Where is fertilisation

Learn about other infertility risk factors here. Ovulation induction uses hormonal therapy to stimulate egg development and release, or ovulation, the goal being to produce a single, healthy egg. Learn more. Your overall health is a reflection of your reproductive health. Give yourself a long and healthy life. Consider these tips to stay healthy.

Some women have difficulty conceiving because of problems in their reproductive system such as a congenital malformation and require surgery. Learn more here. Hormones secreted by the hypothalamus, the pituitary and the ovary are the messengers that regulate the menstrual cycle. High-risk pregnancy. Infertility in men.

Infertility in women. Donor Sperm Insemination. Intrauterine Insemination IUI. Pre-Implantation Genetic Diagnosis. Patient Education.

To become pregnant , the following steps must occur: Sperm transport — The sperm must be deposited and transported to the site of fertilization. Egg transport — Ovulation must occur and the egg must be "picked up" by the tube. Fertilization and embryo development — Union between the sperm and egg must result. Implantation — The embryo must implant and begin to grow in the uterus.

These steps are described below. Sperm Transport The transport of sperm depends on several factors: The sperm must be capable of propelling themselves through the environment of the female vagina and cervix. This environment, which is under cyclic hormonal control, must be favorable to admit the sperm without destroying them.

The sperm must possess the capability of converting to a form that can penetrate the cell membrane of the egg capacitation. Egg Transport Egg transport begins at ovulation and ends once the egg reaches the uterus. Fertilization and Embryo Development Following ovulation, the egg is capable of fertilization for only 12 to 24 hours. Implantation Once the embryo reaches the blastocyst stage, approximately five to six days after fertilization, it hatches out of its zona pellucida and begins the process of implantation in the uterus.

In this case, you might become pregnant with twins. These twins will be known as fraternal twins also called nonidentical twins. Fertility treatments like IVF can increase the likelihood of multiple births , according to Cleveland Clinic. This is because fertility treatments often involve transferring more than one embryo to the uterus at a time to increase the chances of pregnancy.

Fertility drugs can also result in more than one egg being released during ovulation. Because both cells come from the exact same egg cell and sperm cell, identical twins will have the same DNA, the same sex, and a nearly identical appearance.

At the point of ovulation, the uterus wall is thick. The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology ACOG considers someone pregnant only once the embryo is successfully implanted against the uterine wall. In other words, implantation marks the beginning of a pregnancy. The embryo, however, might not implant. Emergency contraception , intrauterine devices IUDs , and infertility could prevent the embryo from implanting. In the event that ovulation has already occurred when you take Plan B, the U.

Food and Drug Administration notes that it may prevent a fertilized egg from implanting. An IUD works by thickening cervical mucus.

This can both prevent ovulation and create an environment that kills or immobilizes sperm, preventing the possibility of fertilization. Rather, they prevent pregnancy from happening. IUDs and emergency contraceptive pills are both extremely effective forms of contraception. According to the World Health Organization , both are 99 percent effective at avoiding pregnancy. About 90 percent of ectopic pregnancies occur when the embryo implants in one of the fallopian tubes.

It could also attach to the cervix or abdominal cavity. Ectopic pregnancies are medical emergencies that need prompt treatment to prevent a tube rupture. After implantation occurs, the placenta forms. At this point, your body will produce the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin hCG. According to Mayo Clinic , hCG levels should double every two to three days in the early stages of pregnancy.

If a woman and a man have unprotected sexual intercourse, sperm that is ejaculated from the man's penis may reach the egg in the fallopian tube. If one of the sperm cells penetrates the egg, the egg is fertilized and begins developing.

The egg takes several days to travel down the fallopian tube into the uterus. After it is in the uterus, a fertilized egg usually attaches to implants in the lining of the uterus endometrium. But not all fertilized eggs successfully implant. If the egg is not fertilized or does not implant, the woman's body sheds the egg and the endometrium.

This shedding causes the bleeding in a woman's menstrual period. When a fertilized egg does implant, a hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin hCG begins to be produced in the uterus. This is the hormone that a pregnancy test measures. It prevents the uterine lining from being shed, so the woman does not have a period.

Other signs such as breast changes and nausea occur in a woman's body, also meaning that pregnancy has begun. Author: Healthwise Staff.