THE NATURAL DEFENSIVE MEANS AGAINST INFLAMMATIONS

Umm Iman : After having explained to me all these important basic facts, would you care to do the same for the ways used by the reproductive apparatus to protect itself from inflammations ?

Dr Ahmad :

The woman's reproductive apparatus has lines of defense against germ  invasion. They consist of the following:

1. The vulva : The two labia stick to one another in order to close up the opening of the vagina. The secretion of the perspiratory glands (or sudoriferous glands) that are particular to this area have a killing effect on the fungi.

2. The girls' virginal membrane (hymen) : This prevents them from manipulating their genitals or inserting a foreign body in their vagina  for fear of injuring it.

3. The vagina : The acid discharges in the vagina protect this latter. Their secretion is occasioned by the presence of certain germs which live naturally in it and which discharge this acid substance. Protection is also afforded by the adherence of the two vaginal walls (the front one and the back one). This leads to its obstruction.

4. The Cervix (uterine neck): In most of the days, the cervix is closed by a plug made up of mucus secreted by the glands which are found in it. This plug disappears when the menses come down. Its thickness diminishes during ovulation so that it allows the spermatozoa to enter and encounter the ovum.

5. The uterus : The membranacious lining of the uterus (the endometrium) collapses periodically every month (menstruation), carrying with it any germs which would have reached it. Therefore, the inflammations of the uterus are very rare, save after giving birth or aborting because of the presence of a large wound in the inside of the uterus (the place of the placenta).

6. The two Fallopian ducts (or tubes ) :  In these ducts are eyelash-like cells which push the liquid towards the outside. In this way, they combat the entering of germs and their travelling in the opposite direction.

7. Lymph glands  : There are equivalent to traps catching germs that go  through the skin or the mucus lining of the  reproductive apparatus.

Umm Iman : Is it possible, then, that inflammations occur while these defensive lines exist ?

Dr Ahmad :

Yes...since the immunity of the reproductive apparatus diminishes in some  cases, like the following :

1. During menstruation : In spite of the fact that the direction taken by the exiting blood cleans (the reproductive apparatus) and expels the germs towards the outside, the membranacious lining of the uterus is lacerated during this time. The mucus plug disappears from the cervix; so does the acidity of the vagina, as a result of the coming down of blood with a chemical base moving towards the alkaline one.

 2. During the post-delivery phase : The afore-mentioned immunity diminishes because of the importance of the wound in the uterine wall, at the place of the ablation of the placenta. Another cause has to do with wounds made to the vagina and the perineum(7) and the continuous presence of blood - which is a good environment for germ development. Moreover, loss of blood during delivery causes the weakening of the general immunity of the body.

 3. Repeated birth deliveries : Immunity diminishes, in this case, because of the impossibility to close the vulva well with the same sufficiency as before child birth. The same obtains for those women  who had only a small number of deliveries. Moreover, the great amount of deliveries may occasion anemia, which may bring about a weak general immunity for the body.

4. Closeness between the periods of delivery : In this case, the internal organs in the basin do not go back to their original natural shape. This may cause the collapse of the vagina [from its normal position].

5. Vaginal collapse : In this case, the afore-mentioned immunity diminishes because the collapse exposes a great many organs of the reproductive apparatus to germs.

6. The Honeymoon period :  Immunity diminishes, in this case, because of the great amount of sexual intercourse, the rubbing between organs that  ensues through this and the tearing of the hymen.