What is needed for conception to occur. The first symptoms of conception, fertilization of the egg, pregnancy

Fertilization is the process of formation of the first stage of the embryo (zygote) as a result of the fusion of the female germ cell and the male sperm.

The fallopian tubes (fallopian tubes, oviducts) are the place where fertilization takes place for a normal natural pregnancy. When a couple has sexual intercourse, the man ejaculates semen into the woman's vagina. Up to 150 million sperm can be released in one ejaculation. The sperm are on their way to meet the egg in the fallopian tube, but they need to get there as quickly as possible because the female cell will die 12 to 48 hours after leaving the ovary. Although the spermatozoa themselves can survive up to 5 days and wait while in the fallopian tube.

Also, fertilization can occur in the upper part of the uterus, or even outside the genital tract in the case of pelvic inflammatory disease. This will create, which is a serious pathology that threatens the life of a woman.

How does fertilization take place?

It all starts with a woman's menstrual cycle, which prepares her body for conception. And approximately in the middle of the cycle, the egg reaches the stage of ovulation and enters the fallopian tube, where fertilization occurs.

Spermatozoa are guided by the signals that the cervix and vagina give, reach the opening in the uterus. Then they make their way through the mucus of the cervix and rise up the uterine membrane.

How many sperm survive?

The path of the sperm from the vagina to the egg is only 15 centimeters long and takes only 20 minutes, but a very small number of sperm will be able to pass it. Of the 150-200 million that come out with ejaculate, only 2 million will end up in the cervix. The rest will be killed by the acid environment inside the vagina or lost in the "reverse flow" of semen.

Of the approximately 2 million sperm that make it to the cervix, only about 1 million end up in the uterus itself. The rest are stopped by church mucus or swim into dead-end channels inside the walls of the cervix.

Of the approximately 1 million spermatozoa that enter the uterus, only about 10,000 end up in the upper part of the organ. The rest are attacked and engulfed by white blood cells, which begin to attack as soon as the sperm enters the protective perimeter.

Of the approximately 10,000 that enter the far end of the uterus, only about 5,000 move in the right direction. The rest are heading down the wrong fallopian tube, and if both of a woman's ovaries didn't release eggs at the same time (a rare event), those sperm are out of luck.

Of the remaining 5,000 that enter the tortuous space at the junction of the uterus with the tube, only about 1,000 pass on. The rest end up in the mucus lining the joint. Of these, only 200 reach the egg. The rest stick to the lining of the oviduct or simply die.

Of the last 200 sperm that reach and surround the egg, only 1 enters and fertilizes it. The rest are repelled from the surface of the cell, as its surface changes as a result of a special cortical reaction.

The process of conception in stages

Find out how fertilization happens. It is very difficult to determine the exact day when you can get pregnant. The best thing your doctor can do is start counting from the first day of your menstrual cycle. This is about 2 weeks before you can actually get pregnant.

Process	What's happening
Ovulation	One of the ovarian follicles, after maturation in the middle of the cycle, bursts, as a result of which the egg is released. This usually happens two weeks before the upcoming menstruation (menstruation).
Hormone growth	As soon as the egg is released from the follicle, a corpus luteum forms in its place, which releases progesterone. This leads to a thickening of the uterine wall, preparing it for the planned introduction of a fertilized egg.
Movement of the egg into the fallopian tube	The egg stays in the fallopian tube for 24 hours as it waits for one of the sperm to reach it for fertilization. This occurs about 2 weeks after the last menstrual cycle.
What happens if the egg is not fertilized	If the egg remains unfertilized, it passes through the uterus and disintegrates. Hormones return to normal, the uterus is freed from the thickened lining (endometrium) and a new menstrual cycle begins.
Fertilization	If the egg is fertilized, no other sperm can penetrate its membrane. The genes of the child are determined at the time of fertilization of the egg. A sperm with a Y chromosome means it's a boy, and a sperm with an X chromosome means it's a girl.
Moving to the uterus	A fertilized egg remains in the fallopian tube for 4 days, it begins to divide into cells only 24 hours after fertilization. The main task of a fertilized egg is to implant in the wall of the uterus. After about 3 weeks, the first nerve cells of the baby are formed.
pregnancy hormones	The hormone your pregnancy test responds to is called human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). It will take about 4 weeks to determine it, so that it can reach a high enough level, and then it can be detected on the test strips.

