FERTILIZATION

WHAT IS FERTILIZATION ?

Fertilization is the natural life process, which is carried out

by the fusion of both male and female gametes, which
results in the formation of a zygote. This late develops into
the uterus and forms an organism.
When a sperm cells penetrates and fertilizes an egg, that
genetic information combines. The 23 chromosomes from
the sperm pair with 23 chromosomes in the egg, forming a
46- chromosomes cell called a zygote. The zygote starts to
divide and multiply.
 FIGURE SHOWING THE SPERM FERTILISES THE OVUM

Fertilization takes
place in a female’s
oviducts. It is here
that a successful
sperm burrows its
head into the ovum.
An important
structure called the
acrosome is
responsible for this as
it is what dissolves
that passageway for
its head.
 FIGURE SHOWING WHEN THE ZYGOTE DIVIDES

Once the nuclei of male and

female gametes fuse a zygote is
formed. This zygote divides
repeatedly by mitosis and uses
yolk present in the original
ovum as a source of
nourishment. These cells now
form a ball called an embryo.
The embryo will now move
down the oviduct and sinks
itself into the uterus lining. This
called implantation.
 FIGURE SHOWING THE STRUCTURES AMNION,
As the embryo develops, it is PLACENTA AND UMBILICAL CORD.
surrounded by a membrane called
the amnion. This fills with amniotic
fluid, causing the amnion to expand
creating an amniotic sac which
protects the growing baby. The
amniotic sac is what women refer to
when they say, “my water just
broke”. Finger-like like extensions
called villi project from the embryo
into the uterus lining. The surfaces
firmly binds together forming a
region called the Placenta. The
embryo is joined to the placenta by
the *umbilical cord*, which has an
umbilical artery and umbilical vein
running through it. These connect
the capillaries of the embryo to those
of the placenta.
 THE PURPOSE OF THE PLACENTA

The placenta allows the exchange of materials between the

mother’s blood but prevents the mixing of the two bloods ( may
be of different types). It also prevents certain unwanted
substances to enter the embryo’s blood from the mothers.
FIGURE SHOWING THE SUBSTANCES EXCHANGE
BETWEEN THE EMBRYO AND THE MOTHER’S
BLOOD
 THE GESTATION
PERIOD (PREGNANCY)

The gestation period

is a 40-week period
(280 days) in which
includes the first day
of the last menstrual
cycle to the birth of a
fetus.
FIGURE SHOWING THE EMBRYONIC AND FETAL DEVELOPMENT
 BIRTH OF THE FIGURE SHOWING THE BIRTHING PROCESS

FETUS
The fetus turns so it lies head down.
Secretion of progesterone by the
placenta and this stimulates the
pituitary gland to secrete the
hormone oxytocin. Oxytocin
stimulates muscles in the uterus wall
to start contracting. This means that
a woman will start to go into labour.
The amnion bursts and the
contractions cause the cervix to
dilate. When fully dilated the baby is
pushed, headfirst through the cervix
and vagina. The umbilical cord is
cut, and the placenta is expelled as
the afterbirth by further contractions
of the uterus wall.