women s health issues
Overview of the Female Reproductive System
Introduction
The female reproductive system consists of the Female External Genital Organs and Hypothalamus (an area of the brain) Overview of the Pituitary Gland (located at the base of the brain, directly below the hypothalamus) Overview of the Adrenal Glands (located on top of the kidneys) The hypothalamus orchestrates the interactions among the genital organs, pituitary gland, and adrenal glands to regulate the female reproductive system (see figure Major Endocrine Glands ). These parts of the body interact with each other by releasing hormones. Hormones are chemical messengers that control and coordinate activities in the body. , and some male sex hormones (androgens). (Male sex hormones stimulate the growth of pubic and underarm hair at Puberty in Girls and maintain muscle mass in girls as well as boys.) After childbirth, the hypothalamus signals the pituitary gland to produce prolactin, a hormone that stimulates milk production. The adrenal glands produce small amounts of female and male sex hormones. The major glands of the endocrine system are the hypothalamus, the pituitary gland, the thyroid gland, the parathyroid glands, the islet cells of the pancreas, the adrenal glands, the testes in men, and the ovaries in women. 