The human reproductive system is, at the macro level, a two-part system that consists of the male and female sexual organs. The male reproductive system is composed primarily of the testes, vans deferens, prostate, seminal vesicles and the urethra. The female reproductive system is composed of the ovaries, fallopian tubes, uterus, cervix and vagina. Both the male and female reproductive systems are subject to a variety of conditions.
Laboratory Test
HPV
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common form of sexually transmitted disease (STD) and affects women and men. It usually infects the skin or mucous membranes and is frequently asymptomatic. In some instances, genital warts may occur as a result of HPV. The major concern regarding HPV is that some strains can cause cervical cancer. The CDC also reports that the immune system is capable of clearing the viral infection from the body in approximately two years in 90 percent of cases.
Chlamydia
Another common sexually transmitted disease is chlamydia. According to the CDC, more than 1 million cases of chlamydia were reported in 2006. It can affect both men and women. Transmission occurs through sexual contact with an infected person. It is caused by a bacterium, Chlamydia trachomatis, and is usually asymptomatic. It can cause infertility in women by damaging the reproductive organs. In men, the infection may cause a discharge from the penis. In addition to HPV and chlamydia, other STDs that affect the reproductive system include gonorrhea, syphilis, herpes and trichomoniasis.
Cancer
Cancer is a disease in which the cells of a particular part of the body grow at an abnormal rate. It can be caused by a number of factors, including viral infections, genetic predisposition, exposure to toxins and exposure to radiation. Both men and women can develop cancers that affect their reproductive systems.
Female Reproductive Cancers
Women who develop a reproductive cancer are most likely to develop cervical cancer, uterine cancer, ovarian cancer or vulvar cancer. Cervical cancer occurs when the cells in the cervix grow at an uncontrollable rate and cause tumors. Most women develop dysplasia (precancerous cellular changes) first. Uterine cancer is caused by the cellular abnormalities in the inner lining of the uterus, which leads to uncontrolled cellular growth. The majority of ovarian cancer cases are "epithelial cell tumors." These are tumors that develop from the surface cells of the ovaries. Vulvar cancers are abnormal cellular growths that occur on the outer genital areas.
Male Reproductive Cancers
Two of the more common types of reproductive cancer that men develop are prostate cancer and testicular cancer. Prostate cancer occurs when abnormal cells grow uncontrollably and a tumor develops on the prostate gland. Prostate tumors, as with most cancers, may metastasize (spread) to other areas of the body. Testicular cancers are malignant growths that develop in the testicular tissues. The two forms of testicular cancer are seminomas (slow growing) and nonseminomas (fast growing). According to the National Cancer Institute, testicular cancer is more frequent among younger and middle-aged men.
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