On what day after conception do the first signs of pregnancy appear? This issue is of great concern to women, especially young people. Behind an outwardly solid and correct question lies a desire to calm oneself down and get an answer to the question - on what day after sex can signs of pregnancy appear?

The first difficulty lies in the fact that conception does not occur at the time of sex, but over 5 to 14 days. It is also worth noting that the hormonal background of the body changes for another 10-12 days. This means that the first tests can show pregnancy no earlier than 15-20 days from the moment of sexual intercourse.

However, the female body can give its own signals about whether the fertilization process is completed or not. We will talk about this and other issues related to manifestations in the first days after conception.

It is also worth mentioning here that the process of conception means the completion of sexual intercourse. Do not forget that the period of conception can reach several days. Expect the most accurate result no earlier than 4-5 weeks from the moment of intercourse. Earlier attempts to test can lead to the so-called "false negative" result, when the test shows that there is no fact of pregnancy, but in fact it already exists or will occur in the near future.

How long does it take to get tested for HCG?

HCG or pregnancy hormone provides fairly reliable information about the fact of pregnancy in the first days after conception. In the body of a non-pregnant woman, such a hormone is not produced. According to the developed program for determining pregnancy using the hCG hormone, an analysis for its presence / absence is given 15 to 20 days after sexual intercourse, which is considered conception.

Does basal body temperature change after conception?

The change in basal temperature in the first days after conception is that it remains elevated. However, there is a “window” in such a change, when the basal temperature decreases for the period when the embryo is implanted in the uterus. Such a phenomenon has received the definition of "impoantational retraction."

Is it possible to conceive immediately after menstruation?

Yes, in the first days after the end of menstruation, conception is not only possible, but these days are considered favorable for it.

For information - the possibility of conception always exists, that is, on any day, even when menstruation is coming. It was written above that the process is not instantaneous and its effectiveness and duration depend on many factors.

Is it possible to conceive after ovulation?

Ovulation itself (the fact that a mature cell leaves the ovary) is necessary for conception. Moreover, without ovulation, conception is impossible.

However, the very first stage - fertilization occurs only on the first day after ovulation. If it does not happen, the egg dies. This fact helps to determine that the highest probability of conception is 1 to 3 days before ovulation, as well as directly on the day of ovulation.

If sexual intercourse occurs after 12 - 20 hours after ovulation or later, conception will be unlikely.

Calculation of favorable days for conceiving a child

The main calculation criteria should be the regularity and duration of the menstrual cycle. The most favorable is the day of ovulation and 1-3 days before it. Having calculated on which days of the cycle this period falls, plan conception.

Determination of the date of birth by the date of conception?

It is worth noting that childbirth can occur earlier or later even by 2 - 3 weeks, since the body of every woman has soy features. This is not a pathology, only a feature. Many women instinctively feel the first signs of conception and can more accurately determine the date of birth.

Does the date of conception affect the gender of the unborn child?

Every family really wants to give birth to a child of a particular gender, and sometimes two at once. Unfortunately, no modern methods of family planning or calculators for calculating the sex of the unborn child work. The female egg carries only YY chromosomes, that is, only female. A spermatozoon carries XY chromosomes, both male and female. The gender of the unborn child depends on which pair of chromosomes will merge in unity in the first days immediately after conception. Man has not yet learned to influence this process.

A huge amount of information presented on the Internet that there are methods to increase the likelihood of having a child of the right gender is not true. 50/50 chance.

The only way to predict the sex of a child is to conceive him in the laboratory in the process of artificial insemination.

What processes occur in the female body in the first days after conception?

The body is actively rebuilding and preparing for pregnancy. The hormonal background changes, the uterus increases in size, its walls become thinner, the cervix closes. One of the ovaries turns into a hormonal generator, a corpus luteum is formed in it, which produces hormones to maintain pregnancy.

What are the feelings in the first days after conception?

A large number of processes take place in the body at the same time, which directly or indirectly affect our physical and emotional state. The fact of conception is not felt by a woman, although many do not think so.

Most of the symptoms that are presented as symptoms of conception (not to be confused with pregnancy), such as nausea, drowsiness, abdominal pain, mood swings, loss or increase in appetite, and so on, have nothing to do with conception. These manifestations would have appeared in any case, and the woman subconsciously or consciously attributes them to conception. Having studied in detail the process of conception and the first days of embryo development, you will understand that there can be no changes that could affect the state of the body and manifest itself externally or internally.

