Female anatomy differs from male anatomy in many different respects. Generally speaking, girls and women are smaller, overall, than boys and men, and have less dense bones, more fat tissue, and less muscle tissue.
They also have reproductive organs that are different in appearance and function from male reproductive organs, and their breasts have internal structures that enable breastfeeding an infant, something the male anatomy lacks.
In other respects, female anatomy is very similar to male anatomy: Female gross anatomy — the parts visible to the naked eye — and internal organs, with the exception of reproductive organs, look more or less the same and are located in the same areas of the body as in the male human body.
Here are some parts of the human anatomy that are different in males and females.
Bones: Women’s hips are wider than men’s to allow for childbirth. Women also have shorter, narrower rib cages than men, which explains why women’s waists tend to be or appear smaller than men’s. On average, men tend to have larger, heavier bones than women because of testosterone, which increases bone density. After menopause, women can lose bone mass more quickly, which can lead to osteoporosis, a disease in which bones weaken and are more likely to break.
Fat: On average, women have more fat tissue than men. This fat, which is usually stored in the hips, thighs, butt, and lower abdomen, is needed to support a growing baby and to prepare for breastfeeding after birth.
Muscle: Women tend to have less muscle mass than men because they have lower levels of testosterone, which helps build muscle. Combined with the higher percentage of fat, women are normally less muscular than men.
The female reproductive system includes internal and external organs that help facilitate conception and childbearing.
While the reproductive organs perform their own specific functions, they also work together as a highly complex, interrelated system.
The main parts of the female reproductive anatomy include external genitalia, internal organs, and breasts.
Internal Organs
Uterus: The uterus is a pear-shaped organ that plays a major role in reproductive health. Each month during your menstrual cycle, the lining of the uterus (or womb) thickens. The body sheds this lining, along with blood, if no fertilized egg attaches to the wall of the uterus. The blood and tissue then pass out of the body through the vagina. If fertilization occurs (the sperm fertilizes the egg), the egg attaches itself to the lining of the uterus and you become pregnant. There are two parts to the uterus: the lower part, called the cervix, that connects the uterus to the vagina; and the corpus, which expands during pregnancy.
Ovaries: The ovaries are a pair of small glands on either side of the uterus. They produce eggs and hormones, such as estrogen and progesterone.
Fallopian tubes: These narrow tubes are attached to the upper part of the uterus. During conception, an egg is fertilized with sperm in the fallopian tubes and then moves into the uterus, implanting in the uterine lining.
Vagina: The vagina is a tube that extends from the cervix, the lower part of the uterus, to the woman’s vulva, the genital area outside her body, acting as a passageway between the internal and external reproductive organs.
External Organs
While some people use the word “vagina” to refer to the external genital area, the vagina is actually an internal organ, and the collective name for the external genitals is the vulva. The vulva includes:
Labia majora: Latin for “large lips,” these skin folds protect other parts of the vulva, such as the labia minora, clitoris, vaginal opening, and urethral opening.
Labia minora: The “small lips” are skin folds just inside the labia majora, and protect the vaginal and urethral openings.
Clitoris: This small nub of tissue is located where the folds of the labia minora meet near the pubic bone. The clitoris’s sole purpose is to give the woman sexual pleasure.
Vaginal opening: Located right below the urethral opening, the vaginal opening is where menstrual blood flow leaves the body, and where babies pass through during birth.
Hymen: The hymen is a thin layer of tissue that surrounds or covers a part of the vaginal opening, and it comes in many shapes and sizes. The tissue gradually wears and then rips due to hormones, physical activity, tampon use, or sex.
Urethral opening: The urethra is the tube that transports urine from the bladder to the outside of the body. In women, the urethral opening is a hole that is located directly above the vaginal opening.
Mons pubis: This area of fatty tissue lies over the pubic bone and is covered with pubic hair when a woman reaches puberty. Its function is to provide cushioning during sexual intercourse.
Perineum: In women, the perineum is the area between the vaginal opening and the anus. The perineum consists of nerves, soft tissue, and muscle that helps you urinate, defecate, and have sex. During childbirth, the perineum stretches to allow the baby to pass through the birth canal. It’s common for the perineum to tear during the delivery.
A female breast is made up of several parts:
Mammary glands: Located inside the breast, these glands, also called lobules, produce milk to feed a baby once it is born.
Milk ducts: Small tubes in the breast that carry milk from the glands to the nipples.
Fatty tissue: This tissue fills in the areas between the glands and connective tissue and determines your breast size.
Areola and nipples: The areola is the dark-colored area surrounding the nipple on the exterior surface of the breast. Each nipple has milk ducts, as well as hundreds of nerves.
Women have different levels of certain hormones than men, which play a major role in reproductivity, sexual health, circulation, and bone health. They include:
Estrogen: This group of hormones (estradiol, estriol, and estrone) is primarily produced in the ovaries. They play a role in triggering the start of puberty, causing physical changes such as breast development, menstruation, and the growth of pubic and underarm hair. In addition to regulating the menstrual cycle, estrogen also affects the heart and blood vessels and the brain, bones, and skin. Between puberty and menopause, levels of estrogen change during the month and are lowest during menstruation. For instance, during ovulation, estrogen levels increase, preparing the body for pregnancy. Estrogen also plays a role in fetal development, labor, and breastfeeding. Later in life, estrogen levels drop as a woman approaches menopause.
Progesterone: This hormone prepares the uterus for a fertilized egg to implant and grow into an embryo. If a woman does become pregnant, progesterone thickens the uterine lining to support the growing fetus. If a woman doesn’t get pregnant, progesterone levels drop, causing a woman to menstruate.
Testosterone: Although testosterone is considered a male hormone, women do produce it in small amounts. Testosterone is produced by the ovaries and adrenal glands, which are glands on top of each kidney that produce many types of hormones. Testosterone contributes to a woman’s bone density, muscle mass, and sex drive.
During menopause, women may experience a drop in hormone levels, which can cause symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, muscle aches, and vaginal dryness. If these symptoms are severe, doctors may prescribe hormone replacement therapy to supplement the body with estrogen and progesterone.
The male and female anatomy may share some features, but there are noticeable differences. Women are smaller, have more fat tissue, and have less muscle mass. Women also have reproductive organs and external genitalia that differ in function and appearance from men's. These physical differences are mostly driven by hormones such as estrogen and testosterone.
