What the system does
The female reproductive system has three functions.
- Developing the ova, which are the female reproductive cells.
- Providing space for the foetus to develop.
- Producing the hormones oestrogen and progesterone.
The middle one has no counterpart
Compare this list with the male one. Both systems make a gamete and both make hormones — but only this one has to house a developing organism for nine months. That is what the thick-walled uterus is for, and it is why so much of the next two sections is about the state of the uterine wall.
| Function | Parts that carry it out |
|---|---|
| Developing ova | ovaries (follicles) |
| Housing the foetus | uterus |
| Producing hormones | ovaries |
Two organs, three jobs
The ovary, like the testis, is both a gamete producer and an endocrine gland. The uterus does the third job alone, and the fallopian tube and vagina are the routes between them.