It is also worth noting that women often try to find signs of conception in themselves immediately after intercourse or in the first hours after it. It was written above that the period of conception from the moment sperm enters the vagina to the fact of fertilization and the movement of the egg can be several days. Therefore, any sensations associated with the signs of conception are far-fetched or imposed from the outside.

The first signs of pregnancy (precisely pregnancy, when the hormonal background has already been rebuilt) appear in most at 2-3 months, and many feel like future mothers when others notice a rounded tummy.

Can abdominal pain be the first signs of conception?

Pain in the abdomen within one to two weeks from the moment of sexual intercourse has nothing to do with the possible conception and, especially, pregnancy.

Two weeks later, in the case of conception, when the embryo is in the process of implantation in the uterus, that is, it is looking for a comfortable place for itself, some (not even most) women may experience mild, pulling pains in the lower abdomen, reminiscent of pain during menstruation.

Similar pains, in a more pronounced manifestation, appearing on the one hand in the ovarian region in the period of 2-3 months after conception, may be evidence of an ectopic pregnancy, when the embryo develops in the fallopian tube or miscarriage.

What does discharge after conception mean?

Discharges of a bloody nature, brown or pinkish, observed immediately or up to 4 days after intercourse, have nothing in common with conception. In this case, they are harbingers of early menstruation or signs of various gynecological diseases.

If such discharge appears after 1 - 2 weeks, when the process of implantation of the embryo occurs, this is a consequence of this process itself. Such discharge does not last long, 1 - 4 hours.

Brown or bloody discharge observed between 3 and 12 weeks after conception is most often a sign of a miscarriage. Most women do not pay attention to them, taking them for menstruation, because they have no idea about pregnancy.

Bloody or brown discharge that began after 8 to 12 weeks is most likely a sign of an ectopic pregnancy or miscarriage. Such discharge may be accompanied by pain in the ovarian region on one side and pulling pains in the lower abdomen.

What does nausea and vomiting mean in the first days after conception?

A fairly large number of women, especially those who do not want pregnancy within 1-8 days after sex, feel nausea, and sometimes vomiting. They consider these manifestations the result of pregnancy, or rather the toxicosis associated with it.

These manifestations have nothing to do with pregnancy or conception in the period from 10 to 40 days from the moment of sex. Most often these are far-fetched symptoms, sometimes food poisoning. It was described above why the manifestations of pregnancy cannot occur in the first weeks after sex.

For reference. Toxicosis of pregnant women manifests itself at least from the 8th week of pregnancy. Many women may not experience it at all during the entire period, many feel it as a reaction to new foods that are eaten.

How to behave after conception?

There are some rules that should be observed after conception:

For many families, the question "How to conceive a child?" does not exist at all. But there are couples for whom pregnancy becomes an acute problem.

Don't worry too much about this! You just need to carefully study this process, thoroughly prepare for it and follow some simple rules.

How does the conception process take place?

During sexual intercourse, 3-5 ml of semen, containing from 300 to 500 million spermatozoa, is poured into the female vagina. The strongest sperm begin to reach the egg. They must travel through the uterine cavity to enter the fallopian tube.

This sperm is given 2-2.5 hours. In the fallopian tube, they can be from 2 to 7 days. One seed may not overcome all the obstacles on the way to the egg, so from 100 to 350,000 spermatozoa rush into the attack, but only one of them manages to get into the egg!

When a male sperm and a female egg meet, fertilization will occur. Then, over the next 12 hours, an embryo is formed, consisting of only one cell. It is called a zygote.

The nascent embryo begins its journey through the fallopian tube to its place in the uterus. As the zygote advances, its cell division occurs. Already on the 11-12th day after the connection of two cells, the embryo attaches to the soft layer of the uterus and begins to develop.

How to properly prepare for pregnancy?

To increase the chances of conception, you need to follow a few simple rules.

Medical examination

An examination by a specialist involves an examination of the expectant mother or both spouses. The doctor will give useful recommendations regarding your health and the health of the unborn child. For example, you will learn what vitamins you need to drink so that the baby is born healthy, and you remain strong and strong.

Healthy lifestyle

Healthy lifestyle principles for a future mother

In order to conceive a child correctly, a woman who plans to become pregnant soon needs to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

What is included in this concept?

Balanced diet

Proper nutrition with the use of a sufficient amount of fruits, cottage cheese, vegetables, meat, fish. The body of the expectant mother should receive all the necessary vitamins, nutrients, and without abuse.

moderate exercise

Systematic physical education, walking or fitness.

