Explaining Biology on Instagram: "How Conception Works Conception is the process by which a pregnancy begins — when a sperm and an egg join to form a new life. Ovulation An ovary releases an egg once per cycle. The egg lives for about 12–24 hours. Sperm enters the body During intercourse, sperm travel through the reproductive tract and can live up to 5 days. Fertilization A sperm meets the egg in the fallopian tube and combines genetic material, forming a zygote. Cell division The zygote divides