Female



Female is one of two genders. It is the sex that produces ova ("egg" cells) for sexual reproduction. Females of some species also bear offspring.

When looking at seed plants, the plants that only produce seed are called female, those that only produce pollen are called male. The majority of seed plants produce both, and are called hermaphrodite.

Organisms can either be grouped as male or female. Female humans are called women and their bodies are different from male humans (who are called men). A woman has a vagina between her legs (a male has a penis) which is the main sexual organ. They also have breasts with milk glands, which allow them to nurse (feed) infants. A woman's shoulders are usually not as wide as a man's, but women usually have wider hips than men, because they need wide hips to be able to give birth.

Women who become pregnant are encouraged by the medical community to seek professional care from an obstetrician or a gynecologist in order to prevent complications. Likewise, women should see a gynecologist regularly for routine screening exams for cancer.

Related pages

 * Sex determination - the biological process which determines the sex of an individual.