How long am I fertile for?
After
ovulation, the egg cell is
capable of being fertilised for
only 12-18 hours per cycle. For this reason, the timing must be exactly
right for pregnancy to occur. Because a woman only ovulates
once per cycle, she is therefore only fertile for fourteen days per year if she has relatively short 26 day cycles!
If the
egg cell is not
fertilised within the few hours that it is capable of being fertilised, it dissolves slowly and allows
menstruation to begin two weeks later.
Male fertility
This does not mean, however, that a couple has to sleep together
within this very short period of 12 - 18 hours per cycle in order to get
pregnant. The
lifespan of sperm cells can stretch up to 5 days. Male sperm cells can survive in a viable fertilising state and wait for
ovulation (under optimum conditions) for up to 5 days inside a woman's body.
The journey of the sperm
When a man ejaculates, several million sperm enter the vagina and
immediately make their way inside the woman. If they find suitable
conditions, it is only a matter of a few minutes before the first sperm
cells pass the mouth of the uterus and enter the uterus itself.
After sexual intercourse the sperm cells swim, surrounded by cervical
mucus, into the uterus and then into the outer ends of the Fallopian
tubes, where
fertilisation can occur. This is where they wait for the egg cell.
The patient sperm cells
Assisted by the rhythmic contractions of the uterus, some of the sperm cells enter into the
Fallopian tube.
The remaining sperm make themselves comfortable in the folds of the
uterine lining and after some time has passed, begin their own journey
into the
Fallopian tubes. Therefore, a large number of sperm cells arrive little by little in the Fallopian tubes.
If the women has not begun ovulating, the sperm cells wait for the egg cell for up to five days.
Fusion of sperm cell and egg cell
Usually, several dozen sperm cells simultaneously succeed in penetrating the protective wall of the
egg cell,
but only one single sperm is capable of penetrating the center of the
egg cell and fertilizing it. This sperm cell's membrane then fuses with
the egg cell's membrane. Directly after this occurs, the egg cell's
membrane hardens in order to block the entry of any other sperm.
Will it be a boy or a girl?
The sperm that has penetrated the egg cell is crucial in determining
the sex of the baby. If the sperm is carrying an X-chromosome, it will
be a girl. If it is carrying a Y-chromosome, it will be a boy.
Sex for Conception
Very few couples analyse their fertility and reproductive cycles
before they begin pregnancy planning. Often, their previous forms of
hormonal contraception cause them to forget about the natural cycle that occurs on a monthly basis. For this reason, knowledge of cycle phases,
fertile days or
ovulation tends to be minimal.
One of the most important facts to take away from this page is that
having sex a few days before ovulation can bring about a pregnancy.
READ MORE HERE:
http://www.get-pregnant-cyclotest.co.uk