Baby Development Facts – Conception and Implantation

Conception and Implantation - Week 3 (Days 1-7)*

Conception happens approximately about two weeks after the first day of a woman’s menstrual period. The instant a single male sperm and a female egg unite incredible life processes immediately begin to take place. At the moment conception occurs, equal amounts of chromosomes from both the woman and man unite together into once cell and immediately begin determining the sex of the baby, the eye and hair color, and many other things. 

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This is an image of a sperm reaching an egg

In less than a week after conception, the resulting tiny cell will travel down from the fallopian tube and snugly implant into the lining of the woman’s uterus so that it may be able to receive nourishment.  Safely there, it will continue to divide into a larger group of cells which will rapidly begin to form all the parts of a baby.  As the cells are dividing, they actually begin to take on distinct functions that make up a human body.

Related Posts:  Baby Development Facts – Defining the Weeksof Pregnancy

*Gestation “Week 3” is counting from the first day of the woman’s last period.  “Days 1-7” count from the actual moment of conception.  For more information about this, see Baby Development Facts – Defining the Weeks of Pregnancy.