How a baby is made.
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Pregnancy begins when a couple has intercourse with the goal of having a baby. Sperm travels through the uterus to the fallopian tube, where it may meet an egg that has been released from the ovary. If sperm fertilizes the egg in the tube, the fertilized egg develops into an embryo, progressing through several stages including the blastocyst stage. The blastocyst implants in the uterus, where it develops into a fetus, and later, a baby. This process forms the basis of reproductive health care and guides related tests and treatments.
Uterus: An organ in the female reproductive system where a fertilized egg implants and a baby develops during pregnancy.
Fallopian tube: A tube that connects the ovary to the uterus; it's where fertilization of the egg by sperm typically occurs.
Ovary: A female reproductive organ that releases eggs during the menstrual cycle.
Fertilized egg: An egg that has merged with sperm and started the process of developing into an embryo.
Embryo: The early stage of human development after fertilization and before becoming a fetus.
Blastocyst: A stage of the embryo around day five of development, which is ready to implant in the uterus.
Placenta: An organ that develops in the uterus during pregnancy to provide oxygen and nutrients to the growing baby.
Fetus: The name for a developing baby from the end of the embryonic stage until birth.