How long does an egg live

Ovulation and conception | The Royal Women's Hospital

Every month, the reproductive organs in a healthy woman prepare for pregnancy.

A complex interaction between the pituitary gland in the brain, the ovaries and the uterus work to create the perfect environment for ovulation (the release of an egg) to occur, for the sperm and egg to meet and for the fertilised egg to implant itself in the uterus.

A step-by-step guide to ovulation

Every month the pituitary gland, which is in your brain, releases a hormone. This hormone tells the ovaries to produce a number of fluid-filled cysts called follicles. As the follicles grow they secrete the hormone oestrogen. Oestrogen works to thicken the wall of your uterus in preparation for pregnancy.
On day seven of your cycle, the follicles stop growing except for one. This follicle continues to grow and to nourish a maturing egg (oocyte) within.
On day 12 the maturing follicle releases a burst of oestrogen into the blood stream. The oestrogen travels through your blood. When the oestrogen reaches the pituitary gland in your brain, the pituitary gland responds by releasing the luteinising hormone. This hormone gives the follicle a sudden growth spurt.
Right before ovulation, the egg inside the follicle detaches itself. The follicle starts to release chemicals that encourage the nearby fallopian tube to move closer and surround the follicle.
The follicle swells until it bursts open, ejecting the egg and fluid into the abdominal cavity.
Small finger like protrusions at the end of the fallopian tube, called fimbriae, sweep across the burst follicle and pick up the egg.
The egg is transported to the entrance of the fallopian tube. Once inside the walls of the fallopian tube, muscle contractions push the egg gently towards the uterus.
The egg will either meet sperm on its journey through the fallopian tube and fertilisation will happen, or it will arrive in the uterus unfertilised and be absorbed back into the body.

The menstrual cycle

A step-by-step guide to conception

After ovulation the egg lives for 12 to 24 hours and must be fertilised in that time if a woman is to become pregnant.

The burst of oestrogen just before ovulation also works inside the neck of the uterus (the cervix) to make protein-rich clear jelly that covers the top of the vagina during sex. This makes the vagina acidic (which prevents thrush and other infections). This is also a suitable environment for sperm survival. The sperm rapidly swim up and into the cervix, where they can survive in the mucus for up to five days before an egg is released.

When the egg is released at ovulation, it is covered in sticky cells, which help the fallopian tube to catch it. The egg and the sperm meet in the fallopian tube where the sperm start to digest the sticky cells. While it takes only one sperm to make a baby, several need to attach to the outer shell and the membrane of the egg before one can enter and fertilise it.

After fertilisation, the egg and sperm very quickly merge and divide to become an embryo and chemicals are released to stop other sperm from entering.

Over the next four or five days the fertilised egg continues to divide and to travel towards the uterus.

The hormone progesterone, which is secreted into your blood stream by the burst follicle (now called the corpus luteum) prepares the uterus for the egg to implant.

As the pregnancy grows and implants itself into the mother’s uterine lining and blood vessels, it is sending an increasingly strong signal to the ovary to prolong and increase its production of progesterone, which the pregnancy needs to survive.

Getting pregnant

The best time to attempt a pregnancy is in the three to six day leading up to and including ovulation. The most fertile days will vary depending on your cycle length.

If you are using contraception you will need to stop using it if you plan to get pregnant. There are no clear guidelines about when to stop using the Pill (oral contraception) if you are planning to get pregnant. Some health professionals suggest you have three normal menstrual periods, after stopping the Pill, to allow your metabolic function to return to normal. The length of time that it takes for fertility to return will differ for each woman. It is possible, although rare, for a woman to fall pregnant while on the Pill. There is no evidence that this causes problems for the baby.

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identifying fertile days: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia

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Fertile days are the days a woman is most likely to get pregnant.

Infertility is a related topic.

When trying to become pregnant, many couples plan intercourse between days 11 to 14 of the woman's 28-day cycle. This is when ovulation occurs.

It is hard to know exactly when ovulation will happen. Health care providers recommend that couples who are trying to have a baby have sex between days 7 and 20 of a woman's menstrual cycle. Day 1 is the first day of menstrual bleeding. In order to become pregnant, having sex every other day or every third day works just as well as having sex every day.

Sperm can live inside a woman's body for less than 5 days.
A released egg lives for less than 24 hours.
The highest pregnancy rates have been reported when the egg and sperm join together within 4 to 6 hours of ovulation.

Watch this video about:Ovulation

If you have an irregular menstrual cycle, an ovulation predictor kit can help you know when you are ovulating. These kits check for luteinizing hormone (LH) in the urine. You can buy them without a prescription at most drug stores.