Complete cessation of smoking and alcohol consumption

Women and men who smoke are less likely to have healthy offspring. Alcohol dependence contributes to the birth of a sick child, mentally retarded, and other pathologies are possible. Is it worth risking the normal development of your baby.

Healthy lifestyle for the future father

Men must also comply with a number of conditions in order to maintain their reproductive qualities:

• refuse tight-fitting clothes (do not wear too tight swimming trunks and jeans);
• go to the sauna less often and wear seasonal clothes so as not to overheat. Overheating of the testicles reduces the release of normal semen,
• remove the mobile phone from the pockets of your trousers.

Diet

It's not about fasting. Starvation is generally contraindicated. It is necessary to lose excess weight that interferes with the onset of pregnancy. Strong thinness will also not lead to the desired result. Therefore, a balanced diet is the best way to conceive a healthy baby.

A woman should divide her diet into 6 meals, which means that she should eat 6 times a day, most of the menu should be vegetables and fruits. Do not forget that some fruits and berries, such as citrus fruits, strawberries, can cause allergies.

Conditions necessary for the onset of conception

It’s good if every woman watches her monthly cycle, knows the right days for conceiving a baby, that is, the ovulation phase.

Ovulation

What is the ovulation phase?

First, vaginal discharge becomes clear, viscous, more abundant. Sometimes you can see blood threads.

Secondly, when the follicles mature, slight pains appear in the lower abdomen.

Thirdly, a woman's sexual desire is exacerbated, as the body shows that it is ready for fertilization.

When does ovulation occur?

Most often 12-14 days after the start of the menstrual cycle. Every woman needs to know that the most likely period for fertilization lasts only 6 days: 5 before the release of the egg and 1 after it.

This process occurs approximately in the middle of the cycle. It can be established by measuring the so-called basal temperature. After the release of the egg, the temperature rises by 0.2-0.4 degrees.

How to measure basal temperature?

The temperature should be measured at the same time by inserting a thermometer into the rectum by about 5 cm.

In the process of conducting measurements, the following conditions must be observed:

• it is necessary to measure the temperature in the morning, without even getting out of bed;
• keep the thermometer for 6-7 minutes;
• be sure to write down the testimony in a notebook.

If you keep a graph of changes in such a temperature, then you can calculate the most favorable days for pregnancy.

Stop using contraceptives

If you are ready for the birth of a son or daughter, then you should stop using contraceptives. In some women, pregnancy may not occur within three to four months after giving up contraceptives, but this is considered a variant of the norm.

Moreover, after getting rid of intrauterine devices, it is necessary to refrain from planning pregnancy for 2-3 months in order to restore the uterus and fallopian tubes. This will help reduce the risk of miscarriage.

Stop searching for the perfect position during intercourse

Is it worth it to come up with special positions to quickly conceive a child? As practice shows, none of them work 100 percent. Just relax and enjoy.

Rest after intimacy

After intercourse, do not immediately run into the shower, that is, take a vertical position. Behave properly: lie still for thirty minutes. Many advise to raise your legs up. It won't do anything. Just lie still, then the sperm will definitely fall into the cervix.

Dosage of sexual intercourse

Proximity without a break during ovulation is harmful. Being too close can significantly reduce your chances of getting pregnant. Why? The thing is, the more a man makes ejaculations, the more each subsequent spermatozoa lose their rudimentary qualities.

For successful conception, it is enough to have sex once a day and no more than 3 times a week.

No stress

Keeping calm is one of the conditions for conceiving a healthy child. Stress imperceptibly, but surely kills a person. Therefore, in order to give birth to a healthy child, even the most minor stresses should be avoided.

How does a woman's body react to stress? Even the smallest stressful situation can prevent the follicle from releasing an egg for fertilization. And a man during stress will not be able to have sexual intercourse at all, which means that the couple will again wait for the next month.

Choosing the best time of day and season of the year

Time during the day can also have an impact on successful fertilization. It is believed that couples who indulge in lovemaking after dinner, at about 17-00 hours, are more likely to become pregnant, since during this period of the day the "tailed bait" is especially mobile.

For everything to work out, you need to choose the right season for conception. It is believed that the beginning of autumn is the time to think about offspring. The fact is that in winter with a short daylight hours, as well as in summer, in the hottest months, ovulation in some ladies simply may not occur.

What to do if you can't get pregnant quickly?

Do not panic!

