Uterine development begins at 7-8 weeks of gestation by the fusion of the

intermediate horizontal and the adjoining vertical part of the Mullerian ducts and completes

by the 12th week. The cervix is developed from the fused lower vertical parts of the two

paramesonephric ducts. The lining epithelium and the glands of uterus and cervix develop

from the coelomic epithelium. The myometrium and the endometrial stroma develop from

the mesoderm of the paramesonephric ducts.

The ovaries are the paired female sex glands concerned with germ cell maturation,

storage and its release and sex hormone synthesis. The ovary is covered by a single layer of

cubical cells called germinal epithelium. The outer cortex of the ovary consists of stromal

cells beneath the germinal epithelium. During reproductive period, the cortex is studded with

numerous functional units of ovary concerned with sex hormone production and ovulation in

different stages of their development. They include the primordial follicles, maturing

follicles, Graafian follicles and corpus luteum. Atresia of the follicles forms the corpus

albicans. The inner medulla consists of loose connective tissues, few smooth muscles, blood

vessels and nerves.

The ovary is developed on either side from the genital ridge. The cortex and the

covering epithelium develop from the coelomic epithelium and medulla from the

mesenchyme. The germ cells migrate through the dorsal mesentery of the hindgut from the

endoderm of yolk sac into the genital ridge between 5-6 weeks of gestation by the action of a

peptidetelopheron. The germ cells undergo rapid mitotic division and some enter meiotic

division and are called primary oocytes. There are about 2 million primary oocytes at birth

and they do not finish the first meiotic division until puberty. At puberty, only around

4,00,000 primary oocytes are left behind in the ovaries, and the rest become atretic. Of these,

only around 400 are likely to ovulate during the entire reproductive period of a woman.