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Genitals
Genitals
(or genitalia) are the sex organs in the pelvic region of both men and
women. Male and female genitals are divided into external genitals
(those visible outside the body) and internal genitals (those that are
inside the body).
The male's external
genitals include the penis and the scrotum. The internal genitals
include the testicles, or testes, epididymis and vas deferens (housed in
the scrotum), the seminal vesicles, the prostate gland, the ejaculatory
ducts, the Cowper's gland, and the urethra. In terms of sexual play and
sexual intercourse, the single most important part of a man's genitals
is undoubtedly his penis.
As with males, the female
genitals are partly external and partly internal. The external sex
organs of a woman are collectively called the vulva,
and include the clitoris,
two pairs of skin folds called the labia,
the mons pubis, and the opening of the vagina and urine passageway
located in the vestibule. The external parts of a woman's genitals and
the area immediately surrounding them are highly sensitive to physical
stimulation and play a large role in lovemaking.
External genitals are
sensitive to touch and when they are stimulated or when a man or woman
becomes sexually aroused, the genitals undergo changes that make sexual
pleasure, and at certain times, reproduction possible.
The complex female
internal genitals include the hymen, Bartholin's glands, the urethra,
the vagina, the cervix, the uterus, two Fallopian tubes, and two
ovaries. It is the vagina that is primarily involved in sexual activity,
whereas the Fallopian tubes, ovaries, uterus, and to a lesser extent the
cervix are the essential organs in reproduction. The role of the Bartholin's
glands is still not clearly understood.
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Sex
