Birth control: a device or drug used to prevent pregnancy.

Breakthrough bleeding: blood flow that occurs between periods.

Cervix: opening to the uterus, on top of the vagina.

Corpus luteum: a small sac, which remains in the ovaries after the mature egg is expelled. The sac produces estrogen and progesterone.

Egg: a female reproductive cell stored in the ovaries from birth that carries genetic information. The ovary contains 100s of thousands of eggs.

Embryo: what the fertilized egg becomes after it is implanted in the uterus.

Endometrium: the inside walls or lining of the uterus, which contain proteins, nutrients and blood to support a developing embryo.

Estrogen: the female hormone that is responsible for sexual functioning, developing female characteristics and regulating the menstrual cycle.

Fallopian tubes: the passageway from the ovaries to the uterus. It is the path through which the egg travels into the uterus.

Female cycle: the process that occurs every month and lasts for approximately 28 days with four distinct phases (preovulation, ovulation, postovulation and menstruation).

Fertilization: the process of the egg joining together with the sperm.

Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH): a hormone secreted by the pituitary gland that stimulates the release of estrogen in the ovaries.
 
Hormone: various chemicals in your body that send messages to other areas throughout the body.

Lining of the uterus: also called the endometrium. It is the inside walls of the uterus, which contain proteins, nutrients and blood to support a developing embryo.

Luteinizing hormone (LH): a hormone that stimulates ovulation, which is the release of an egg from the ovary.

Menstruation: also called a period. It is the flow of blood that comes at the beginning of each menstrual cycle. It usually lasts for an average of three to five days.

Ovaries: the female organ that produces eggs and sex hormones such as estrogen and progesterone.

Ovulation: the release of the mature egg from the ovary, occurring in the middle of the menstrual cycle, approximately 14 days before the next menstrual period starts.

Pap test: a quick test designed to screen for pre-cancer or cancer of the cervix.

Pill (the Pill): combined oral contraceptive (COC).

Pituitary gland: a small gland at the base of the brain that controls and regulates the essential female sex hormones, namely FSH and LH. The gland stimulates egg maturation and ovulation in the monthly cycle.

Pregnancy: the nine-month period after fertilization, during which the embryo grows into a fetus and then into a fully formed human baby.

Progesterone: a type of hormone that prepares the endometrium for the possible implantation of a fertilized egg, toward the end of the monthly cycle. If pregnancy occurs, progesterone helps to support the developing embryo.

Reproductive system: specific organs within men and women that regulate all sexual functioning.

Semen: the white fluid from a man’s penis that contains sperm.

Sex hormones: chemical messengers (such as testosterone, estrogen and progesterone), which regulate sexual functioning and contribute to the biological differences between men and women.
 
Small sac: also called corpus luteum. It is a small sac, which remains in the ovaries after the mature egg is expelled. The sac produces estrogen and progesterone.

Sperm: a male reproductive cell that carries genetic information. If sperm contacts an egg after intercourse, fertilization can occur.

STD: sexually transmitted disease.

Synthetic hormones: a large group of chemical compounds or drugs that act as chemical messengers and have an effect similar to natural hormones.

Uterus: a pear-shaped organ lined with a layer of cells that respond to varying hormonal stimulation during the monthly female cycle. The uterus will grow and stretch to accommodate a developing baby.

Withdrawal bleed: similar to menstruation, a withdrawal bleed occurs in the seven days after three weeks of taking the Pill. Blood flow is often lighter than during natural menstruation.

Womb: also called uterus. It is a pear-shaped organ lined with a layer of cells that respond to varying hormonal stimulation during the monthly female cycle. The uterus will grow and stretch to accommodate a developing baby.

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