A woman is a human being that is female. Though ‘girl’ is the term usually used for female children and adolescents, and ‘woman’ for adults, ‘woman’ may also be used for females of all ages. In TCBW, we cater to females of all ages, thus ensuring that we are able to help women develop right from their formative stages.

The female sex is determined at conception, when typically, the fusion of two X gametes, one from either parent, results in the formation of a zygote that has XX chromosomes. When X and Y chromosomes fuse, the resultant zygote is male. In essence, the difference between male and female, and therefore, man and woman, is already evident genetically at conception. The absence of the Y chromosome, and more specifically, the male sex-determining gene on the Y chromosome, is what causes the female zygote to develop into an embryo with biological characteristics that are female. In the absence of this gene and its products, the gonads, which are initially capable of developing into either testes or ovaries, develop into ovaries, which produce oestrogen. Oestrogen subsequently triggers the development of female genital organs during gestation.

The genital organs are a major differentiating factor between man and woman. The female internal genital organs include the ovaries, fallopian tubes, uterus, cervix, and vagina, while the external include the labia, vulva, and clitoris. They are the primary sexual characteristics and are present at birth. At puberty, girls develop female secondary sexual characteristics including enlargement of breasts, widening of the hips, and changes in their external genital organs. They also experience further development of the genital organs such as the growth of the uterus, proliferation of the endometrium, and menstruation. These changes result from an increase in oestrogen levels and prepare the girl’s body for adulthood.

A baby’s sex is usually obvious at birth. Sometimes however, problems occur during the processes above, resulting in a variety of abnormalities in the chromosomes and organs. These may cause conditions in which it is difficult to tell if the genital organs of a child are male or female. A child with XX chromosomes may also develop male genital organs and one with XY chromosomes, female genital organs as a result of some of these abnormalities. When these disorders occur, a decision is usually taken by a specialist doctor and the child’s parents to assign a sex to the child. In children born without these problems, which is the majority of children, sex is assigned by natural processes at conception, and this assignment is corroborated at birth by the characteristics mentioned, characteristics that remain throughout life. A woman has the female variant of these characteristics.

Who is a woman? To be continued soon.