Bavela Kuphi Abantwana: Ukulandelela Umlingo Wokuphila

Ukuzalana kwabantu kuyisihloko eselokhu heha abacabangi, izazi zefilosofi, nezazi zesayensi emakhulwini eminyaka edlule. Inqubo lapho impilo entsha iqhamuka khona ihilela ukusebenzisana okumangalisayo phakathi kwezinhlelo ezahlukene zomzimba, izinto zofuzo, nezimo ezindlelisa ukukhula. Isayensi yesimanje yemvelo kanye nomuthi iyaqhubeka nokuvula ubunzima obuzungeze ukungena komntwana esiswini nokukhula kwakhe, okusisiza siqonde ukuthi kanjani iseli elilodwa elichanyushelwe ekugcineni libe usana. Nakuba lolu lwazi seluqondile kakhulu kunakuqala, lusalokhu lumangalisa futhi lubalulekile kubantu bazo zonke izizwe. Lokhu kuhlola kuzoqondisa ekutheni uhambo lwengane luqala kanjani ezingeni lokuqala kakhulu, luthuthuke ngesikhathi sokukhulelwa, nokuthi ekugcineni usana luzalwa kanjani emhlabeni. Ngokwenza kanjalo, kuhloswe ukuchaza imibuzo ebalulekile kulabo abangase babuze, “bantshontsha kuphi izingane,” kuchazwe ukuzalana ngendlela eqondile kodwa enembile.

Isayensi Yokukhulelwa (Conception)

Ukubonga ukuqala kwempilo yengane, kudingeka kuqala kubhekisiswe indlela umzimba okhiqiza ngayo inzalo. Ngokuvamile, abesifazane bakhiqiza amaqanda (amacell amaqanda) ema-ovari, kanti abesilisa bakhiqiza isidoda ema-testes. Lapho owesifazane esefikile ebuntombini, ama-ovari ngokuvamile akhipha iqanda elilodwa elivuthiwe njalo ngenyanga njengengxenye yomjikelezo wokuya esikhathini. Iqanda liphushwa liye ku-fallopian tube, lilindele ukuchanyushelwa. Isidoda singena ohlelweni lokuzala lowesifazane ikakhulu ngokwabelana ngocansi lwasemgodini wesitho sangasese sowesifazane; uma sesingaphakathi, sihamba sidlule esibelethweni esincane (cervix) nasesibelethweni (uterus) siyofinyelela kuma-fallopian tubes. Lapho isidoda sikwazi ukungena kulwelwesi lwangaphandle lweqanda, izinto zofuzo ezivela kuzo zombili izinhlangothi ziyahlangana, kwakheke iseli elichanyushelwe elibizwa ngokuthi i-zygote [1]. Kulabo abafuna ukuqonda yonke inqubo kusukela ekukhulelweni kuze kube sekuzalweni, ukubheka how do you make a baby kunikeza ukuchazwa okunemininingwane yesinyathelo ngasinye sohambo oluya empilweni entsha.

Lona umcimbi wokuqala omaka iphuzu lokuqala lapho impilo entsha yomuntu ingakhula khona. Ngokushesha nje lapho ukuchanyushelwa kwenzeka, i-zygote iqala ukuhlukana ibe amaseli amaningi ngenqubo ebizwa ngokuthi i-mitosis. Lawa maseli asheshayo ukuhlukana ahamba aya esibelethweni, lapho engase azinamathele khona odongeni lwesibeletho. Lolu donga seluwugqinsi ngoba lulungiselele ukwamukela iqanda elichanyushelwe; uma ukuncamathela kungenzeka, ukuya esikhathini kuhlinza lolu donga. Lapho embungu esenamathele ngempumelelo, ukukhulelwa kusuke kumisiwe. Izimpawu zamakhemikhali zangasekuqaleni zibangela ukwanda kwamahomoni, njenge-human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), ongatholakala ngokuhlolwa kwezokwelapha ukuze kuqinisekiswe ukukhulelwa.

Ukukhula Kwembungu Nekomntwana Esibelethweni

Ngemva kokuncamathela, amaseli ayaqhubeka ehlela futhi ekhethekile, akhe izingqimba ezihlukehlukeneyo ezizokhiqiza izakhiwo ezahlukene zembungu okhula. Emasontweni okuqala, umbungu ushintsha ngokushesha, kwakheka uhlelo oluyisisekelo lwamathambo, izitho namasistimu omzimba. Cishe ngesonto lesihlanu noma lesithupha lokukhulelwa, ithubhu ye-neural, ezoba umgogodla nobuchopho kamuva, iqala ukuvaleka. Inhliziyo iqala ukushaya nokupompa igazi, kanti kuvela izihlebezo ezincane lapho kuzokwakheka khona izingalo nezinyawo.

Ekupheleni kwesikhathi sokuba umbungu—cishe esontweni leshumi lokukhulelwa—izinhlelo zezitho sezithole umumo oyisisekelo. Umbungu usuba sekubizwa ukuthi umntwana osesibelethweni (fetus). Ngesikhathi sokuba i-fetus, esiqhubeka kuze kube sekuzalweni, lezi zitho nezinhlelo ziyaqina futhi zivuthwe. Ubuchopho bukhula futhi bube nzima, amathambo aqina, kanti izinto ezifana namakhophasi amehlo, izipikili nezinwele ziqala ukwakheka. Umntwana osesibelethweni uqala futhi ukwenza ukunyakaza, noma umzali wesifazane engase angakuzwe kuze kube yizinyanga ezithile zokukhulelwa. Phakathi kwesikhathi esicishe sibe yizinyanga eziyisishiyagalolunye, noma amasonto angaba ngu-40 kusukela kokuya esikhathini kokugcina, i-fetus iqhubekela ekubeni ingane esilungele ukuphila ngaphandle kwesibeletho.

