Conception

Egg and Sperm

Human life is reproduced sexually, i.e., by the combined effort of two individuals of different sex: a male and a female. In order to reproduce, both the male and the female must be sexually mature, i.e., their bodies must have developed to the point where they produce sex cells (gametes): In the female, as a rule, one mature egg cell per month; in the male, millions of sperm cells daily.

Egg cell and sperm cells. Schematic drawing showing their relative sizes.