Human Reproductive System Diagram: Male and Female
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Reviewer participation may vary by guide. Checked against Cambridge IGCSE Biology 0610 (2026–2028); last reviewed August 2026.
Key diagram
The male system includes testes, sperm ducts, urethra and penis. The female system includes ovaries, oviducts (Fallopian tubes), uterus, cervix and vagina. Sperm are produced in the testes; eggs are released from the ovaries.
Questions on the human reproductive system require students to label diagrams, name where gametes are produced, describe where fertilisation occurs, and explain the functions of key structures. Both male and female diagrams should be practised.
The male reproductive system
Draw the testes (two oval organs inside the scrotum): these produce sperm and the hormone testosterone. The sperm duct (vas deferens) carries sperm from each testis to the urethra. The prostate gland and seminal vesicles add fluid to the sperm to form semen. The penis delivers semen into the female reproductive system during sexual intercourse. The urethra is shared between the reproductive and urinary systems.
The female reproductive system
Draw the two ovaries: these produce eggs (ova) and the hormones oestrogen and progesterone. The oviducts (Fallopian tubes) connect the ovaries to the uterus. Each oviduct has a funnel-shaped end near the ovary to collect the released egg. The uterus has a thick muscular wall and a lining (endometrium) where the embryo implants. The cervix is the narrow opening at the base of the uterus leading to the vagina.
Where fertilisation and development occur
Fertilisation occurs in the oviduct: not in the uterus. A sperm cell fuses with an egg cell to form a zygote. The zygote divides as it travels along the oviduct and implants in the uterus wall as an embryo. During pregnancy, the placenta develops, providing the embryo with oxygen and nutrients from the mother's blood and removing carbon dioxide and urea.
Label checklist
Check these labels are present and correctly positioned before finishing your drawing.
✓Testes
✓Sperm duct (vas deferens)
✓Urethra
✓Penis
✓Prostate gland
✓Ovaries
✓Oviducts (Fallopian tubes)
✓Uterus
✓Cervix
✓Vagina
Try a diagram question (3 marks)
State the site of fertilisation in the female reproductive system and describe what happens during fertilisation. [3]
Show the answer and marking guidance
Fertilisation occurs in the oviduct (Fallopian tube).
A sperm cell fuses with an egg cell (ovum).
The nuclei of the sperm and egg fuse, forming a zygote with the full diploid number of chromosomes.
Original Cambridge-style practice written for this site.
Common diagram mistakes
Check these against your own drawing before moving on.
Stating that fertilisation occurs in the uterus: it occurs in the oviduct.
Confusing the oviduct with the sperm duct.
Forgetting to label the cervix between the uterus and vagina.
Not mentioning the fusion of nuclei when describing fertilisation.