When does conception occur? At what point do you become pregnant?
When does conception occur? How long after intercourse does fertilization of the egg by the sperm take place? Is that when you become pregnant? These questions have caused debate for many years. We will give you a breakdown of the early stages of pregnancy and you can decide for yourself.
This may sound elementary to some, but you never know how many people may not fully understand what happens in order to have a baby. Hod do you get pregnant? First, the women has to ovulate. Ovulation is the release of a mature egg in to the fallopian tube. This usually happens 13-15 days before your next period or menstrual cycle. Your uterine lining is thickening during this time in order to create an optimal environment for implantation.
In order to get pregnant an egg (ovum) from a woman and a sperm from a male have to come together. This can happen the natural way through sexual intercourse, or it may happen outside of the womb by a form of artificial insemination. The sperm cell typically meets the released egg somewhere in the middle of the uterine tube and fertilizes it. This new formation is called a zygote. The zygote begins dividing itself and making identical copies. By day 4 or 5 after fertilization this group of cells have made it to the uterus. This cell cluster is referred to as a blastocyst, it has grown to about 30 cells or more by now.
The growing embryo still has to implant itself. It must burrow and dig its way in to the endometrium, or lining if the uterus. That is where it will connect with the mother's blood supply and receive the nutrients to continue developing. If the embedding process is successful the embryo will keep growing and developing into a fetus, and hopefully, a baby. The implantation will happen anywhere from 7 to 10 days after fertilization.
If the fertilized egg gets to the blastocyst stage but fails to get planted in the uterus properly then it is typically flushed out of your body during your next menstrual period. If this happens then there may be no difference in your next cycle, it may be a few days late, or it may be heavier than usual with blood clots. It varies from woman to woman.
So when does conception occur? Is it after intercourse when the sperm inseminates the egg, or is it after successful embryo implantation has occurred? Most people in the medical profession consider conception to have taken place after the ovum is germinated and cell division begins. Now that you know the steps involved you can answer this pregnancy question for yourself.
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