5.4: Pregnancy
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Pregnancy is the term used to describe the period in which a fetus develops inside a womb or uterus. Pregnancy usually lasts about 40 weeks, or just over 9 months, as measured from the last menstrual period. Health care providers refer to three segments of pregnancy, called trimesters.
Pregnancy begins when a males sperm fertilizes a females egg. When fertilization occurs it is called conception. On average, females release one egg each month, which is called ovulation. Thus, for pregnancy to occur, sperm only has a few days each month where it can meet the egg and attempt to fertilize it. It is important to understand a females menstrual cycle to understand the days where pregnancy is most likely to occur.
It is very important to note that many women have irregular cycle lengths, might ovulate more then once in a month, and might ovulate more than one egg at a time, thus the fertility cycle is not an exact science.
The following description of the fertility cycle is for an average cycle of 28 days.
These biologic realities mean the actual period of viable fertility can last anywhere from 5 to 8 days. In general, you’re most fertile during the following times: