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Conception

Advice on getting pregnant, conception explained plus information on how ovulation and fertility effect your chances of conceiving a pregnancy.


Discuss conception on our forums, right now! Or, post a comment below.

Conception is the process of becoming pregnant. Most women ovulate each month, this is when an egg is released by the ovaries. For women with a 28-day menstrual cycle, ovulation typically occurs on day 14.

During intercourse the man will ejaculate and sperm will be passed from the testicles via the penis into the woman's vagina. If a sperm meets the egg, fertilisation may occur.

During a male ejaculation, there are anywhere between 60 million and 500 million sperm that have a go at the 'big race'. They cross the collar of the uterus pretty much within ten minutes. Only about 100 to 200 of the 'chosen ones' will arrive at the most strategic place.

The egg can be impregnated for approximately 24 hours from when it leaves the follicle. Once one sperm is successful and penetrates the egg it will lose it's tail and it's head will increase in size. This entrance creates an 'activation' in the egg and it too begins to enlarge.

If the egg has been fertilised (the process of the sperm fusing with the egg) it will move to the uterus and attach itself to the uterine lining, a process called implantation. The cells are called a zygote. The cells will begin to divide which will lead to the development of an embryo and hopefully produce a baby in nine months time!

A simple game of genetics will determine the sex of your baby. Every man and woman constitutes 22 pairs of chromosomes plus one pair that is the difference between them; these are the sexual chromosomes X and Y. Men have the chromosomes pairing of XY and women have the pairing of XX.
  • Both the egg and the sperm have 23 chromosomes


  • The egg is always the carrier of the X chromosome


  • The sperm can carry either an X or a Y chromosome
This means that it is the male side that determines the sex of the baby.

Your Comments

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Can anyone give me some advice, am trying to conceive I came off the pill in december, had my first period in March. Have been trying since then to conceive till now no joy, however i have since bought a ovulation test to find out when iam fertile, It said i was fertile on monday past , was it ok to make love on wednesday nite which was 48 hours after. I am trying to get the timing right to conceive
added by Janet76 [Thu 12th Aug 2010 @ 10:17:35]
hi, everyone i am 32wks preg and my due date is July 28th and I am having a boy..My finance is so glad cause this is his first baby boy, but ppl are telling him that he cant have boys cause he has all 6 girls..I just wanna know is that true and what is the difference between conceiving and ovulating...I was wondering if I got pregnant before my period or after.. My LMP was October 22nd and I went off on October 25th..So did i get preg b4 the 22nd or after the 25th..
added by pguise [Thu 12th Aug 2010 @ 09:00:40]
hi every 1 ive had my tubes reversed 2 months ago after 12 yrs have any 1 got pregnant after tube reversal and how long after did it take thanking you carol
added by larovebe [Tue 18th May 2010 @ 17:18:17]
How come i was on the pill but i didnt work because i still got pregnant?
added by Courtney14 [Wed 13th Jan 2010 @ 11:47:02]
I am pregnant yuhuuu!!!!.I have waited for 4years praying and trusting God and has given me.we all came from him and belong to him.and he is so faithful.he loves us so much and he gives us desire of our heart when we pray for it for it is too his desire for us :)..that we may have children multiply and increase the earth..Mirracle happens,jesus christ is real the same today yesturday and forever..just ask him believe and he will give you despite how long you have waited or the medical reports..For there is NOTHING IMPOSSIBLE WITH HIM :o)..He will give you achild..Cheers
added by hacldtz [Tue 17th Nov 2009 @ 15:44:21]
hello, i am not currently using any sort of contriception with my partner and we are both desperate to have a baby, am not sure how to calculate my ovulation date. could someone please help!! :)
added by XhazyX [Tue 17th Nov 2009 @ 15:43:45]
Hello, I have been off the pill for 4 years now and since then my periods have been irregular, me and my boyfriend have been trying to conceive for about 4 months, I came on my period on the 19th August 2009 and it was normal and lasted 4 days. Since we started trying i've taken Folic Acid tablets, I was due on my period again on the 15th September 2009 but never came on so i did several pregnancy tests during September but all said negative, i was then due on on the 12th October 2009 but never came on and did more tests and all negative, my doctor has booked me in for a scan and a blood test, Why do you think im not getting pregnant and what do you think could be wrong? HELP!!!
added by Raverbaby1990 [Mon 19th Oct 2009 @ 10:21:29]
I do not know when i ovulate because i havent got a period yet from being of birth control. I dont have any of the temp difference or extra discharge. So how will i know the time is right?
added by cherbear [Tue 6th Oct 2009 @ 12:06:03]
hello.
me and my twin are doing child care course and we was wondering if there was someone on here that would be able to help us with our questions

