This week you should ovulate when an egg is released from the ovary. This moment is when the party can potentially begin! This little egg will meet up with sperm for fertilization within the next 24 hours if all goes well. Then, over the next 10-30 hours, the sperm's nucleus will merge with the egg's, and their genetic material will combine, completing their meet-cute moment and fertilization. The sperm chromosome can carry an X chromosome for a girl or a Y chromosome for a boy, while the egg only carries an x, which means the sperm determines the sex of your future baby as women only have X chromosomes to offer to the mix.
This fertilized egg, known as a zygote, takes a 3-4 day trip down the fallopian tube to your uterus. Once it enters the uterus, it is known as a morula. Within a day or two, the morula will implant into the pre-prepped lining of the uterus. This ball of cells is called a blastocyst with an inner cell collection that will become an embryo with a fluid-filled cavity that will become the amniotic sac and an outer collection that will become the placenta. The placenta will nourish your growing baby with oxygen and nutrients and carry waste products safely away.
Once implantation begins (6-12 days after fertilization), you might experience implantation symptoms (though don't be worried if you don't notice any). Some symptoms include:
- Light cramping
- Moodiness
- Headache
- Feeling Nauseated
- Sore boobs
- Low back pain
- Slight spotting
Reference Sources
- Mayo Clinic - Womens Health
- American Pregnancy - Understanding Ovulation
- American Pregnancy - Understanding Implantation Bleeding
