Okay, we’ve tackled the female reproductive system. Not too bad? The next reproductive system is much less complicated. In fact, it’s downright simple. We don’t need to discuss any anatomy or hormones – all you need to know is that men produced sperm. Lots and lots of sperm. Millions are released during intercourse, but only one can fertilize an egg. 

Sperm are produced in the testicles, but semen is the product of a number of different glands in the male reproductive system. After intercourse, the sperm go to work. Their job is to swim into the cervix (the opening of the uterus), through the uterus, find a fallopian tube, and fertilize the egg. Sperm typically only survive a few days once released into the female reproductive system, after which they die and break down.

Once a single sperm binds to an egg, a new cell is created with new DNA. This is the first step in producing new life.