*The concept of pregnancy as a whole is a miracle no matter how scientists try to explain it. The thought that a whole new life, with different characteristics with aspirations and dreams is growing inside you is a feeling no one can truly explain*
SO HOW DOES PREGNANCY REALLY OCCUR? AND WHAT OTHER NATURAL PROCESS IS IT ASSOCIATED WITH?
- MENSTRUAL CYCLE AND PREGNANCY
pixabay,CCO
Every month a hormone known as follicle stimulating hormone is released by the endocrine system and this hormone stimulates the ovaries to manufacture special cells called OOCYTES. These oocyte are surrounded by a shell like material called FOLLICLE (hence the name of the causative hormone, this is known as the FOLLICULAR PHASE). As the growing follicle matures it leads to the production of ESTROGEN and this initializes the OVULATORY PHASE where the follicle develops into an egg and is released out of the ovary. The egg is taken up by ‘finger like processes’ called: FIMBRIAE, these pull the egg up into the FALLOPIAN TUBE as it continues its journey towards the uterus.
A LONGITUDINAL SECTION OF WHAT THE OVARY LOOKS LIKE
pixabay,CCO
- CONCEPTION ITSELF
During intercourse the sperm swims up the CERVIX of the woman as it passes up the mucus of the cervix nourishes and pushes up the sperm (so this means that even at a cellular level, woman have always been the support of men). The sperm and the egg unite at the ampulla o the fallopian tube. Once the sperm makes contact with the egg, the head of the sperm disintegrates releasing an enzyme which allows it to penetrate the hard outer shell of the egg successfully, the protein coating [also called ZONA PELLUCIDA] around the egg changes immediately to prevent other sperm from penetrating the egg. (If only all women do this in real life) . FERTILIZATION OR CONCEPTION HAS NOW OCCURRED .
The newly formed structure is now a BLASTOCYTE and it begins to divide rapidly (through a process called MITOSIS) as it moves down to implant itself in the WALL OF THE UTERUS which has been prepared beforehand by a hormone called PROGESTERONE (progesterone is produced during a phase called the LUTEAL PHASE by the follicle that was left behind in the ovary. After departure of the egg, the follicle was so lonely that it transformed itself to another structure entirely called CORPUS LUTEUM its’ this new structure that then causes the production of progesterone which then prepares the uteral lining for implantation way before the egg arrives there) .
Within three weeks with constant division, the Blastocyte turns into a little bundle of joy called an EMBRYO and soon the baby’s first nerve cells form.
A BLASTOCYST
pixabay,CCO.
The developing baby is referred to as an embryo from conception to up to the eighth week of pregnancy but after that till birth the developing baby is called a FOETUS
- WHAT DO PREGNANCY TESTS DETECT?
After implantation a hormone called HUMAN CHORIONIC GONADOTROPIN (hCG) is produced and is present in the female’s blood and through activities of the kidney the hormone goes into waste products like the urine. And after about 2-3 weeks of conception the hormone is present in levels high enough to be detected by pregnancy tests.
CONCLUDING REMARKS:
To get pregnant may look like an easy deal but as we have seen today there is so much more to it than that. We must cherish this miracle and not abuse it as its design is one of the wonders of nature. Respect and cherish pregnant women
IN MY NEXT POST WE WILL BE DISCUSSING THE DIFFERENT TRIMSTERS OF PREGNANCY, IT WILL BE SIMPLIFIED TO A LEVEL WHERE ANYONE COULD UNDERSTAND IT.
- WHAT IS A TRIMESTER?
In the stages of pregnancy, every three months is referred to as a TRIMESTER, so if you calculate that, we have nine months in pregnancy, so that is nine divided by three, meaning we have three trimesters.
AS ALWAYS THIS IS YOUR GIRL @LIZBETHK WRITING LIVE!