If you can’t get pregnant the first time, this is not a reason to despair and think a lot about this problem. Thoughts about pregnancy become so intrusive that it turns into prolonged stress and becomes a real obstacle to achieving such a desired goal.

According to the observations of experts, pregnancy may not take place in healthy couples for several months and up to a year. And only after a year of attempts, potential parents begin to check for infertility.

Change position for intimacy

It is believed that the position of a woman "on top" can interfere with fertilization. You can try to change it to a more traditional "missionary" position.

Also, it should be remembered that it is very important for a future mother to experience an orgasm. During orgasm, the cervix contracts strongly, and the sperm is drawn into the uterus.

Go on vacation

What else can be done if conception succeeds the first time? The best option would be: relax and relieve emotional stress, for example, go on vacation.

In addition to this, you can use traditional medicine recipes, for example, drink a boron uterus or sage (after consulting a doctor).

Minimize contact with household chemicals and reduce the dosage of medications

Take a course of folic acid and multivitamins

The importance of folic acid for the fetus

When planning a pregnancy, it is necessary to pay attention to the most important component - folic acid. It is enough to take up to 400 mcg of folic acid per day to reduce the possibility of the appearance of offspring with spinal defects, defects in the nervous system.

Folic acid contains fresh herbs, vegetables, it is in nuts, seeds, bran. You can also buy it in a pharmacy in a synthesized form.

The influence of a number of vitamins on the conception and health of the future crumbs

In addition, vitamins C, E and iodine are extremely important for successful conception. Lack of iodine can affect the normal functioning of the thyroid gland. In women whose thyroid gland has a reduced function, the process of ovulation occurs extremely rarely.

In addition, iodine deficiency can adversely affect the intellectual development of the baby. In order for the future little man to be born healthy, it is necessary to take multivitamins recommended by the doctor 2-3 months before planning pregnancy.

Conceiving a child is a very interesting process. After all, a new life begins to develop from just two cells of the human body, and after a while a baby is born. The birth of a child can be called a real miracle! We will tell you a little more about the process of conception in stages in the article.

Where does conception begin?

conception process- this is not pregnancy yet, but the process is quite complicated and it begins when the seminal fluid enters the woman's vagina. This liquid allows you to make the acidic environment of the vagina lower and contains up to three million sperm.

Each spermatozoon, in turn, contains an X or Y chromosome, which is responsible for the sex of the unborn baby. Depending on which chromosome the sperm first enters the female egg, the sex of the child will be determined.

So, the seminal fluid, which consists of spermatozoa with different chromosomes, first penetrates into the body of a woman. What happens next? Then they need to meet with an egg ready for fertilization. It should be noted that they can maintain their vital activity for up to nine days, and if during this period of time they meet an egg, then fertilization will occur.

fertilization process

It is impossible to see the process of fertilization itself. Therefore, how this happens can only be learned from information from books or feature films. Even a woman cannot feel it, although some claim that feel special sensations at this time, for example:

• sharp tingling;
• minor painful or pulling sensations or something else.

There is also an erroneous opinion that fertilization itself occurs in the uterine cavity. Only it's not like that at all. Although spermatozoa enter the uterus in order for fertilization to take place, they must pass through the fallopian tubes to meet the egg that has left the ovary.

The egg is able to wait for the sperm, advancing towards the uterus, within twenty-four hours from the moment of exit from the ovary. If during this time no sperm is encountered on her way, then she dies, and after a while the woman begins menstruation. And everything is repeated from month to month.

Fallopian tubes - what happens in them?

What is a fallopian tube? This is a paired organ of the female reproductive system, along which the egg moves after leaving the ovary. They are the connecting element between the uterus and the abdominal cavity and it is there that the meeting of the mature egg with the sperm takes place.

The fallopian tubes have special ciliated epithelium which is directed inward. The ciliated epithelium performs a special function. It helps push and guide the egg towards the uterus. In the fallopian tubes, sperm and an egg are found. Each of the numerous spermatozoa seeks to penetrate the egg, but only one succeeds. Of course, there are exceptions:

• sometimes two eggs come out of the ovary and then fertilization occurs immediately of two eggs and twins begin to develop;
• or one egg fertilizes occasionally two spermatozoa at once, then two fetuses develop at once and as a result twins are born, similar as two drops of water.

How does fertilization take place? First, the head of the sperm needs to get inside the egg. This head has a special enzyme that is able to dissolve the wall of the egg so that fusion can occur. As soon as the head penetrates inside, the tail, necessary for movement, falls off. He is no longer needed. But the egg changes its surface and becomes a zygote. Now the sperm can no longer get there.

