The Female Reproductive System:
To understand conception, it is helpful to know about the female’s monthly reproductive cycle. Females are born with about 400,000 eggs in their ovaries. A female begins to ovulate during puberty. About once a month, several eggs mature, and one is released from the ovary. Up until this time, the lining of the uterus has been building and has become thick to act as a “nest” for the egg to implant. Once the egg is released, if it is not fertilized within 12-48 hours, it disintegrates. Approximately 2 weeks later, the thick lining of the uterus is shed – this is called "menstruation". The cycle then begins again.Ovulation:
Ovulation is the release of the matured egg from the ovary. In response to a hormonal signal, the follicle (holding the egg) bursts open and frees the egg. Ovulation typically occurs around 14 or 15 days from the first day of the female's last menstrual cycle. Once ovulation takes place, the ovum (egg) travels into the fallopian tube and is receptive to fertilization by a sperm."The Fertile Period":
When a female is ovulating, it is her most fertile time to become pregnant. Since the egg has been released and is available to being fertilized, if a female engages in unprotected intercourse, conception can occur. A female is most fertile during ovulation and can become pregnant from unprotected sexual relations that took place anytime from 5 days before ovulation to 1 days afterwards.Conception :
Conception is when the female’s egg is fertilized by a male’s sperm. After sperm are ejaculated in the vagina, they swim through the cervix and into the Fallopian tubes, where conception usually takes place. Once a single sperm has penetrated the egg, conception has happened as the genetic material from the sperm and the egg has merged into a single nucleus (called a "zygote").Pregnancy:
Medical experts (e.g., the FDA and the American Medical Association) agree that the establishment of a pregnancy takes several days and is not completed until a fertilized egg has implanted in the lining of the woman's uterus. A woman is considered to be pregnant once the implantation of the zygote has occurred.
