When a man's sperm and a woman's ovum, or egg, meet, the egg is fertilized. The cells begin to divide and grow, and an embryo begins to grow in the woman's womb.It takes about 266 days or 38 weeks before a baby is ready to be born. The expected delivery date is calculated from the first day of the woman's last menstrual period, even though fertilization probably happened about two weeks later, at ovulation, or when the woman's egg was released. So we often say it takes 40 weeks or nine months of pregnancy before a baby is born. These nine months are divided into three trimesters.

Half of a baby's genes come from the mother and half come from the father. Appearance, some talents and some diseases are hereditary, or passed on through the parents' genes. Each baby is unique, however, full of surprises and potential.

A couple needs to be prepared to have a child of either sex. There is no sure way to choose a baby's sex. The sex can sometimes be found out by an ultrasound, but only long after the pregnancy has started.
Most babies are born in hospitals, with the help of doctors and nurses, as well as special equipment and supplies. Some women choose to have a midwife to help with pregnancy and delivery. There are anesthetics and medications for safety and stopping pain. If there's a medical problem, women can have a cesarean delivery, when the baby is surgically delivered through the abdomen. There is blood for transfusion if this is necessary, for the woman or the baby. Hospitals have monitors to find possible problems before they become serious. Delivery rooms, recovery rooms, nurseries and wards are all designed to make this time as safe and comfortable as possible for the mother and new baby.

Some women prefer to deliver at home, with a midwife's help. They may want to have family around and be in familiar surroundings. A delivery at home can be just as easy and safe as a hospital delivery. Only if there is an emergency, or unusual steps need to be taken for the safety of the mother or baby is it important to be near a hospital.

Occasionally twins, or even more than two babies are born, a few minutes apart. Twins can be identical, if they result from the division of one fertilized egg. Or they can be fraternal if two eggs were fertilized. The doctor can tell by listening to the heartbeats and by ultrasound whether there is more than one fetus.
If you want more information about preparing for childbirth and the actual birth, you can call a local Public Health Unit.