What is Pregnancy?
A Fascinating Process.....
What is Pregnancy?
Pregnancy is a term used to describe a woman's state over a period (~9 months) during which one or more offspring develops inside of a woman. It is the common name for gestation in humans.
A multiple pregnancy involves more than one offspring, such as twins.
Pregnancy can occur through sexual intercourse or assisted reproductive technology.
Childbirth typically occurs around 40 weeks from the last menstrual period (LMP). This is just over nine months, where each month averages 31 days. When counted from fertilization it is about 38 weeks.
An embryo is a developing offspring during the first eight weeks following fertilization, after which, the term fetus is used until birth.
Symptoms of early pregnancy may include missed periods, tender breasts, nausea and vomiting, hunger, and frequent urination. Pregnancy may be confirmed with a pregnancy test.
Earliest Signs of Pregnancy:
When a fertilized ovum reaches the uterus, it becomes implanted in the lining of the uterus (the endometrium) and a pregnancy begins. While there are some symptoms that can be attributed to both PMS and pregnancy many symptoms are unique to pregnancy alone. The earliest unique sign of pregnancy is implantation bleeding which occurs 6-12 days post ovulation or about 12-14 days before menstruation should start.
How does Pregnancy Occur?
An ovary is a part of the female reproductive system, which helps in producing eggs. The ovaries are almond-shaped and lie on both sides of the uterus. They are responsible for the production of estrogen and progesterone - two hormones essential for reproduction.
The ovaries also contain hundreds of thousands of tiny egg sacs or follicles, each containing an immature egg. During puberty, one or more of these follicles will mature and be released from the ovary during ovulation. When this happens, it travels down to the Fallopian tube on its way to the uterus.
If a sperm cell manages to fertilize this egg, it stays in the Fallopian tube for about three days before making its way down to the uterus where it attaches itself to the wall of the uterus.
During this time, hormones cause changes in your body that prepare it for pregnancy.
If fertilization does not occur, then your body sheds that lining along with blood through your vagina during menstruation.
The Process of Pregnancy is fairly Simple:
Here's what happens:
When a sperm and egg join (fertilization), the sex of the baby is determined by whether the sperm carried X or Y chromosome.
If an X chromosome fertilizes an egg, the baby will be a girl (XX).
If a Y chromosome fertilizes an egg, the baby will be a boy (XY).
The sperm cell determines the sex of an individual in this case.