The vagina forms the final part of the female genital system . It is a channel formed by muscles and membranes, which connects the cervix with the outside . At the time of mating, its main function is to accommodate the penis .
What is the vagina?
The vagina is a hollow organ included in the female genital system . It has a stratified epithelium whose cells change their characters during the menstrual cycle , and according to age. The vagina has a length that varies from 8 to 12 centimeters.
The upper part of the vagina contains the protrusion of the uterine cervix . The lower part, that is the one that opens outwards, flows into the orifice of the vagina , called the vulva . The external orifice of the vagina is partially closed by a thin ring-shaped or half-moon membrane . Said hymen , the membrane is located between the bladder and urethra , which are in front of it, and the rectum , on the posterior plane. The hymen tears during the first full sexual intercourse .
The internal parts of the vagina have great qualities of elasticity , as they are formed by irregular longitudinal and transverse folds, which allow sexual intercourse and the passage of the fetus in the final parturition.
The walls of the vagina are moist , due to the existence of a viscous substance produced by the vaginal cells and mucus of the uterine cervix. These secretions are controlled by sex hormones whose values, in turn, change significantly according to the different phases of the woman’s sexual development (prepuberity, puberty, sexual maturity, menopause), in case of pregnancy and during the menstrual cycle.
What is the vagina for?
The vagina is the organ responsible for mating. Its main role is therefore to receive sperm during the sexual act . It also serves to allow the flow of the menstrual flow , of all the products secreted by the uterus and to allow, during childbirth, the passage of the fetus and the expulsion of the placenta .
