The short explanation is that pregnancy happens when a fertilized egg implants in the uterus, where it will change and grow into a baby. The dictionary defines the word pregnant as an adjective that means, “having offspring developing in the body”
Let’s talk about how pregnancy works.
To really understand how pregnancy works, we need to start at the beginning. It all begins with an egg and a sperm cell.
A female is born with thousands of eggs in her ovaries. These eggs start out as follicles, each containing 23 chromosomes. During puberty, the female body begins to mature an egg each month which is then released from one of her ovaries – usually about 2 weeks after her period starts.
After the egg is released, it travels through the fallopian tube. This trip can take 12-24 hours. During this time, a woman is most likely to become pregnant.
A male will produce millions of sperm cells over his lifetime although his body does not begin producing sperm until he enters puberty. Each sperm cell contains 23 chromosomes. Sperm are produced in the testes and then get mixed with fluid and other nutrients to form semen. During sex, a male releases semen (called ejaculation) into the female’s body. One ejaculation contains millions of sperm.
How pregnancy happens is complex.
When sperm enter the female body, they swim through the cervix into the uterus, and eventually the fallopian tubes. Sperm can live inside the female reproductive system for up to five days after sex under the right conditions.
If sperm are present in the fallopian tubes at the same time an egg is passing through on its way to the uterus, the sperm can penetrate the egg, resulting in fertilization. Only one sperm out of millions can fertilize the egg.
Interestingly, the moment a sperm joins an egg, 23 chromosomes from the female and 23 chromosomes from the male unite to form a unique genetic makeup of 46 chromosomes that have never existed before. This DNA will determine all sorts of characteristics from eye color to birth gender.
The newly fertilized egg continues to the uterus and implants in the lining of the uterus. The pregnancy will continue to grow and develop naturally in the uterus, moving through different stages of pregnancy.
Each month the lining of the uterus thickens with blood and other tissue to prepare for a fertilized egg/new pregnancy. If there is no pregnancy, the uterus releases the lining – this is what happens when a woman has her period.
that’s how pregnancy happens, but how can you know when you are pregnant?
The most common sign of pregnancy is a missed period. Other common symptoms that can let you know when you are pregnant include:
- Tender, swollen breasts
- Nausea with or without vomiting
- Increased Urination
- Fatigue
If you think you might be pregnant, you can take a home pregnancy test. Jewel Women’s Center also provides free pregnancy testing. Contact Jewel today to schedule a free pregnancy test with our nurse.
