Once you learn the science and timing, it makes a bit more sense. Still, you may wonder how long it takes to actually conceive after having sex. The short answer is that the egg and sperm can meet within minutes to up to 12 hours after ejaculation.
But to see that second line on the pregnancy test, you still have some hurdles to cross. Related: 10 things to know about fertilization. Fertilization occurs when the egg and sperm meet in the fallopian tube. In order for this to happen, a woman must be in her fertile window.
An egg can only be fertilized between 12 and 24 hours from when it is released. After that, it starts to break down, hormones shift, and eventually, a period starts the next cycle. While it sounds like the chances of catching an egg are pretty slim, consider the numbers. And under ideal conditions, sperm actually live for several days once inside the reproductive tract. Any unprotected sex you have within about 5 days of ovulation may leave enough sperm waiting and ready to fertilize.
In other words, you may conceive after having sex nearly a week before ovulation if healthy sperm are already hanging out at their final destination. On the flip side, conception can occur very soon after having sex as well. Experts say that the sperm can navigate the uterus and fallopian tubes to reach the egg as soon as 30 minutes after ejaculation. Related: The 7-step checklist to healthy, fertile sperm. After fertilization , the new zygote travels down the fallopian tube and goes through tremendous changes.
It develops into a morula and then a blastocyst. Implantation is essential to achieve pregnancy. Without it, the blastocyst will break down and be expelled with the rest of the uterine lining during your period. As for timing, implantation usually happens between days 6 and 10 days after fertilization.
Symptoms you may experience are mild and include things like cramping and light spotting. Some women may notice no symptoms at all, however. Related: Implantation cramping. Once the implanted embryo starts producing hormones which is right away , pregnancy symptoms may begin.
Home pregnancy tests look for human chorionic gonadotrophin hCG in your urine. This is produced after the egg implants, but not at detectable levels until 6 to 14 days after fertilization.
Your most reliable results will be starting on the day of your missed period, since all cycles are unique. You can purchase a test at supermarkets, drugstores, or online. Page last reviewed: 4 September Next review due: 4 September Home Pregnancy Trying for a baby Back to Trying for a baby. How long does it usually take to get pregnant? Many factors can affect a couple's chances of conceiving, such as: your age your general health your reproductive health how often you have sex Some women become pregnant quickly, while others take longer.
Fertility Most couples about 84 out of every will get pregnant within a year if they have regular sex and don't use contraception.
What does 'regular sex' mean? Having regular sex means having sex every 2 to 3 days throughout the month. Some couples may try to time having sex with when the woman ovulates releases an egg. The gel is liquefied within 20 to 30 minutes by enzymes from the prostate gland. This liquefaction is important for freeing the sperm so transportation may occur. The seminal plasma is left in the vagina. The protected sperm with the greatest motility travel through the layers of cervical mucus that guard the entrance to the uterus.
During ovulation, this barrier becomes thinner and changes its acidity, creating a friendlier environment for the sperm. The cervical mucus acts as a reservoir for extended sperm survival. Once the sperm have entered the uterus, contractions propel the sperm upward into the fallopian tubes. The first sperm enter the tubes minutes after ejaculation. The first sperm, however, are likely not the fertilizing sperm.
Motile sperm can survive in the female reproductive tract for up to five days. Egg transport begins at ovulation and ends once the egg reaches the uterus. Following ovulation, the fimbriated, or finger-like, end of the fallopian tube sweeps over the ovary. Adhesive sites on the cilia, which are located on the surface of the fimbriae, are responsible for egg pickup and movement into the tube.
The cilia within the tube, and muscular contractions resulting from the movement of the egg, create a forward motion. Transport through the tube takes about 30 hours. Conditions such as pelvic infections and endometriosis can permanently impair the function of the fallopian tubes, due to scarring or damage to the fimbriae. Following ovulation, the egg is capable of fertilization for only 12 to 24 hours. Contact between the egg and sperm is random. Once the egg arrives at a specific portion of the tube, called the ampullar-isthmic junction, it rests for another 30 hours.
Fertilization — sperm union with the egg — occurs in this portion of the tube. The fertilized egg then begins a rapid descent to the uterus.
The period of rest in the tube appears to be necessary for full development of the fertilized egg and for the uterus to prepare to receive the egg. Defects in the fallopian tube may impair transport and increase the risk of a tubal pregnancy, also called ectopic pregnancy. A membrane surrounding the egg, called the zona pellucida, has two major functions in fertilization.
First, the zona pellucida contains sperm receptors that are specific for human sperm. Second, once penetrated by the sperm, the membrane becomes impermeable to penetration by other sperm. Following penetration, a series of events set the stage for the first cell division.
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