Anatomy of the female genital tract
When you think of the female genital tract, you probably immediately think of the vagina. And of course that is correct, but not completely. The vagina is only the internal part. The outer part is called the vulva.
The vagina connects the uterus to the outside of the body. The opening of the vagina is part of the vulva. The labia, clitoris and opening of the urethra can also be found here. The vagina and vulva play a role in reproduction and sexuality. In addition, urine leaves the body here.
Vagina (sheath)
The depth of the vagina is about 8 to 10 centimeters. It is an elastic channel that is surrounded by muscles. Surrounding it is connective tissue with blood vessels, nerves and pelvic floor muscles. The inner wall is mucous membrane and normally pink in color. The wall is pleated, allowing it to widen more or less. In relaxed state, the vagina is closed and the front and back walls lie against each other.
The vagina protects and cleans itself with the help of secretions. The fluid present in the vagina seeps into it through the vaginal walls. The walls are covered with a whitish layer. This mainly consists of exfoliated vaginal cells and bacteria that occur naturally in the vagina. The main inhabitants are so-called lactobacilli, which ensure that the environment in the vagina remains acidic.
During sexual intercourse, the vagina is penetrated by the penis. Increased mucus production due to sexual arousal makes this easy. During childbirth, the vagina is stretched up to 10 centimeters in width.
If you haven’t had sex yet, the vagina is rimmed by the hymen (hymen). This is a band of tissue around the opening of the vagina. Sometimes this tears on the first intercourse, but very often the tissue is flexible enough that there is no blood loss at all.
Outer labia (labia majora)
The opening of the vagina is surrounded by the labia. The outer (large) labia form the border of the vulva. They consist of skin folds with sebaceous glands, sweat glands and hair follicles. The hair that grows on the labia majora is stiff. The so-called pubic hair grows not only on the labia majora, but also on the mound of Venus.
Inner labia (labia minora)
The inner labia lies between the outer labia and were often referred to as the labia minora in the past. However, in about 60 percent of women, the inner labia are larger than the outer lips after puberty. So this name does not seem correct.
Like the outer labia, the inner folds of skin are also folds and contain sebaceous glands. However, the epidermis cells are different. They are also hairless.
At the back, the labia minora come together in the fourchette. This is a place where the vulva sometimes ‘ruptures’ during childbirth. On the other hand, the inner labia converge at the clitoris. Due to an increased blood supply under the influence of sexual stimuli, the inner labia can swell.
clitoris
The clitoris sits at the top of the inner labia, right where they meet. It is larger than the external button above the vaginal opening. Most of the clitoris is internal. It runs just under the skin under the outer labia. That is why it is often nice for a woman if the entire vagina is stimulated and not just the clitoris itself.
In most women, the clitoris is hidden under the clitoral hood. You can compare this with the foreskin of the penis. When aroused, the skin pulls back a bit and the clitoris swells. With about 8,000 nerve endings, the small organ is extremely sensitive. In many women, (indirect) stimulation of the clitoris leads to an orgasm.
Vaginal vestibule (forecourt of the vagina)
The opening of the urethra and vagina are both located between the labia minora in the so-called vaginal vestibule. The exits of the glands of Skene and the glands of Bartholin can also be found here. These glands provide moisture during sexual arousal. The fluid from Bartholin’s glands is mucous. Skene’s glands can cause ‘female ejaculation’: if a lot of fluid is produced, it can squirt out of the openings.
Issues
There are various disorders of the vagina. STDs, for example. And vaginal yeast infections. Many women also experience pain during intercourse due to vaginal dryness. Vaginismus also causes problems with sexual intercourse. In MRK syndrome, your uterus and vagina are not formed or are incompletely formed.
All kinds of medical problems can arise around the vulva. Vulvitis (inflammation of the skin and mucous membranes), vulvodynia (pain in the vulva) and inflammation of the glands are common. Various skin diseases such as lichen sclerosus, eczema and psoriasis can also express themselves in the vulva. As well as skin cancer. Finally, infections such as genital herpes and genital warts also favor the vulva area.