There are various other methods to help detect when you are most likely to be able to conceive a baby.

Note: Some lubricants can interfere with conception. If you are trying to get pregnant, you should avoid all douches and lubricants (including saliva), except those specifically designed to not interfere with fertility (such as Pre-seed). Lubricants should never be used as a method of birth control.

EVALUATING YOUR CERVICAL FLUID

Cervical fluid protects the sperm and helps it move toward the uterus and fallopian tubes. Cervical fluid changes occur when the woman's body is getting ready to release an egg. There are clear differences in how it looks and feels during the woman's monthly menstrual cycle.

No cervical fluid is present during the menstrual period.
After the period is over, the vagina is dry and no cervical fluid is present.
Fluid then turns to a sticky/rubbery fluid.
The fluid becomes very wet/creamy/white which indicates FERTILE.
The fluid becomes slippery, stretchy, and clear like an egg white, which means VERY FERTILE.
After ovulation, the vagina becomes dry again (no cervical fluid). The cervical mucus may become more like thick bubble gum.

You can use your fingers to see how your cervical fluid feels.

Find the fluid inside the lower end of the vagina.
Tap your thumb and first finger together -- if the fluid stretches while you spread your thumb and finger apart, this could mean ovulation is near.

TAKING YOUR BASAL BODY TEMPERATURE

After you ovulate, your body temperature will rise and stay at a higher level for the rest of your ovulation cycle. At the end of your cycle, it falls again. The difference between the 2 phases is most often less than 1 degree.

You can use a special thermometer to take your temperature in the morning before you get out of bed.
Use a glass basal thermometer or a digital thermometer that is accurate to the tenth of a degree.
Keep the thermometer in your mouth for 5 minutes or until it signals you that it is done. Try not to move too much, as activity can raise your body temperature slightly.

If your temperature is between 2 marks, record the lower number. Try to take your temperature at the same time every day, if possible.

Create a chart and write down your temperature every day. If you look at a complete cycle, you will probably notice a point at which the temperatures become higher than in the first part of your cycle. The rise is about 0.2 degrees or more above the previous 6 days.

Temperature is a useful indicator of fertility. After checking for several cycles, you may be able to see a pattern and identify your most fertile days.

Basal body temperature; Infertility - fertile days

Ovulation

Catherino WH. Reproductive endocrinology and infertility. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 26th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 223.

Ellert W. Fertility awareness-based methods of contraception (natural family planning). In: Fowler GC, ed. Pfenninger and Fowler's Procedures for Primary Care. 4th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 117.

Lobo RA. Infertility: etiology, diagnostic evaluation, management, prognosis. In: Gershenson DM, Lentz GM, Valea FA, Lobo RA, eds. Comprehensive Gynecology. 8th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 40.

Rivlin K, Davis AR. Contraception and abortion. In: Gershenson DM, Lentz GM, Valea FA, Lobo RA, eds. Comprehensive Gynecology. 8th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 13.

Updated by: John D. Jacobson, MD, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.

How to properly store raw eggs / Dealing with the expiration date - an article from the "How to store" section on Food.ru

How long can table and diet eggs be stored

In order not to guess about the timing, let's turn to the most authoritative source - GOST. The shelf life of raw chicken eggs is set by the state standard and is:

25 days for table eggs at a temperature of 0 to 20 degrees;
7 days for diet eggs at the same temperature;
90 days for eggs stored at -2 to 0 degrees.

The last point can be done only in special industrial refrigerators that allow you to accurately maintain temperature, humidity and other parameters. At home, the product must be consumed within 25 days.

In this list, we have come across two terms whose meanings are not known to everyone. The words are, of course, familiar, but few people know the exact difference between these categories of eggs. But in fact, everything is very simple.

Eggs are called dietary, the shelf life of which does not exceed 7 days. It is believed that after this, the useful properties and taste of the product deteriorate slightly.

Table eggs are stored for up to 25 days.

It is important to understand that these are the same eggs laid by the same hen. The only difference is that dietary ones do not store for a long time. In this case, the manufacturer guarantees maximum product freshness.

Note

You may have seen markings like “C1” or “D3” on egg price tags. So, the first letter, C or D, just denotes the category of the product (table - dietary). The second characterizes the size of the egg.

Interesting fact

On the eighth day, a dietary egg should logically move into the category of table eggs. After all, the difference between them is only in the shelf life. But by law, products cannot change the properties originally declared by the manufacturer, so unsold dietary eggs must be disposed of. On the other hand, if the weekly expiration date has already expired after purchase, then you have almost two more weeks to eat them.