if you think you could help us or just give us some advice
please email us on iloveyoubabiee@Hotmail.co.uk
added by Bethaniee [Fri 11th Sep 2009 @ 15:36:15]
i had a PID in january..which i got anibiotics and have got the all clear. Me an my partner have been trying since May my periods have been regualr every 28 days since i stopped takin my pill..only found out on the net that Pelvic inflammory can make u invertile...dont no wot to do can any 1 help?....
added by emmahoney22 [Mon 24th Aug 2009 @ 09:11:00]
what can you advice me ?i have been tryinng to conceive for five years but in vain .i have one child aged 7 years.please advice.thankyou.
added by jobor [Fri 31st Jul 2009 @ 14:19:48]
GOOD LUCK EVEYONE :)
added by ShareenElliisBabyx [Mon 8th Jun 2009 @ 09:41:38]
I feel so stupid for even getting on this site b/c we have been trying for 10 years- well okay it will be 10 years on June 2nd, but seriouly. I just had surgery and discovered that I had three cysts inside my uterus, this may have stopped me from concieving but I am just scared that it still won't happen. I am praying so hard b/c I want to be a mommy so very badly. If you have any advice please tell me.
added by italianangel [Thu 21st May 2009 @ 09:16:02]
The sperm fluid that can run out after sex should not stop you getting pregnant. As soon as a man ejaculates inside you the sperm are off straight away penetrating ur cervix to find an egg. Its their job. The fluid that runs out afterwards is the fluid which carries the sperm and can sometimes contain sperm that hasn't been strong enough to swim through. Ive found that most women, who have had successful pregnancies and have children find fluid leaking out of them afterwards. I myself have always experienced it everytime Ive had sex with my partner and have had no trouble getting pregnant twice. Never lose hope of getting pregnant, it will happen. It just takes time. Some people try for years and end up with several healthy children. Ive found it always seems to happen when you least expect it, when you're not even trying. It's like your body knows when you're trying to hard x
added by VickyJo21 [Tue 19th May 2009 @ 12:01:24]
hey lylee, same issue , do you really think that is abnormal? Please let me know if you get a answer.
added by southerngirl [Tue 12th May 2009 @ 09:53:55]
my friend told me that she started taking the One A Day teen advantage for her and then she got pregnant and she'd been trying to conceive just as long as me for 2 1/2 years and i went and got the same pills but just been taking for 3 days but most of the vitamins in the pills are for conceiving i looked them up on the internet. the vitamins are A,C,D,E,K, Thiamin(B1),Riboflavin(B2),Niacin,Vitamin B6, Folic Acid, Vitamin B12, Pantothenic Acid,Calcium(elemental),Iron,Magnesium,Zinc,Selenium, Copper,Maganese,and chromium. iwant to know seriously am i gonna get pregnant tooo??????????
added by mychelle [Tue 24th Mar 2009 @ 09:10:09]
hi, me and my partner have been trying to conceive for 10months now(god i didn't realize it was that long) and still no joy, its really getting me down every month when i receive my period i end up in tears and in a major mood i cant help thinking its me as my partner is 35 and has two boys i am 24 and we have been together 4 yrs, i just don't know what else to do, i try desperately to keep any fluid in after intercourse but it always finds a way out is this normal? can anyone give us some advice? is their anything new we can try (positions etc)?
added by kel24 [Thu 19th Feb 2009 @ 10:14:33]
sushmita maintain the distance with u r partner and wait for some time after that try to develop pregenency and get the results ok
added by freind [Thu 5th Feb 2009 @ 09:58:11]
hi i am 28 yrs old occupied with flying profession.i got married on 6 th feb 2007,i had abortion iin the month of june 07 as iwe were not ready to have baby.now we have planned for a baby but,since last 2 to 3 months my m/c is very irregular and very often i fell sick(nothing major).can please advise something what should i do for normal m/c,is this problem can effect if i conceive now or i should wait for normacy of my period.
added by sushmita [Mon 2nd Feb 2009 @ 10:44:30]
hi.i have been trying for my third baby with my husband for 10 months now and its starting to get me down.i have had 2 children and 2 miscarriages.1st child i fell when i was on the pill and 1st m/c i fell 1st cycle.2nd child was on the 3rd cycle and 2nd m/c on 3rd cycle.i'm getting so down hearted that this time its taking so long.7 years ago i had an operation on myleft ovarie and now only have part of it left.has any1 else been through anythinglike this?thank you
added by children2 [Thu 15th Jan 2009 @ 17:33:39]
Hi, I've been trying for baby with my partner for over seven months now. We do have regular unprotected sex but am yet to conceive. I observed that each time we met, his semen usually come out of me after each exercise. Am beginning to worry when I had a chat with my friend and she said it shouldn't come out because it suppose to go inside me and meet the egg if there is any waiting. My partner often noticed this condition and he said same thing as my friend. My question is what could be responsible for this situation? Is it that am having some body condition that is rejecting my partner's semen? I will be glad if someone could put me through. Thank you.
added by lylee [Mon 5th Jan 2009 @ 09:19:10]
Hi, I've been trying for baby with my partner for over six months now. We do have regular unprotected sex but am yet to conceive. I observed that each time we met, his semen usually come out of me after each exercise. Am beginning to worry when I had a chat with my friend and she said it shouldn't come out because it suppose to go inside me and meet the egg if there is any waiting. My partner often noticed this condition and he said same thing as my friend. My question is what could be responsible for this situation? Is it that am having some body condition that is rejecting my partner's semen? I will be glad if someone could put me through. Thank you.
added by emiomoola [Mon 22nd Dec 2008 @ 08:51:01]
hi ya im 25 years old im on the pill but missed the pill a couple of times my boobs have become bigger, im getting loads of spots and ive seen to have put weight on i have been feel sick in the morning and im going to the toilet alot as well.. also i have been feel really tired whats my chances for being pregnant can someone help me thanks
added by babycakes2101 [Wed 19th Nov 2008 @ 09:09:05]
I last had a perios around 6th september then had sex on the 27th september, is this a high chance of getting pregnant or not?
added by Lizaloo [Mon 6th Oct 2008 @ 09:49:06]
Hi, we were trying to get pregnant for ages, I stopped taking my pill, but everytime we tried, I started spotting for a few days afterwoods, and it happened everytime, not sure for certain when my last period was and almost 3 weeks ago had 2 have a scan for health reasons, the baby was'nt there, now im being sick, boobs are huge and tender i know deep down im pregnant but ive lost 3 others after having one test positve and the rest negatives, can anyone explain this please?.....
added by Nicknak87 [Fri 31st Aug 2007 @ 17:34:13]
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