How does pregnancy happen?

Pregnancy happens when semen enters a girl’s or woman’s vagina. This can happen during unprotected vaginal sex or by alternative fertilization, where a health care provider inserts the semen into the vagina. Semen is a white, sticky fluid that contains hundreds of millions of sperm, which can fertilize an ovum or egg. The sperm swim through the cervix and uterus into the fallopian tubes. If a woman has recently ovulated (released an egg), then the sperm can join with the egg. This is called fertilization. Ovulation usually happens once a month.

An egg can live and be fertilized for about 24 to 36 hours. Sperm can live for up to five days. That means a couple can have intercourse on Saturday, the girl could ovulate on Wednesday, and the sperm could find an egg on Thursday.

Once the sperm and egg connect, they form what’s called a zygote. The zygote begins to grow and by the fifth day it has a new name, a blastocyst. The blastocyst travels along the fallopian tube, dividing and changing as it goes, and eventually lands in the uterus.

The lining of the uterus is full of blood and tissue. The blastocyst attaches to this nutrient-rich lining. This is called implantation. Once that happens, the pregnancy has officially taken root and can begin to grow. The blastocyst becomes a mass of cells that divide and develop into an embryo. The embryo, in turn, becomes a fetus over the next nine months.

If an egg and sperm fail to connect, the egg dies and the lining of the uterus disintegrates. A girl has her period or is menstruating when the blood and tissue that line the uterus pass out of the body through the vagina.

Four Secrets to a Hotter Marriage

1. Flirt like it’s your first night together.

Think back to those early days of dating. Every laugh, lingering look, or under-the-table leg brush was a guaranteed goose bump-giver. Well, you can turn back the clock to that supercharged premarried state by making a simple shift: Start flirting again. Ditch typical dinner convo topics like work, in-laws, and home renovations for entertaining stories or provocative questions like, “Imagine you could go anywhere in the world, right this second — where would it be?” If you’re at a party, slink away, get a couple of drinks, and flirtatiously introduce yourself to your spouse like you’re strangers. It may take them a second to catch on, but once they do, it’ll set a sexier tone for the rest of the night — and remind you both that there’s still a lot to discover about each other.

2. Make your spouse do a double-take.

It’s a miracle that you find each other attractive in ratty sweatpants, but yep, you do. That’s one of the brilliant things about being a couple—being so at ease in each other’s company. But there’s a line between being comfortable and letting yourselves go. (Hint: If you frequently show up to the dinner table in sweaty gym gear or go to bed with zit cream and prickly cactus legs, you’re guilty as charged.)

We’re not saying you need to haul all your loungewear to the nearest dumpster, but make a few tweaks to your routine that will give your partner a chance to ogle you. Break out that lingerie crammed in the back of your drawer. Wear something backless. Shave and put on a nicer shirt than usual when you go out to dinner. It’s about showing your significant other that they’re still worth looking sexy for. Chances are, they’ll return the favor and both of you will reap the benefits.

3. Try something new (channel surfing doesn’t count).

You and your better half love your Saturday morning routine (gym plus Starbucks) followed by your evening routine (Thai takeout plus Netflix), so why mess with scheduled perfection? Well, shaking things up every once in a while keeps the zsa-zsa-zsu in your relationship. According to a study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, couples who participated in activities that they both considered highly exciting but moderately pleasant had a bigger boost in marital satisfaction than those who did activities that were highly pleasant but moderately exciting.

So ban takeout-and-a-movie night once a month and jump outside of your comfort zone. Check out a concert you’d never think to get tickets for, explore a totally different part of town, or dare yourselves to try a new sport like rafting or repelling. The adrenaline rush you’ll have from trying something new will be an aphrodisiac.

4. Pounce … even when you’re not in the mood.

If you’re like most couples, weekday mornings fly by in a haze. You’re rushing out the door and can barely remember to grab your car keys, much less say “bye” with half a bagel in your mouth. Then, at the end of an exhausting workday, it’s a “hey babe, I’m home,” followed by a flop-down on the couch. Sex? Who has time for sex? You’re just too busy to get busy. But by skipping the most intimate act you and your spouse could possibly enjoy together, you’re not doing your relationship — or your libido — any favors.

Here’s why: Intercourse and orgasms trigger oxytocin, the “love hormone,” to be released in your bodies, which makes you feel incredibly fused as a couple. Sex is also the gift that keeps on giving: The more you do it, the more you’ll want to do it, so it actually stokes desire. So set that alarm clock a little earlier for some wake-up action, and put down that pint of mocha pecan postdinner and enjoy another kind of bedroom treat (better yet, bring in the ice cream too). You don’t need Olympic-level performances — just enough enthusiasm to get that married mojo going.

Source: lifestyle.msn