4.

3 THE MENSTRUAL CYCLE

The menstrual cycle in a girl starts at puberty. A menstrual cycle usually lasts for about 28 days. The menstrual cycle is the regular monthly cycle of menstruation and ovulation.

Duration

Changes

1st 5th day The lining of the uterus wall (menstruation breaks down and is discharged phase) from the female body through the vagina together with the dead ovum and blood. This discharge is called menstruation or period and last for about 3-5 days. 6th to 10th day The lining of the uterus wall starts (Repair to grow and thicken again phase)

11th to 17th One of the ovaries releases a day mature egg or ovum on any one of (fertile the days during this period. phase) The process of releasing one mature ovum is called ovulation. The period of seven days before and one day after ovulation is known as the fertile phase of the menstrual cycle. Usually only one mature ovum is released each time from either of the ovaries alternately.

18th to 28th The thickened lining of the uterus day wall that has many blood vessels is (premenstr now prepared for the implantation ual phase) and development of the egg, if it is fertilised. An ovum will disintegrate or break down if it is not fertilised. The next cycle begins.

We should at all times maintain a high standard of personal hygiene to stay healthy and keep away from possible infection This is important for female when they menstruate.

4.4 FERTILISATION AND PREGNANCY

FERTILISATION
During

copulation, millions of sperms are transferred to the vagina. Sperms in the vagina then swim through the cervix and up the fallopian tube. If there is an egg in the fallopian tube, the sperms will gather around the egg.

 However,

only the head of one sperm will enter the egg to fuse with its nucleus, forming a fertilised egg or zygote, through a process called fertilisation.

IMPLANTATION AND PREGNANCY

After

fertilisation, the zygote divides repeatedly to form an embryo as it travels along the fallopian tube towards the uterus. When the embryo reaches the uterus, it attaches itself to the thickened lining of the uterus wall. This is called implantation.

The female with the implanted embryo is now pregnant. The implanted embryo gets its supply of nutrient and oxygen from its mother through the structure called the placenta. Waste products, including carbon dioxide, released by the embryo also pass through the placenta.

DEVELOPMENT OF AN EMBRYO INTO A FOETUS

The growing embryo takes about nine weeks to develop into the foetus with all major organs. The foetus obtains nutrients and oxygen from the mothers blood through an umbilical cord while waste materials, such as urea and carbon dioxide pass along the same umbilical cord into the mothers blood.

About nine months after fertilisation, the developed foetus rotates its body until the head points towards the cervix. The cervix dilates to allow the head and body to pass through. The umbilical cords is cut when the baby is born.