S3.4.6 For the adult
Fertilisation and pregnancy
How does a baby start, and how does it grow inside the mother?
What this chapter teaches
In sexual intercourse, sperm are placed in the vagina and swim to the oviducts. One sperm may join an egg: fertilisation. The new cell divides and settles in the lining of the uterus. The baby grows for about 40 weeks, fed through the placenta and the cord.
Three questions to ask
There is no one right wording. Listen for the idea.
- Where do the sperm and the egg usually meet?
- How does a baby in the uterus get food and oxygen?
- What does the amniotic fluid do for the baby?
After the chapter, the learner can
- Explain how a sperm and an egg join to make a new cell
- Describe how a baby grows in the uterus over about nine months
What they copy into their notebook
One sperm joins one egg in the oviduct: fertilisation. The new cell divides and settles in the lining. The baby grows for about 40 weeks. The placenta and the cord bring it food and oxygen.