as proof of virginity across the globe.
The importance of knowing your own body
It’s really important to know your own body; that way, if anything changes, you’ll be able to spot it. You don’t need to check your vagina as often as you check your breasts, which should be done monthly, but we do recommend attending your smear tests every three years, which is vital for the early spotting of cervical cancer.
Exploring your own body can be a scary or uncomfortable experience. How much of your external or internal parts that you explore is up to you, of course, but exploring your body can be empowering.
As always, we’d recommend not relying on Google when it comes to your health: if anything feels ‘off’ or different to you, contact your GP for advice.
