Vagina
Vagina: The muscular canal extending from the Cervix to the outside of the body. It is usually six to seven inches in length, and its walls are lined with mucus membrane. It includes two vaultlike structures, the anterior (front) vaginal fornix and the posterior (rear) vaginal fornix. The cervix protrudes slightly into the vagina, and it is through a tiny hole in the cervix (the os) that sperm make their way toward the internal reproductive organs. The vagina also includes numerous tiny glands that make vaginal secretions.
The word "vagina" is a Latin word meaning "a sheath or scabbard", a scabbard into which one might slide and sheath a sword. The "sword" in the case of the anatomic vagina was the penis. Love and war, it would seem, have been connected in the minds of people for millennia.
When a woman is sexually aroused, the vagina begins to produce lubrication to aid in penetration. Your bartholin glands produce that lubrication. Most vaginas are only four inches in length. At the top of the vagina is what kind of feels like a semi-hard round ball. This is your cervix, the 'neck' of your uterus. In the middle of the cervix is a small round opening, called the os, that leads to the uterus. The os is the small opening through which menstrual blood flows from the uterus into the vagina. This is the same small opening that expands during childbirth. This is also where cells for a pap smear will be taken to make sure they are healthy. Many females have very sensitive cervixes, some do not.
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