by Carieann K Sommers

1. Gynecology
The Study of the Female
Reproductive System

2. “Gynecology”
• from the Greek, gynaikos
gyno- pertaining to
woman
• -logy, meaning study of
• Thus, gynecology literally
is the “study of women”
• modern gynecology
focuses on disorders of
the female reproductive
organs

3. What is gynecology?
• The medical specialty
concerned with the – External genitalia
female reproductive • Vulva
organs – Labia majora, labia
minora, and clitoris
– Internal genitalia
• Uterus
• Ovaries
• Fallopian tubes
• Vagina
– Extends to the
external surface of
the body

4. Some history…
• The historic taboo
associated with the
examination of female
genitalia has inhibited the
science of gynecology
• This 1822 drawing by
Jacques-Pierre Maygnier
shows a "compromise"
procedure, in which the
physician is kneeling
before the woman but
cannot see her genitalia
• Modern gynecology has
shed most of these
inhibitions…but there is
still a lot to learn!

5. It’s all Greek to me…
• Dated from 1800 BCE, The Kahun Gynaecological Papyrus is the oldest
known medical text reporting gynecological concerns, such as fertility,
pregnancy, contraception etc.
– Each section deals with a specific problem and contains diagnosis and treatment,
but, no prognosis is suggested
– treatments are non surgical, suggesting applying medicines to the affected body
part or swallowing them
– The womb is at times seen as the source of complaints manifesting themselves in
other body parts
• According to the Suda, the ancient Greek physician Soranus of Ephesus
practiced gynecology in Alexandria and Rome
– treatise Gynaikeia
• J. Marion Sims is considered the father of American
• gynecology
– Learned to repair vesicovaginal fistulas
– Used experimental procedures on slaves
Sim’s speculum

6. Focus on the fallopian tube
• The falloian tube transports the ovum from the
ovaries to the uterus
– Finger like projections called fimbriae expand from
the tubes
– Fimbriae catch and guide the ovum from the ovaries
after ovulation
– Small hair-like projections called cilia on the cells of
the fallopian tube lining propel the ovum through the
tube to the uterus
– Fertilization, where the sperm meets the egg, usually
occurs in the upper half of the fallopian tube

7. What’s in a name?
• Also referred to as uterine tubes
or oviducts
• Named fallopian for Gabriele
Falloppio
– 16th-century Italian physician and
surgeon who was an expert in
anatomy, physiology and
pharmacology
– Considered an early expert on
syphilis, one of the great surgeons
of the age, and often seen as a
hero of anatomy
– "Observationes anatomicae", a
work of great originality,
contributed to the understanding
of:
• centers of ossification
• detailed account of muscles
• the vascular system and the
kidneys
– Falloppio’s description of the
uterine tubes were sufficiently
accurate and thus, bear his name

8. fallopian tube
fertilization

9. Supercalafragilistic expialadocious
• Total abdominal hysterectomy-bilateral salpingo-
oophorectomy…the longest term in medical
history!
• Refers to the removal of the uterus, cervix,
ovaries, and fallopian tubes
• Procedure is used when cancer is present in the
uterus and has spread to other organs or tissues
in the reproductive system

11. TAH/BSO
• Procedure includes 3 surgeries:
– TAH: Total abdominal hysterectomy
• removal of uterus and cervix
– BSO: Bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy
• Removal of fallopian tubes and ovaries
– Pelvic node dissection
• removal of lymph nodes in pelvis

12. Check out this book on the procedure,
recovery and other resources:

13. resources cited
• biology.clc.edu
• Fremgen, Bonnie F. & Frucht, Suzanne S.
Medical Terminology: A Living Language:
3e. New Jersey: Pearson Education. 2005
• hhsc.ca
• medterms.com
• revolutionhealth.com
• wikipedia.org