Female Reproductive Organs – Ovaries

The ovaries are the female gonads - two almond-shaped glands located behind the uterus and attached to the lower part of the peritoneum by several ligaments. They communicate with the uterus through the fallopian tubes. Each ovary consists of two zones:

1. Cortical or germinal zone: it contains follicles containing germ cells of varying degrees of maturity. Mature follicles open outward and release one egg.

2. Brain or vascular zone: located in the center of the organ, formed by connective tissue and rich in blood vessels and nerves.

The ovary performs an important endocrine function because it secretes substances - estrogens and progesterone - that act on the uterus and prepare it for conception and nutrition of the embryo.