| A | B |
|---|
| abortion | termination of a pregnancy in progress |
| acrosome | vesicle at the tip of a sperm cell that helps the sperm penetrate the egg |
| asexual reproduction | reproduction involving only one parent that produces genetically identical offspring |
| assisted reproductive technology (ART) | removal of eggs from a woman’s ovaries following hormonal stimulation fertilizing the eggs and returning them to the woman’s body |
| baculum | bone that is contained in and helps stiffen the penis of some mammals |
| barrier method | contraception that relies on a physical barrier to block the passage of sperm |
| Bartholin’s glands | glands near the vaginal opening in a human female that secrete lubricating fluid |
| birth control pills | chemical contraceptives that inhibit ovulation retard follicular development or alter a woman’s cervical mucus to prevent sperm from entering the uterus |
| blastocyst | hollow ball of cells produced one week after fertilization in humans |
| budding | outgrowths from the parent form and pinch off to live independently |
| bulbourethral gland | glands near the base of the penis in the human male that secretes fluid that lubricates and neutralizes acids in the urethra |
| cervix | neck of the uterus which opens into the vagina |
| cleavage | succession of rapid cell divisions without growth during early embryonic development |
| clitoris | organ in the female that engorges with blood and becomes erect during sexual arousal |
| cloaca | common opening for the digestive urinary and reproductive tracts found in many nonmammalian vertebrates |
| coitus | insertion of a penis into a vagina |
| conception | fertilization of the egg by a sperm cell in humans |
| condom | latex rubber or natural membrane sheath that fits over the penis to collect semen |
| contraception | prevention of pregnancy |
| corpus luteum | secreting tissue in the ovary that forms from the collapsed follicle after ovulation and produces progesterone |
| diaphragm | dome-shaped rubber cup fitted into the upper portion of the vagina before sexual intercourse |
| ejaculation | propulsion of sperm from the epididymis through the muscular vas deferens ejaculatory duct and urethra |
| ejaculatory duct | sperm from the vas deferens to the urethra. |
| embryo | new developing individual |
| endometrium | inner lining of the uterus |
| epididymis | coiled tubule located adjacent to the testes where sperm are stored |
| estrous cycle | reproductive cycle in all female mammals except higher primates |
| estrus | period of sexual activity associated with ovulation |
| external fertilization | fusion of gametes that parents have discharged into the environment |
| fertilization | union of haploid gametes to produce a diploid zygote |
| fetus | developing human from the ninth week of gestation until birth |
| fission | separation of a parent into two or more individuals of approximately equal size |
| follicle | microscopic structure in the ovary that contains the developing ovum and secretes estrogens |
| follicular phase | part of the ovarian cycle during which follicles are growing and oocytes maturing |
| fragmentation | means of asexual reproduction whereby a single parent breaks into parts that regenerate into whole new individuals |
| gamete | haploid cell such as an egg or sperm |
| gametogenesis | process by which gametes are produced in the mammalian body |
| gestation | state of carrying developing young within the female reproductive tract |
| glans penis | head end of the penis |
| gonads | gamete-producing organs in most animals |
| hermaphroditism | an individual has both female and male gonads and functions as both a male and female |
| human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) | hormone secreted by the chorion that maintains the corpus luteum of the ovary during the first three months of pregnancy |
| hymen | thin membrane that partly covers the vaginal opening in the human female |
| in vitro fertilization | fertilization of ova in laboratory containers |
| internal fertilization | sperm are typically deposited in or near the female reproductive tract and fertilization occurs within the tract |
| labia majora | pair of thick |
| labia minora | pair of slender skin folds that enclose and protect the vestibule |
| labor | rhythmic contractions of the uterus that expel a baby out of the uterus and vagina during childbirth |
| lactation | continued production of milk |
| Leydig cell | produces testosterone and other androgens and is located between the seminiferous tubules of the testes |
| luteal phase | portion of the ovarian cycle during which endocrine cells of the corpus luteum secrete female hormones |