How long do washed eggs keep

Sometimes the eggs are washed to give the product an attractive appearance. Still, they do not grow on trees, but appear from a live chicken.

The shelf life of such eggs is much shorter - only 12 days. This is explained by the fact that the shell has a thin protective film that prevents air and microorganisms from getting inside. When washed, it collapses.

Conclusion: if you wash eggs, it is better to do it immediately before eating.

Is it possible to store raw eggs without refrigeration

Yes, but it depends on how many degrees you have in your apartment. Room temperature should not exceed 20°C, and houses are usually warmer. In the summer heat, the refrigerator will definitely be a safer place.

In general, it all depends on how quickly the eggs are eaten. The higher the ambient temperature, the faster the product will spoil.

What to do if you are going to nature or to the country house, where there is no refrigerator? How long can eggs be stored under these conditions? In the heat, keep fresh raw eggs without a refrigerator for no more than 3 days, then it’s better not to risk it.

How to properly store raw eggs

Shell integrity is key. If the egg cracked, then you can’t rely on any of the numbers given here. Bacteria enter through the crack, and an unprotected egg is more than perishable. Egg white is an ideal nutrient medium for the reproduction of microorganisms. Therefore, a cracked egg must be eaten within two days, and then provided that it is in the refrigerator. No one will give further guarantees of security.

Usually there is a special compartment in the refrigerator door for eggs. But this is not the best place. The door is often opened, which causes constant temperature fluctuations. The risk of mechanical damage to the shell also increases. After all, even the appearance of microcracks can have the most detrimental effect on the quality of the product. Therefore, the vegetable compartment is considered the best place - it is opened much less often.

It is also recommended not to remove the eggs from the factory container. Thick corrugated cardboard perfectly protects against accidental damage.

At low temperatures, from 0 to 5 degrees Celsius, eggs can be stored much longer than the declared period. At the same time, they lose moisture, dry out, but do not deteriorate. However, this is a controversial recommendation; no one will risk guaranteeing the quality of the product after the prescribed 25 days.

Tip

Eggs can absorb odors. You should not keep them together with strong-smelling foods, such as next to fish.

Note

All rules and figures in this article apply to chicken eggs. Quail retain freshness for several days longer.

How to understand that an egg has gone bad

If a chicken egg has become completely unusable, then it is impossible to make a mistake. The characteristic hydrogen sulfide rotten smell will be so obvious that there will be no doubt.

The situation is more complicated if the process has just begun.

there must be no foreign odors, even slight ones;
the older the egg, the more transparent the white, in fresh eggs it is a little cloudy - this is normal;
boiled protein should be pure white, blue or gray shades indicate that the egg is not the first freshness.

What can be done?

There are other ways to extend the shelf life. Eggs can be frozen. You can put them in a jar of lime mortar, and then they will not deteriorate for several months even without a refrigerator. But let's be blunt: if you're not going on a long expedition through wild places where there is no civilization and shops, then it's better not to violate the established norms. Buy as many eggs as you can consume within a reasonable amount of time.

How long can eggs be stored in the refrigerator? | Food and drinks | The kitchen0005

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Category: Products

Eggs can be stored without refrigeration, but only for a certain amount of time. According to GOST R 52121-2003, dietary chicken eggs can be stored without a refrigerator for no more than seven days, canteens - up to 25 days, washed - no more than 12 days. Eggs are recommended to be kept at a temperature of 0 to 20°C and a relative humidity of 85-88%.

How long can raw eggs be kept in the refrigerator?

Household eggs have a maximum shelf life of three months and store-bought product 25 days. Such periods are possible when storing unwashed eggs directly on the shelf, and not in the side door of the refrigerator: due to the constant opening of the door, the eggs are exposed to temperature changes, and this significantly reduces the shelf life of the product. The best temperature for storing eggs in the refrigerator is approximately 0-5 °C.

Eggs that have been in the refrigerator for 1-3 weeks are best for boiling. As the egg shell ages, it becomes more porous and begins to let air through. The more air enters through the shell, the more the air chamber is filled, therefore, with “age”, the egg after cooking becomes easier to clean.

How long can boiled eggs be kept in the refrigerator?

Boiled eggs can be stored for up to 20 days in the refrigerator and up to three days at room temperature. If the shell is cracked, then literally a day or two.

How can you tell a boiled egg from a raw one?

To determine which eggs in the refrigerator are raw and which are cooked, you can spin the egg on the table. Boiled specimens (or completely rotten ones) spin smoothly and for a long time. Raw and fresh eggs sway as they rotate and slow down quickly.