What happens after the formation of a zygote?

So, the sperm and the egg joined together and formed a zygote. But what will happen next? And then the division process. This happens about a day and a half after the formation of the zygote. Forty-eight hours later, the first stage of division comes to an end and the zygote becomes two cells, which are called blastomeres. Fallopian tubes are already beginning to become not the most suitable place for active growth and further development.

On the third day of development the embryo continues to develop. Now the zygote contains from six to eight blastomeres and the embryo begins to form its own personal genome. While this time is not yet considered even the beginning of pregnancy.

But on the fourth day the zygote begins its movement into the uterine cavity. At this time, the zygote in the composition has sixteen cells and begins to take on a certain shape. The zygote now enters the fallopian tubes.

However, this time is in some ways considered a dangerous period. Sometimes a fertilized egg may not descend into the uterus. Then implantation will take place directly in the fallopian tube, that is, an ectopic pregnancy will occur and then surgical intervention is indispensable.

For the reason that conception occurs in the fallopian tube, nature has provided to make quite small zygote. And it retains such dimensions until the very moment of moving into the uterus. But here are some processes in the body or pathologies that can lead to the fact that the tubes can narrow, thereby preventing the egg from moving further. Then she will have no choice but to attach herself to the wall of the pipe. But it does not stop its development, but continues to grow further. And it's very dangerous. If you do not notice this in time and do not take emergency measures, then the consequences can be very bad.

What happens to the embryo next?

On the fifth day after fertilization The woman is not even aware of her position yet. She feels as usual, and in the meantime, the embryo has already moved to the uterus and is looking for a convenient place for attachment and further development.

As soon as such a place is found, the egg will attach to one of the walls of the uterus. And now the development of the fetus will begin, which will drag on for thirty-eight, or even forty weeks.

The embryo at this time in size only 0.5 mm in diameter, and approximately on the ninth or tenth day of its existence, the zygote is completely immersed in the uterine walls. This process is called implantation and lasts approximately forty hours.

At this point, women rarely feel anything. However, women who have several children, for whom pregnancy is not the first time and especially sensitive persons who are looking forward to the baby, may note some symptoms of a passing implantation. It can be:

• pulling sensations in the lower abdomen, which may resemble the onset of menstruation;
• slight malaise;
• In rare cases, implantation bleeding. Such bleeding is easily confused with menstruation, however, it is less abundant and often has a brownish tint. If it is protracted and lasts more than twelve days, then this is one of the first signals to see a doctor.

Many with great trepidation and excitement expect a positive result on a pregnancy test and in every possible way try to somehow influence the speedy conception. The most useful thing that can be done is to track the moment of ovulation. This is the period in which there are maximum chances of getting pregnant. How can you track ovulation? There are several ways.

How many days after the act does conception occur? We will try to understand this issue further. We will also learn the basics of pregnancy planning. What do you need to know about this woman? And when can you have unprotected sex without the risk of soon becoming a mother? Answers to these questions and more will be offered below. In fact, everything is not as simple as it seems. And even giving birth girls will not always be able to quickly understand the area under study.

About the menstrual cycle

On what day after the act does conception occur? Unfortunately, there is no way to quickly understand this area. It all depends on the specific situation. Therefore, we will further consider theoretical data and real facts. They will help you understand when you can have sex without protection and the risk of becoming parents.

The female body after puberty is faced with hormonal processes. For example, with menstruation. The period between critical days is called the menstrual cycle.

Depending on this indicator, the time of conception and the periods when a woman is more likely to become a mother will change.

The menstrual cycle is:

• normal - 28-30 days;
• short - 15-25 days;
• long - 32 days or more.

In addition, sometimes there are women whose critical days come in different ways. It is more difficult for them than others to plan children. After all, it is extremely difficult to predict the next menstruation.

How long after the act does conception occur? And when are the chances of success highest? In addition to the length of the cycle, it is necessary to understand into which phases the time is divided between critical days. A lot depends on this.

Phases of menstruation

The thing is that the risk of pregnancy in a woman with unprotected sex is always there. But on certain days of the cycle, it is higher. And this is normal.

There are such stages of the monthly cycle:

• follicular;
• ovulatory;
• luteal.

The chances of getting pregnant increase during ovulation. Within a couple of days, the success of conception will be minimized.

During the follicular phase of the critical cycle, it is almost impossible for a woman to become pregnant. After all, the egg is not yet mature. So, you don't have to worry about an unwanted pregnancy.

