See determine 35. ) ovulates (OV-you-lates) Fer tilization because the ovum pops off the ovary, the ends of the closer uterine tube succeed in out like hands. They sweep the ovum into the tube. The tube is covered with tiny hairs that wave backward and forward. Slowly, over the following a number of days, they assist circulate the ovum during the tube, towards the uterus. The ovum may perhaps meet a male’s sperm contained in the tube. (If you remember from bankruptcy 1, a male might ejaculate sperm into his partner’s vagina in the course of intercourse. the various sperm may well then swim into her uterus, and up into her tubes. ) If a pair has intercourse round the time of ovulation, there’s a great opportunity the ovum will meet sperm within the tube. if that is so, one of many sperm might input the ovum. This becoming a member of of the ovum and sperm is named fertilization. From the fertilized ovum, a child can develop. The ovum can purely be fertilized within the first twenty-four hours after leaving the ovary, yet sperm can remain alive in a woman’s physique for as much as 5 days. So, sperm from intercourse that happened days sooner than ovulation might “hang out” within the woman’s physique. while the ripe ovum enters the tube, the sperm may possibly already be there, expecting an opportunity to fertilize it. this implies a girl can get pregnant if she has intercourse at any time within the 5 days ahead of ovulation or within the twenty-four hours after ovulation. there's additionally a small likelihood of having pregnant from having intercourse greater than 5 days sooner than or multiple day after ovulation. Fertilized or now not, the ovum maintains to go back and forth towards the uterus. It arrives within the uterus 5 to seven days after leaving the ovary. (See determine 36. ) in the meantime, again at the floor of the ovary, the is still of the bubble that after held the ripe ovum commence making nonetheless one other hormone. This hormone is termed progesterone. It motives the uterine lining to supply certain fluids. those fluids aid nourish a fertilized ovum within the early levels of being pregnant. by the point the ovum arrives within the uterus, the liner is especially thick. If fertilized, the ovum vegetation itself within the lining inside of a number of days. This sends a message to the ovary, which motives the continues to be of the burst bubble to proceed making hormones. those hormones reason the uterine lining to stay thick, in order that it might nourish the implanted ovum. Over the following 9 months, the fertilized ovum grows right into a child. Menstruation If the ovum isn’t fertilized, it doesn’t plant itself within the uterine lining. as an alternative, it easily dissolves. as a result, no message is distributed to the ovary, and the continues to be of the burst bubble cease making progesterone. whilst the progesterone point within the bloodstream drops, the liner of the uterus breaks down. Spongy tissues slide off the partitions of the uterus. The tissues holiday down and liquefy. This liquid, in addition to blood from the liner, collects within the backside of the uterus. (You can glance again at determine eleven in bankruptcy 1, on web page 25. ) From there, the blood and tissues trickle into the vagina and out the vaginal beginning. This blood and tissue is named the menstrual circulation. it always maintains for 2 to seven days earlier than preventing.