What is the natural process – The menstrual cycle The first day of the cycle is the first day of menstruation (red blood before 14:00). The pituitary gland of the brain then starts producing follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), which makes about 1000 follicles to grow in the ovaries (each follicle contains only one egg). One When do I Ovulate? The average duration of the menstrual cycle is 28 days but can range between 21 and 35 days. The first half of the cycle before ovulation is called the follicular phase of the cycle and its duration varies from cycle to cycle and from woman to woman. The second half after ovulation is called the luteal phase, it is always stable and lasts 14 days. Because most women have a cycle of 28 days, it is considered that ovulation occurs on the 14th day (28-14 = 14). This is wrong, because on a cycle of 35 days, ovulation occurs on the 21st day (35-14 = 21), whilst on a cycle of 21 days ovulation occurs as soon as the 7th day (21-14 = 7)! Which are my fertile days? Human reproduction is the result of the union of the sperm with the egg. Their union will result in the embryo that will develop in the uterus in order for a child to be born. The egg lives only for 24 hours. If sexual intercourse takes place on one of the fertile days, the sperm will be deposited in the vagina and live for about 3 days. Therefore, although the fertile day in the strict sense of the term is only one, due to the longevity of the sperm and the relative instability of ovulation, 6-7 days around ovulation, are the ones considered as fertile-dangerous. Fertilization Sperm travels through the vagina and into the cervix and from the cervix to the uterus, and from the uterus to the fallopian tubes. The fallopian tube with the help of the finger-like fimbriae at the end of it receives the egg which was recently released (ovulation). The egg will be fertilized by a single sperm inside the fallopian tube. The fertilized egg (zygote) remains in the fallopian tube for the next 3-4 days. As it moves along the fallopian tube and towards the uterus, the cells of the zygote divide repeatedly into 2,4,8,16 ect. This demonstrates the very important role of the fallopian tubes which unfortunately cannot always be detected by a Hysterosalpingography (HSG) as this test only reveals whether the fallopian tubes are blocked or not and cannot check the proper fallopian tube function. Implantation Then, on the stage of blastocyst, on the fourth or fifth day of fertilization – when the embryo consists of 60-120 cells – it moves out of the fallopian tube and into the uterus where it embeds itself in the endometrium (conception) and continues its development. The implantation is the most complicated process as it requires the cooperation of dozens of hormonal, biochemical and immune factors.Natural Conception
