The Facts of Life

The fertilization of an egg and subsequent growth of one tiny cell into the perfect foal is a very complex process. Understanding the various stages of development can help you understand how pregnancies can be challenged and what’s going on in the event of a problem.

Pregnancy in the mare can be divided into four main events–fertilization, early embryo development, placentation

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The fertilization of an egg and subsequent growth of one tiny cell into the perfect foal is a very complex process. Understanding the various stages of development can help you understand how pregnancies can be challenged and what’s going on in the event of a problem.

Pregnancy in the mare can be divided into four main events–fertilization, early embryo development, placentation (formation of the placenta), and organ growth.

Fertilization

The ovum, or egg, released by the follicle is directed through the infundibulum, then down the fallopian tube (also called the oviduct) where it waits in the ampulla region for the arrival of the sperm. It is unable to pass through the uterotubal junction until it has been fertilized

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Written by:

Mina Davies Morel, PhD, is head of the equine group at the Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences at Aberystwyth University in the United Kingdom. She has particular interest in equine reproductive physiology and its application to stud management, and she is the author of a number of scientific papers and text books on the subject. She is a leisure rider and owner of Welsh Cob Section Ds.

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