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Getting pregnant

Getting ready - the birds & the bees plus!

The process of human reproduction is quite phenomenal. While we're all aware of the rather elemental discussion of the birds and the bees, the actual steps required to get pregnant are somewhat complex - and to make it work, several precise steps must happen just at the right time and place.

The Woman

female repro system A woman's reproductive system is comprised of the vagina, the uterus, the fallopian tubes, the ovaries and the cervix. The vagina is the passageway that leads from the outside of the body to the cervix, or opening to the uterus. The uterus is a pear-shaped organ where a fertilized egg attaches and then, over 9 months, grows into a baby. This womb is lined with the endometrium, or mucous-like lining that is shed each month when conception does not occur (also known as "your period"). At the top of the uterus, a woman's fallopian tubes extend out to the ovaries. The ovaries are two small sacs that contain eggs - about 400,000 eggs which are provided at birth. During a woman's reproductive years, one egg typically matures inside that ovary and at the middle of a woman's cycle (usually on or around day 14), the matured egg is released. This is called ovulation. The egg then travels down one of the fallopian tubes toward the uterus. At this time, it is ready for fertilization by a man's sperm. This entire process is controlled by a woman's hormones.

The Man

A man's reproductive system, also controlled by hormones, is comprised of the testes, the scrotal sac, the vas deferens, the epididymis, the penis, the seminal vesicles, and the prostate. The testes, or testicles, are located in the scrotal sac, a pocket of skin located below the penis. The testes and scrotal sac together are responsible for the production of sperm and the male hormone testosterone. Once sperm are produced, they are housed in an organ called the epididymis, where they will begin to mature. Then, sperm travel into the vas deferens, connecting the epididymis to the seminal vesicles, where sperm will remain for maturation and storage until ejaculation occurs. When a man ejaculates - or releases semen from his penis during intercourse - the sperm are mixed with a thick fluid from the prostate to create the thick, white semen that goes into a woman's vagina.

You can see that the process of conception is all very delicate and everything must follow in order. That's why your timing of intercourse, as well as knowing the signs of ovulation and fertility in both you and your partner become very important when you're trying to conceive.