The Three Reproductive Processes

By: Jake Ballantyne, Robbie Harding and Mac Fisher

The Menstrual Cycle

The Menstrual Cycle

• Cycle of changes occurring in ovaries and uterus.• Basically, menstration is a woman’s monthly bleeding. • Beginning with the egg preparation.• When outer cells break, egg released for

fertilization-which is ovulation.• Egg travels in a cycle until it sheds (endometrium)-

called menstruation (means bleeding)

Ovulation

• Release of egg from ovaries.• Occurs approximately 2 weeks after first day of last

menstrual cycle.• Ovulation-when egg is released into Fallopian tube; ready for fertilization.• All occurs inside the female body; menstrual cycle is a female body process.

Menstrual Cycle: How does it Work?

• On average, menstrual cycle: 28 days/4 weeks.• Length varies depending on female (stress,

weight differentials)• First half of cycle, egg ripening inside ovaries-

after 2 weeks, ready to be released.• When this happens, brain signals egg to be

released-Fallopian tube picks it up (ovulation).• Begins journey to uterus (7 days).

Menstrual Cycle:…(continued)

• After 3 weeks, if egg not fertilized, production of estrogen and progesterone stop.

• Basically, the body realizes the egg will not be fertilized, so the process starts all over again.• Expecting egg to be fertilized, uterus is thickly lined.• Body gets rid of lining by bleeding (menstruation).

The menstrual cycle, all 28 days displayed in order

Importance of the Menstrual Cycle

• Allows an egg to be released into the female body,………

enabling females toreproduce.

• Provides important body chemicals (estrogen).• Regular cycles mean your body is functioning properly.

Spermatogenesis

Spermatogenesis

• Male body process.• Occurs in male genitalia.• The process of creating sperm-sending it

through the male genitalia.• Begins at age 13- for life.• A man produces millions of sperm a day- once he has reached puberty.

The Process of Spermatogenesis

• First created in testes.• Travels through epididymus, powered by their

tails (4-6 weeks).• Moves to vas deferens-also known as the

sperm duct.• Prostate gland and seminal vesicles produce

liquid.• Mixes with sperm to form semen.

The Process of…(continued)

• Semen then forced out of male body through urethra (ejaculation).

• Sperm in semen carries genetic info to female body- eventually will produce a baby.

The Importance of Spermatogenesis

• Provides the egg with a sperm-reproducing a fetus.

• Creates sperm, which mixes with a fluid to create semen-leading to a male being able to ejaculate.

• Ejaculation makes possible for fetus.

Did you Know…?

• When a male ejaculates, the semen can hold up to 500 million sperm!

Wow!

Fertilization

Fertilization

• Once released, sperm die within minutes.• Can be hours• Must find egg and fuse with it in the process

of fertilization.

Process of Fertilization

• Fertilized egg-called an embryo.• Gets pushed along the Fallopian tube.• Approximately four days from fertilization,

zygote has 100 cells.• Called a blastocyst.

Fertilized egg-cells.

Process of…(continued)

• When blastocyst reaches uterus lining, it floats around for approximately two days.

• Implants itself in uterus wall 6 days after fertilization.

• Signals the beginning of pregnancy.

Conclusion

• Eight weeks after fertilization, embryo becomes a fetus.

• Fetus develops in uterus.• As fetus grows, uterus will grow till it is the

size of a basketball.

Thanks for Watching!

-Jake, Mac, and Robbie!