How to get Pregnant » Pregnancy Conception
Pregnancy Conception
How a single sperm can fertilize an egg, and then turn into an embryo attached to your uterine wall can be very complex. Many physicians will calculate pregnancy conception by considering the last day of your menstrual period to be the start of your pregnancy. The beginning of your pregnancy, or menstrual cycle, is actually about two weeks before actual pregnancy conception. Women who are trying to become pregnant make it a priority to learn the process of ovulation and implantation to avoid difficulties.
Pregnancy Conception Occurs during Ovulation
A group of eggs will begin to develop in either of a woman's ovaries every month. These groups become small cysts filled with fluid called follicles. When the follicles are created one of them is selected as being dominant, and will complete its development. This follicle, will then stunt the growth of the other follicles, and they will then degenerate. The dominant follicle will then release the egg into the ovary; this is known as ovulation. Ovulation, normally takes place at approximately 2 weeks before the menstrual period begins. Once ovulation has occurred, the follicle will then develop into the corpus leteum that secretes both estrogen and progesterone that will help prepare the lining of the uterus become thicker so that the embryo can implant itself.
The Releasing of the Egg
The egg travels through the fallopian tube after being released, and will wait on a single sperm to penetrate during pregnancy conception. Once the egg is released, it can be fertilized for 24 hours during ovulation. The average ovulation and fertilization will take place in the middle of your menstrual cycle, but if no sperm fertilizes the egg it will degenerate, and reduce the level of hormones that it produces causing the endometrium to become detached. This is how the menstrual period takes place within the menstrual cycle.
The Fertilization of the Egg by the Sperm
When sperm successfully penetrates the mature egg during ovulation and achieves fertilization, changes will take place in the protein coating around the egg to prevent other sperm from fertilizing. Once the fertilization takes place, your baby's entire genetic makeup is decided. A mother can only provide an X chromosome, but the father can provide either an X or a Y chromosome. Thus, if the sperm that fertilizes the egg is an X sperm, the baby will be a girl, where as if a Y sperm fertilizes a boy will be created. The egg begins to divide rapidly into many cells within 24 hours. The fertilized egg, or zygote, will continue to divide as it travels through the fallopian tube towards the uterus where it will attach to the endromitium and implantation begins its process.
Next, the zygote will become a solid ball of cells initially, and later become a hollow ball of cells known as a blastocyst. When this occurs, some women may experience slight bleeding as the implantation takes place. Finally, the endomitrium wall becomes thicker and a mucus plug seals off the cervix.