| mammary glands | exocrine glands that secrete milk to nourish the young |
| menopause | cessation of ovulation and menstruation |
| menstrual cycle | reproductive cycle in higher female primates in which the nonpregnant endometrium is shed as a bloody discharge |
| menstrual flow phase | portion of the uterine (menstrual) cycle when menstrual bleeding occurs |
| menstruation | shedding of portions of the endometrium during a uterine (menstrual) cycle |
| myotonia | Increased muscle tension |
| natural family planning | contraception that relies on refraining from sexual intercourse when conception is most likely to occurprocess in the ovary that results in the production of female gametes |
| oogonia | ovary-specific stem cells |
| organogenesis | development of organ rudiments from the three germ layers |
| orgasm | involuntary contractions of certain reproductive structures in both sexes during the human sexual response cycle |
| ovarian cycle | cyclic recurrence of the follicular phase ovulation and the luteal phase in the mammalian ovary |
| ovary | structure that produces female gametes and reproductive hormones |
| oviduct | tube passing from the ovary to the vagina in invertebrates or to the uterus in vertebrates |
| ovulation | release of an egg from ovaries |
| ovum | female gamete which is usually a relatively large |
| parthenogenesis | reproduction in which females produce offspring from unfertilized eggs |
| parturition | expulsion of a baby from the mother a.k.a. birth |
| penis | copulatory structure of male mammals |
| pheromone | chemical that functions in communication and that in animals acts much like a hormone in influencing physiology and behavior |
| placenta | structure in the pregnant uterus for nourishing a viviparous fetus with the mother’s blood supply |
| pregnancy | condition of carrying one or more embryos in the uterus |
| prepuce | fold of skin covering the head of the clitoris and penis |
| primary oocyte | diploid cell in prophase I of meiosis that can be hormonally triggered to develop into an ovum |
| proliferative phase | portion of the uterine (menstrual) cycle when the endometrium regenerates and thickens |
| prostate gland | gland in human males that secretes an acid-neutralizing component of semen |
| regeneration | regrowth of body parts from pieces of an organism |
| rhythm method | form of contraception that relies on refraining from sexual intercourse when conception is most likely to occur also called natural family planning |
| scrotum | pouch of skin outside the abdomen that houses a testis |
| secondary oocyte | haploid cell resulting from meiosis I in oogenesis |
| secretory phase | portion of the uterine (menstrual) cycle when the endometrium continues to thicken |
| semen | contains sperm and secretions from several glands of the male reproductive tract |
| seminal vesicle | secretes a fluid component of semen that lubricates and nourishes sperm |
| seminiferous tubule | highly coiled tube in the testis in which sperm are produced |
| sequential hermaphroditism | reproductive pattern in which an individual reverses its sex during its lifetime. |
| sexual reproduction | two parents give rise to offspring that have unique combinations of genes |
| spermatheca | sac in the female reproductive system where sperm are stored |
| spermatogenesis | continuous and prolific production of mature sperm cells in the testis |
| spermatogonia | Stem cells that give rise to sperm |
| spermatozoon | male gamete |
| testis | male reproductive organ or gonad in which sperm and reproductive hormones are produced |
| trimester | one of three 3 month-long periods of pregnancy |
| tubal ligation | woman’s two oviducts (Fallopian tubes) are tied closed to prevent eggs from reaching the uterus |
| urethra | tube that releases urine from the body near the vagina in females and through the penis in males |
| uterine cycle | changes that occur in the uterus during the reproductive cycle of the human female |
| uterus | female organ where eggs are fertilized and/or development of the young occurs |
| vagina | part of the female reproductive system between the uterus and the outside opening |
| vas deferens | tube in the male reproductive system in which sperm travel from the epididymis to the urethra |
| vasectomy | cutting of each vas deferens to prevent sperm from entering the urethra |
| vasocongestion | filling of a tissue with blood |
| vestibule | the space into which the vagina and urethral opening empty |
| vulva | Collective term for the female external genetalia |
| zygote | diploid product of the union of haploid gametes in conception |