About the process of conception

How many days after the act does conception occur? First, let's talk about this process in general terms.

With the beginning of a new menstruation (or at the very beginning of one or another "critical cycle") in the female body, the egg begins to slowly mature and develop. After monthly bleeding, the follicular phase of the cycle begins. It is characterized by the active growth of the female cell.

During ovulation, the egg is released from the follicle. At this point, she is ready for fertilization. Next, the egg moves to the uterus through the fallopian tubes. This process takes about 48 hours. And it is at this time that a successful conception of a baby can occur.

Having reached the uterus, the unfertilized egg will live for about 2 more days. After that, she dies. The luteal phase begins - the period of preparation of the body for the next critical days.

Fertilization by spermatozoa

When does conception occur? It can take a long time after intercourse. Not every modern girl is aware of the details of the process being studied. This is why sometimes unwanted pregnancies happen. You can try to avoid them.

Consider the general case - when a couple intentionally plans a pregnancy. So it will be much easier to understand the topic under study.

Suppose unprotected sex fell on the period of ovulation. Spermatozoa enter the female body and begin to quickly move towards the egg. She is now ready for fertilization.

Only the fastest and most active sperm can enter the egg cavity. This moment can be considered a successful conception. It takes from 2 to 6-7 hours. So, after ¼ of the day you can talk about the onset of pregnancy.

However, everything is not so simple. You won't be able to recognize it right away. This happens much later.

After fertilization

What changes and processes occur in the female body after a successful conception? What happens to the egg? She begins to divide and move through the tubes to the uterus for attachment and further development. This "journey" lasts up to 7 days.

After implantation of the female cell in the uterine cavity, active growth and development of the fetal egg will begin. And after 14-15 days, a pregnancy test should show two strips.

How long after the act does conception occur? The egg can be fertilized in six to seven hours. After unprotected sex, it attaches to the uterus on about 20-24 days of the menstrual cycle. But the girl should not have problems with ovulation.

Sex before ovulation

How quickly does conception occur after intercourse? This process can take from two to seven hours. That is why, in case of emergency protection with oral contraceptives, it is recommended not to delay taking the appropriate pills.

Some wonder if sex before ovulation can lead to pregnancy. Yes, if he was unprotected.

The point is that:

• ovulation may not come on time;
• spermatozoa live in a woman's body for some time.

So, it is impossible to say with certainty that planning a child is possible only with ovulation. It's just that with sex before "X-day" conception will occur a little later.

About the life of spermatozoa

On what day after the act does conception occur? There are a lot of options for the development of events. But they all depend on ovulation and on the viability of spermatozoa.

Ideally, male cells ready for fertilization can live in the female body for about a week. This means that pregnancy during ovulation can occur even when unprotected sex has been a long time. Such situations are not so rare.

Sometimes sperm live in a woman's body for only 1-2 days. Fortunately, this is an extremely rare occurrence.

Success symptoms

We found out when conception occurs after the act. The symptoms of this event are almost impossible to feel. At least until the egg reaches the uterus. There, as we have already said, there will be attachment to the wall of the uterus for further development. This process is called implantation.

That is what women can feel. During implantation, there is a slight pain of a pulling nature. It is felt in the lower abdomen. Sometimes there is implantation bleeding - a few drops of blood or spotting from the vagina. Bleeding lasts from a couple of minutes to 3-4 hours.

body temperature and conception

How long after the act does conception occur? We have already dealt with this issue. There is no way to answer it unambiguously.

Let's talk a little about ways to determine an interesting position at first. This can be done without much difficulty only for certain categories of girls. For those who keep a chart of basal temperature.

If BBT stays at around 37.5 degrees Celsius for 3-4 days longer than usual, one can judge a successful conception. But this option for determining an interesting position is not suitable for everyone. You will have to wait about 2 weeks before the manifestation of pregnancy in full swing.

The first signs of pregnancy

The process of conception can be carried out both a few hours and a week after unprotected sex. Both situations are quite normal. After all, sperm live in the body of a woman for some time after ejaculation. And they can wait until ovulation with an egg ready for fertilization.

Now consider the first real signs of an interesting situation. We are talking about a situation in which more than 10 days have passed since fertilization. That is, the time of the next critical days is approaching.

At this point, it is customary to single out the following phenomena:

• an increase in the abdomen;
• swelling;
• toxicosis;
• pain in the abdomen;
• intolerance to certain odors;
• mood swings;
• fast fatiguability;
• drowsiness.

