Conception
Once each month, ovulation takes place in the female reproductive system. If sperm is placed in the vagina at that time, they work their way up through the uterus into the fallopian tube and one fertilizes the egg. The union of the sperm cell and egg cell brings about conception. The fertilized egg begins to divide even during the three or four days' journey through the tube into the uterus. The lining of the uterus has thickened, and its blood supply has increased to provide a suitable place for the developing embryo. The egg sinks into the lining and becomes attached to it. It continues to grow by cell division, and the cells gradually rearrange and differentiate into various bodily structures and organs. At the the end of four weeks, the embryo is about one-fourth of an inch in size and is still in an unformed state; however, the beginning of facial features can be discerned. It exists in a sac of fluid and possesses gills and a tail like aquatic embryos. By the end of the second month, it is about three-quarters of an inch long, and its human features become perceptible. At four months, it is about five inches long and possesses a definite human form. The fingers and toes begin to separate and the human form of the body becomes more distinctive. At the end of nine months, the fetus has reached the length of about twenty inches and weight about seven pounds. During that period, the single cell has developed by division into about 200 billion cells, forming the numerous parts of the body such as hair, fingernails, skin, bone, heart, and other organs of the body.
The fetus obtains nourishment from its mother's body through a special organ called the placenta. The blood of the mother brings food and oxygen to the fetus without actually mixing with its blood. The substances pass through the wall of the placenta into the blood system of the fetus. The waste returns into the mother's blood and is eliminated from the mother's body. The fetus is connected to the placenta by a cord-like structure known as the umbilical cord. It is almost two feet long and about a half inch in thickness. This cord must be cut and tied upon the birth of the child. The placenta is discharge from the body and is called the afterbirth.
Changes During Pregnancy
The first indication to a woman that she is pregnant is the cessation of her menstrual period; however, a temporary delay may be caused by many other physical or emotional factors. By the end of the first month after conception, nausea and vomiting (morning sickness) usually occur and the breasts undergo changes. The mother tends to be sleepy during the day and may become more emotionally sensitive. By the fifth month, she becomes conscious of the movement of the fetus within her.
The fetus develops over a period of about 266 days from conception. The date of birth is usually calculated as 280 days from the first day of the last menstrual period. It is not clearly understood what causes labor to begin, but under normal circumstances it begins when the fetus is sufficiently mature to cope with life apart from its mother's body. The period of labor may last up to sixteen hours for a firstborn, but usually subsequent births require fewer hours.
The uterus and other reproductive organs increase in size during the development of the fetus and childbirth. These organs return to normal size over a period of six to eight weeks after the child is born.
The mother's mammary system first secretes colostrum, a fluid much thicker than and different from milk. It appears the first or second day after delivery. The milk secretion begins on the second to fourth day.
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