Fertilization is a term used in biology to refer to the process by which the egg and sperm come together to create a new being. The purpose of this process is the mixing of genes from the parents and the creation of an individual.
Fertilization begins at the moment when the sperm enter the vagina during intercourse and travel to the fallopian tubes, once there it joins the ovum and fertilizes it. It is at this time when the sperm mixes its nucleus with that of the gamete and both join their genetic information in the zygote. In the next phase, the fertilized egg reaches the uterus where it is implanted 7 days after fertilization.
There are different kinds of fertilization:
Internal fertilization: this type of fertilization is the simplest. Sperm enter the female body during sexual intercourse, they manage to fertilize the egg and then it implants itself in the mother's uterus.
External fertilization: this type of fertilization is typical of fish and is characterized in that both sperm and unfertilized eggs unite, once they are released into the water. However, in species such as sharks, fertilization is internal.
As for amphibians, they are oviparous and their reproduction is by external fertilization. The females release the eggs in the water, so that they are fertilized by the sperm released by the male.
In vitro fertilization: is a technique by which the fertilization of the eggs with the sperm is carried out externally to the mother's body. It is one of the most used processes to combat infertility. It is a process, which is relatively simple, since it consists of maintaining a woman's ovulation control, in order to extract one or two eggs located in the ovaries to fertilize them with sperm. Once the egg is fertilized, it will be reintroduced into the mother's womb.
In the case of plants, fertilization occurs through pollination, which consists of the transfer of the pollen grain by the action of the wind, or of insects who transport it from the anther (upper part of the flower stamen) until reaching the stigma (area located on the outside of the flower leaves). Once united, fertilization begins and germination begins.
