Penile Anatomy

Many people think that because the penis is such a visual reproductive organ, unlike the female reproductive organs, that it works very simply. In reality, the penis is a very complicated sexual organ that has more than one function. Although the penis looks like one long shaft, it is, in fact, three separate cylinders. The two largest cylinders of actually made of tissue. These columns are what allows the penis to become flaccid and erect.

An erection occurs when the arteries dilate and send blood coursing into the two spongy chambers. Once these chambers are filled, the penis becomes erect and ready for intercourse. The urethra runs in the third chamber. This chamber is also filled with spongy tissue, but is much smaller than the other two chambers. The urethra allows for both urine and semen to pass through. The bladder is connected directly to the urethra, but semen takes a different path to get there.

In order for ejaculate to come out of the body, sperm are sent through the vas deferens and behind the bladder. At this point, other fluids are added to the sperm from the seminal vesicles and the prostate gland. In reality, only a small portion of semen is made up of actual sperm. The sperm is then pushed into the urethra and expelled out of the opening of the penis.

When a baby boy is born, he has a foreskin on the head of his penis. The foreskin is meant to protect the head of the penis when it is flaccid. When the penis becomes erect, the foreskin shrinks back, leaving the head of the penis uncovered for intercourse. It has become a common practice in the United States for parents to have their boy’s foreskin removed in a procedure called circumcision. Some people believe that circumcision cuts down on the risk of infection, while others believe that circumcision is an unhealthy thing to do. At this point the decision lies with the parents of the newborn.