Britannica Sources used in this answer

How does an egg travel from an ovary to the uterus?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Diagram of the menstrual cycle showing hormone levels, follicle development, and endometrial changes across 28 days. It highlights menstruation, ovulation, and the follicular and luteal phases, with labeled curves for estrogen, progesterone, FSH, and LH. — menstruation Cyclical changes during a woman's normal ovulatory menstrual cycle.

When an egg is released from the ovary during ovulation, it is captured by the fallopian tube. The process involves several coordinated mechanisms:12

Capture: The fimbriae—fingerlike projections at the end of the fallopian tube—extend over the ovary and contract close to its surface to guide the released egg into the infundibulum, the funnel-shaped opening of the tube.3
Transport: Once inside the fallopian tube, the egg is moved toward the uterus through a combination of two primary forces: the swaying motions of cilia (fine hairlike structures lining the tube) and rhythmic muscular contractions, known as peristaltic waves, of the tube's walls.32
Timeline: This journey through the fallopian tube typically takes three to four days.3

The fallopian tube provides a supportive environment for this transit, secreting fluids that nourish the egg and facilitate its movement until it reaches the uterine cavity.3