The miracle of life begins when two small cells called gametes, a mature sperm from the male and a mature egg from female fuse together. This process is called fertilization and the fertilized egg is called zygote. Each of these gametes has 23 chromosomes, which is half the amount of DNA required for development. The fertilized egg has the right amount of DNA required for normal human development. The egg is huge in size as compared to the sperm. This is because it has to nourish the growing embryo till it reaches the uterus. While the sperm’s job is to deliver its DNA.
Every month inside the ovaries, few eggs grow in small fluid filled sacs called follicles. One of the eggs erupts from the follicle, which happens 2 weeks before your next menstrual cycle. The egg is released and moves into the fallopian tube. The fertilization happens in the fallopian tube where the sperm fertilizes the waiting egg. The sperm can live up to 3-5 days once its inside a woman’s body while the egg waits for 24 hours. The moment fertilization occurs, your baby’s sex and genes are set. Also, the egg’s surface changes so that no sperm can enter. If the sperm has a Y chromosome, your baby is a boy and if it has a X chromosome, your baby is a girl.
The fertilized egg begins to grow fast and leaves the fallopian tube to enter the uterus, 3-4 days after fertilization. If the zygote divides into two separate embryos, identical twins are formed. Fraternal twins, meaning unidentical twins, are formed when two eggs are fertilized by two sperms and results in two genetically unique children. This can be either same sex or one of each.
Well, if all of this has already taken place in your body, all we can say now is, Congratulations on your pregnancy!
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