The Sperm Meets Egg Plan: Getting Pregnant Faster

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The same hormones that control ovulation in women stimulate the release of testosterone in men. Testosterone is the hormone responsible for producing sperm. Sperm production starts in the testicles, the two glands contained in the scrotal sac beneath the penis. The testicles hang outside the body because they are sensitive to temperature. To produce healthy sperm efficiently they have to stay at a balmy 34 degrees C. This is about three degrees cooler than normal body temperature. Once the man’s sperm is created, it’s stored in each testicle in the epididymis, a six-metre long coiled tube. Just before ejaculation the sperm is scooped up and mixed with semen. The placenta is an organ responsible for providing oxygen and nutrients, and removing waste substances. It grows into the wall of the uterus and is joined to the fetus by the umbilical cord. The mother's blood does not mix with the blood of the fetus, but the placenta lets substances pass between the two blood supplies: Deans A. 2018. Your new pregnancy bible. The experts’ guide to pregnancy and early parenthood. 4th edn. London: Hamlyn.

Other substances can also pass through the placenta, including recreational drugs and alcohol. Drugs can affect the fetus - slowing the growth of the fetus, reducing the amount of oxygen and causing bleeding - which can be life threatening. When the nucleus of a sperm and egg fuse together, the egg is fertilised and it develops into a fetus.

The egg cell is released from the ovary into the oviduct. A sperm has been ejaculated into the vagina and is travelling up the cervix

You are not actually pregnant until the blastocyst embryo has attached itself to the wall of your womb, where it will develop into a fetus and placenta. Occasionally, the blastocyst will implant somewhere other than the womb (usually in the fallopian tube). This is called an ectopic pregnancy, and it needs urgent medical attention. The pregnancy will not survive outside the womb and needs to be completely treated or removed. Each cycle an egg travels from an ovary through the oviduct to the uterus or womb, where it settles. Primakoff P, Myles DG. Primakoff P, et al. Science. 2002 Jun 21;296(5576):2183-5. doi: 10.1126/science.1072029. Science. 2002. PMID: 12077404 Review. Many couples wonder if a particular sex position is best for conceiving. No one knows for sure. The most important thing about sex is that you’re both having a good time and you’re doing it often enough. Knudtson J, McLaughlin JE. 2019. Female reproductive endocrinology. MSD Manual, Professional Version. www.msdmanuals.com Opens a new window [Accessed May 2020]Dode MAN, Caixeta FMC, Vargas LN, Leme LO, Kawamoto TS, Fidelis AAG, Franco MM. Dode MAN, et al. J Assist Reprod Genet. 2023 Apr;40(4):943-951. doi: 10.1007/s10815-023-02758-3. Epub 2023 Mar 3. J Assist Reprod Genet. 2023. PMID: 36864182 Ovulation is usually about 10 to 16 days before your next period starts. The exact time of ovulation depends on the length of your cycle. Several different hormones work together to control the length of your cycle, when your eggs ripen and the timing of ovulation. You can read more about these hormones in our article on the menstrual cycle. Cox E, Takov V. 2019. Embryology, ovarian follicle development. StatPearls. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov Opens a new window [Accessed May 2020] NHS. 2020. How can I improve my chances of becoming a dad? NHS, Common health questions. www.nhs.uk Opens a new window [Accessed October 2022] Kallen, A. 2020 How Many Eggs Are Women Born With? And Other Questions About Egg Supply. Healthline. www.healthline.com/ Opens a new window [Accessed July 2020]

Its main function is to allow the exchange of materials such as oxygen and nutrients between the fetus and mother whilst removing waste substances such as carbon dioxide and urea. This relies on a process called diffusion as there is no mixing of maternal and fetal blood in the placenta. Want to work out when you ovulate? Try out our ovulation calculator. Pinpointing the day of ovulation can help you work out your fertile window. In male reproductive organs, the scrotum holds the testes, which produce sperm and sex hormones, including testosterone. During ejaculation, the sperm pass through the sperm duct and combine with seminal fluid produced by the glands to create semen, which exits the body through the penis. Hirsch IH. 2019. Overview of male sexual function. www.msdmanuals.com Opens a new window [Accessed May 2020]Levin RJ. 2011. Can the controversy about the putative role of the human female orgasm in sperm transport be settled with our current physiological knowledge of coitus? J Sex Med 8(6): 1566-78. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov Opens a new window [Accessed May 2020]

BabyCentre's editorial team is committed to providing the most helpful and trustworthy pregnancy and parenting information in the world. When creating and updating content, we rely on credible sources: respected health organisations, professional groups of doctors and other experts, and published studies in peer-reviewed journals. We believe you should always know the source of the information you're seeing. Learn more about our editorial and medical review policies. Humans reproduce through sexual reproduction. This produces offspring that are genetically unique because half of their genetic material - DNA - comes from each parent.The human female reproductive system working during reproduction and fertilisation. The egg is released from the ovary and moves toward the oviduct. NICE. 2017. Fertility problems: assessment and treatment. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. CG156. London: NICE. www.nice.org.uk Opens a new window [Accessed May 2020] Wallace WHB, Kelsey TW. 2010. Human ovarian reserve from conception to the menopause. PloS One 5(1): e8772. journals.plos.org Opens a new window [Accessed May 2020] The male reproductive system has two testes (singular: testis). These are contained in a bag of skin called the scrotum. The testes have two functions: