Skip to content
logo_australian-government-department-of-health-disability-and-ageing.svg
Need to talk? Call 1800 882 436.
It's a free call with a maternal child health nurse. *call charges may apply from your mobile.
Is it an emergency? Dial 000
If you need urgent medical help, call triple zero immediately.
  1. Home/
  2. Fertility and conception/
  3. Conception/
  4. Conception - from fertilisation to embryo

Search our site for

  • Ovulation

Find a health service

Search now

Conception - from fertilisation to embryo

Download this guide as a PDF

Conception is when an egg is fertilised by a sperm. This usually happens 1 or 2 days after ovulation.

Over 4 to 5 days, the fertilised egg travels along the fallopian tube to the uterus for the egg to implant itself, and for pregnancy to begin.

  • Ovulation
  • Fertilisation
  • Zygote
  • 2-cell stage
  • 4-cell stage
  • 8-cell stage
  • Blastocyst
  • Blastocyst (hatching)
  • Implantation in uterus

Fetal development

  • Week 3 — brain and central nervous system
  • Week 3-4 — heart
  • Week 4 — upper limbs (arms)
  • Week 4-5 — eyes
  • Week 4-5 — lower limbs (legs)
  • Week 7 — teeth
  • Week 7 — palate
  • Week 7-8 — external genitalia
  • Week 4-5 — ears

Want more like this?

See more guides and infographics from Pregnancy, Birth and Baby.

Find out how we develop and review our content.


Last reviewed: February 2024

Need more information?

These trusted information partners have more on this topic.

Conception and fertility difficulties

For many people, the journey of planning a family is filled with the anticipation of conception, the excitement of pregnancy, and the joy of birth. However, this is not the case for everyone, including those who face challenges trying to conceive. In fact, 1 in 6 Australian families have difficulties conceiving, and approximately 1 in 25 babies are born following assisted reproduction.
Gidget Foundation Australia logo
Read more on Gidget Foundation Australia website

Neurofibromatosis | Better Health Channel

Neurofibromatosis is caused by faulty genes, which may be inherited or have spontaneously mutated at conception.
Better Health Channel logo
Read more on Better Health Channel website

How baby learns in the womb – Ngala

From the moment of conception your baby is developing rapidly. By 12 weeks, all of their body parts are formed and from this point on development focuses on growth and...
Ngala logo
Read more on Ngala website

Need further advice or guidance from our maternal child health nurses?
1800 882 436 Video call
logo-pbb.svg

Pregnancy, Birth and Baby is funded by the Australian Government and operated by Healthdirect Australia.

About
About Pregnancy, Birth and BabyAbout our contentInformation partnersOur privacy commitmentTerms of useHow we use AIPromotional material
Explore
A to Z topicsDue date calculatorFind local health servicesGlossary of pregnancy and labourPregnancy and parenting in picturesPregnancy and baby appsSymptom Checker
Connect
Contact usVideo callNewslettersLinking to usConsumer engagement

Follow

logo_dep-health_white.svglogo-hda-white.svg

Pregnancy, Birth and Baby’s information and advice are developed and managed within a rigorous clinical governance framework.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Healthdirect Australia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to the Traditional Owners and to Elders both past and present.

© 2026 Healthdirect Australia Limited

This information is for your general information and use only and is not intended to be used as medical advice and should not be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any medical condition, nor should it be used for therapeutic purposes.
The information is not a substitute for independent professional advice and should not be used as an alternative to professional health care. If you have a particular medical problem, please consult a healthcare professional.
Except as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, this publication or any part of it may not be reproduced, altered, adapted, stored and/or distributed in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of Healthdirect Australia.