Pregnancy Conception has to start somewhere, we will follow pregnancy conception through the two major processes that are essential to a pregnancy starting. We begin with the ovulation cycle, which is where pregnancy conception begins and will finish with the fertilisation process where the pregnancy is established.
Ovulation Cycle
Women who have a normal 28 day menstrual cycle tend to ovulate 12 – 16 days before the next menstrual period begins, therefore indications of when to become pregnant are evident from this cycle.
During this time of ovulation an egg (ovum) is released from the ovaries into the fallopian tubes where it waits ready and avaialable for two days for feritlisation.
The eggs (ovum) that are not fertilized however die after two days and are passed out of the body with the menstrual period.
Sperm are capable of maintaining life within the body for at least 2 – 3 days, making a peak period for fertilization a four day gap (two days prior to ovulation and two days after ovulation).
Fertilisation Process
Fertilisation happens basically when the sperm enters the uterus and penetrates the fertile egg (ovum).
The egg (ovum) then mixes with the sperm (causing the sperm tail and body to come away) and together they become the nuclei after penetration and startthe fertilisation process.
The fertilised egg (ovum) is now called a zygote which surrounds itself with an outer protective layer that other sperm cannot penetrate. The zygote passes through the fallopian tubes until it reaches the uterus, during its journey it is constantly dividing cells as it travels.
The zygote transforms into the morula which is a solid ball of cells and starts to change. The morula divides within itself and puts aside a cluster of cells known as a blastocyst.
The blastocyst embeds itself into the uterus wall and starts to mature into an Embryo also forming the placenta.