Page 1

Womanhood By nature woman is superior gender. Reproduction, the mother function for the continuity of the universe is centered on the female gender. Human, being Ashraful-makhlooqat, women lead. Allah, Almighty has created the special biological qualities in women. Their physiological responses keep on changing according to their role. First she is daughter, then wife and finally the mother. Once mother, she leads the family unit and determines its course. “Individual is known from his family back-ground” and “Behavior and attitude of the individual tells his family background” are the often quoted sayings. Mother has the maximum influence on these attitudes and behavior. The role of parents, the persons who raise the girl and the husband’s attitudes to the wife determine the mental and physical development of women. These changing roles constantly change her normal physiology compared to the man whose remains constant. Women’s first change at puberty is not the last. She has three phases:

  • Non-reproductive Childhood.

  • Reproductive age (15-48 years).from the onset of puberty,

  • Non-reproductive menopause.

Man passes through one change of adulthood at puberty and once capable of procreation, he remains so. Testicular function once started continues unchanged. It implies that in man a change may mean illness or disease. In women it is not so.

Puberty is a transitional period between childhood and adulthood. The events of puberty are designed to prepare the organs of reproduction for procreative role which is through hormones. Hypothalamo-pituitary-gonadal axis although marginally functional in fetal life becomes fully active at the time of puberty. Under the influence of the hormones the reproductive organs mature progressively and body changes into adult. It is marked by a sudden growth spurt at the age of 10-12 years in girls and 12-14 years in boys.

In reproductive age of the woman the ovaries inactive so far, though producing some hormones constantly, become active and start a cyclical process, ovulation. Cycle usually completes in a month, but may be longer or shorter. The normal ovaries at the time of puberty harbor over 300,000 dormant follicles containing ova known as primordial follicles. In every cycle some of these proliferate under the influence of hormones produced by Pituitary gland at the base of the skull. One follicle outgrows the others to the maturity and releases ovum (egg) which is ready to be fertilized by the male sperms and if it happens, the woman becomes pregnant.

Pituitary hormones also stimulate the ovarian cells to produce Estrogens and Progesterone commonly known as female sex hormones. They determine the feminist features of the women by developing breast, distribution of hair and body fat to create feminist curves. They also affect the uterus to thicken its lining (endometrium) which is important because when the fertilized egg comes to the uterus the thickened endometrium helps it to implant.

 

   
Previous   Next