How Reproduction Takes Place

#Processes of Reproduction

The Menstrual Cycle

The average menstrual cycle is about 28 days, but it can range from 21 to 35 days in adults and from 21 to 45 days in young teens. The cycle includes several phases: menstruation, the follicular phase, ovulation, and the luteal phase.
Menstruation: This is the part of the cycle where blood and tissue from the uterus exit the body. This lasts for about five to seven days.
Follicular phase: This phase begins from the first day of menstruation and ends with ovulation. The pituitary gland releases a hormone which stimulates the ovaries to produce about five to 20 tiny sacs called follicles. Each contains an egg.
Ovulation: This occurs around the middle of the cycle and is when the ovary releases a mature egg. The egg then travels down the fallopian tube, ready for fertilisation.
Luteal phase: If the egg is fertilised by sperm, it will attach to the lining of the uterus (endometrium) and begin the process of embryo formation. If the egg isn’t fertilised, the lining of the uterus will break down and menstruation will begin, thereby starting a new cycle.

Fertilisation and Gestation

Fertilisation takes place when a sperm comes in contact with an egg in the fallopian tube. The fertilised egg continues down the tube to the uterus, dividing into more cells to form an embryo.
If successful, the embryo will attach to the uterus wall (implantation) and the placenta begins to form. This is the start of pregnancy.
The placenta provides oxygen and nutrients to the growing baby and removes waste products from the baby’s blood. The umbilical cord connects the baby to the placenta.
Pregnancy usually lasts about 40 weeks, measured from the first day of the last menstrual period to childbirth. This time is divided into three sections called trimesters, each lasting about three months.

Childbirth

The process of childbirth, also called labour and delivery, is divided into three stages: the first stage of labour, the second stage (birth of the baby), and the third stage (delivery of the placenta).
The first stage of labour involves cervical dilation and effacement, or the opening and thinning of the cervix.
The second stage of labour includes the baby moving through the birth canal and being born.
The third stage, also known as afterbirth, entails expulsion of the placenta from the uterus after the baby is born.

Remember, every person’s cycle can be different — some might have shorter or longer cycles, lighter or heavier periods, shorter or longer durations of menstruation, and varying symptoms. This varies from person to person and can even change as an individual grows older.