In addition, a clear sign of pregnancy is a delay in menstruation. If the bleeding does not start on time, it is recommended to wait a couple more days and take a pregnancy test. By this time, 2 stripes or "ghosts" should appear on it.

Important: you can take a blood test for hCG. An increase in this hormone in the body most often indicates a successful conception. But the process is best done on the day of the delay in menstruation or after this incident.

What affects ovulation

How long does conception take after intercourse? This process takes no more than a few hours. But sometimes it takes a very long time to wait for "X-day". Especially if a woman has problems with ovulation.

It is important to remember that the rate of egg maturation is influenced by various factors. And so conception can happen unexpectedly. All days of the cycle are conditionally considered "dangerous" in the absence of planning an interesting position.

Doctors most often identify the following factors influencing ovulation:

• bad habits;
• stress;
• fatigue (emotional and physical);
• change of weather conditions;
• chronic diseases;
• taking oral contraceptives;
• STDs;
• the size of the menstrual cycle.

This is not a complete list of circumstances that can speed up or slow down ovulation. But it is these factors that occur most often in real life.

Anovulation and conception

Sometimes, even with unprotected intercourse, a woman does not become pregnant during the expected ovulation. Why it happens?

If a man is healthy and has motile sperm, it should be assumed that in one or another menstrual cycle the woman had anovulation. This is a process in which there is no ovulation. With him, critical days can come after 2 complete cycles.

Important: normally, anovulation can occur in a girl no more than 2 times a year. Otherwise, it is recommended to consult a doctor.

Anovulation is not possible under any circumstances. After all, in fact, in the body of a woman, the egg for the studied process will not mature. This means that there will be no pregnancy.

When does ovulation occur

We have studied everything. How many days after the act does fertilization occur? This question won't be a problem anymore. And as you can see, successful fertilization occurs only during ovulation. This period may start earlier or later than the scheduled time. But when to expect ovulation?

With a normal "day X" cycle, you can wait for 12-16 days from the start of the last critical days. Ovulation usually occurs on the 14th day. This is normal.

With a long cycle, the favorable time for conception is 20-25 days of the cycle. If the difference between the critical days is small, you can wait for "day X" for 7-10 days.

Important: There are different methods for determining ovulation. And the principle proposed above is called calendar.

How to determine ovulation

When conception occurs after intercourse, we answered. And we also got acquainted with some features of this event. A few words about how to determine the favorable time for conception.

At the moment, there are such methods for determining the "X day":

• calendar;
• test;
• medical;
• physiological;
• according to the BT schedule.

We have already dealt with the calendar reception. Now let's explore other scenarios.

If you determine ovulation according to the basal temperature chart, then it is worth keeping records of several menstrual cycles. BBT is measured daily. The indicators are plotted on a graph. During ovulation, body temperature reaches 37-37.5 degrees Celsius.

The physiological method of determining the favorable time for conception does not differ in its effectiveness. But women often observe in themselves during ovulation:

• increased sexual desire;
• increase in vaginal discharge;
• pain in the ovaries and in the abdomen.

This method, as already mentioned, should not be relied upon. It is better to give preference to other methods of determining a favorable day for conception.

For example, test. It involves conducting a rapid test at home. The measuring device resembles a pregnancy test. The woman should urinate on the test strip and wait for the result. One line - ovulation will not come soon, two - it is a favorable time for conception. It is recommended to do the test in the middle of the menstrual cycle.

The most reliable method for determining ovulation (including pregnancy) is a medical way to bring ideas to life. It is based on an ultrasound examination. The operation is performed approximately in the middle of the menstrual cycle.

On ultrasound, the specialist will see not only the position of the egg, but will also be able to report the onset of pregnancy. To accurately "catch" ovulation, it is recommended to carry out the procedure every 3-4 days from the middle of the monthly cycle.

Results

How long after intercourse does conception occur? Ideally, this process takes several hours. But in exceptional cases, sperm in the female body can wait up to 7 days for the right moment.

We have studied all the features of pregnancy planning and determining ovulation. Now there shouldn't be any problems with it.

It doesn't show up right away. And even doctors will not be able to say for sure whether a girl will be able to become a mother at one time or another. You'll have to be patient and wait a bit. For example, before the delay of menstruation.

How many days after the act does conception occur? It only takes a few hours! If a woman does not want to become a mother, she will have to carefully choose contraceptives.