Ufuzo Nezinto Zemvelo

Ummangaliso wokukhula kwengane usemqhudelwaneni phakathi kofuzo nezimo zemvelo. Umzali ngamunye unikeza ingxenye yohlelo lofuzo lomntwana, oluqondisa izinto ezifana nombala wamehlo, uhlobo lwezinwele, ngisho nezinto ezenza kube sengathi umuntu angagula ngezinye izifo. Noma yize amajini ebeka amandla angaba khona, indawo umntwana akhula kuyo esibelethweni ingashintsha indlela lawo majini aveza ngayo imiphumela. Lokhu kubandakanya indlela umama aziphatha ngayo ngokwezempilo efana nokudla, ukugwema izinto eziyingozi, nokuhlolelwa njalo ngesikhathi sokukhulelwa ukuze kubhekwe izinkinga.

Ukungeniswa kokudla okunomsoco, isibonelo, kubalulekile ekuthuthukisweni kobuchopho, ekukhuleni kwamathambo, nasempilweni yomzimba yonke. Kulabo abazilungiselela ukukhulelwa noma asebekhulelwe, ukwengeza i-supplement yekhwalithi ephezulu yokukhulelwa efana ne-Conceive Plus Prenatal with DHA kungahlinzeka ngezinto ezibalulekile ezisekela inhlalakahle kamama kanye nokukhula komntwana esibelethweni. I-folic acid, uvitamin B, ixhunyaniswe nokwehla kwengozi yokulahlekelwa wuthubhu ye-neural ezifana ne-spina bifida [2]. Ukuchayeka kumakhemikhali anobuthi, ngakolunye uhlangothi, kungalimaza ukukhula komntwana osesibelethweni, kuholele ezinkingeni ezingase zivele ngesikhathi sokuzalwa. Ukuvakasha njalo kochwepheshe bezempilo kusiza ukulandelela ukukhula komntwana, ukulalela ukushaya kwenhliziyo yomntwana, nokuthola izinkinga ezisanda kuvela, okunikeza abahlinzeki bezempilo ithuba lokungenelela kusenesikhathi uma kudingeka. Ngakho-ke, impilo yokukhulelwa ingabhekwa njengokusebenzisana phakathi kwezinto ezizalwa nazo nokunakekelwa kwemvelo.

Izindlela Eziningi Zokuba Ngabazali

Nakuba indaba evamile ihilela iqanda, isidoda, nokukhulelwa ngokwemvelo ngaphakathi komzimba wesifazane, ubuchwepheshe besimanje bunikeza ezinye izindlela zokuba abantu babe ngabazali. Ubuchwepheshe bokusiza ukuzala (ART) njenge-in vitro fertilization (IVF) buhlanganisa ukuqoqa amaqanda nesidoda bese kuyananyiswa ngaphandle komzimba elabhorethri. Imbungu ekhiqekayo ingafakwa esibelethweni ukuze inamathele. Le ndlela ivame ukuba yinsindiso kwabathandekayo ababhekene nokungabi nenzalo noma imibhangqwana yobulili obufanayo efisa ukuba nomntwana ohambisana nabo ngokofuzo [3].

Ukubamba isikhundla sokubeletha kugcina kuyindlela eyodwa: owesifazane othile noma umthwali wesisu uthwala ukukhulelwa aze afike esikhathini sokuzala egameni labazali abahlosiwe abangase bengakwazi ukukwenza lokho. Ukunikela ngamaqanda noma isidoda nakho kusiza abantu abangakwazi ukusebenzisa imbewu yabo. Zonke lezi zindlela ziye zavulela abantu abavela kuzo zonke izizinda amathuba okwakha imindeni. Yize zithembele emininingwaneni yezokwelapha ethuthukile, isisekelo sesayensi sihlala sifana: ukuhlanganiswa kwezinto zofuzo, ukukhula kwembungu, bese kuba ukuzalwa.

Ukulungiselela Ukuzalwa

Njengoba usuku lokuzalwa lusondela, ingane ngokuvamile ijika ibheke phansi ikhanda ngaphakathi esibelethweni. Lesi simo siyisinqumo esihle sokubeletha ngendlela yemvelo ngomgudu wokuzala. Uma ingane isala isesimweni se-breech (izinyawo noma izinqe phambi) noma icalekile eceleni, odokotela bangacabanga ukuzama i-external cephalic version noma, uma lokho kungewona umqondo ofanele noma ophephile, ukuhlela ukuhlinzwa kwe-caesarean. Amaqembu ezokwelapha agada eduze izimpawu zokubeletha kusenesikhathi (ngaphambi kwamasonto angu-37) futhi aqinisekise ukuthi ukukhula kwamaphaphu sekufanele, kwesinye isikhathi enikeza ama-steroid uma kubonakala sengathi ukulethwa kwangaphambi kwesikhathi akugwemeki.

Abazali abalindele ingane bangangenela lezi zinsuku zokugcina ngokuhlela indlela yokuzalwa, benquma indawo—kungaba isibhedlela, isikhungo sokubeletha, noma ukuzalwa ekhaya nombelethisi oqeqeshiwe—kuya ngemithetho yendawo kanye nempilo kamama. Amakilasi okukhulelwa noma izifundo zokufundisa ngokubeletha angasiza abantu baqonde ukuthi bangakulindela ini ngesikhathi sokubeletha, izigaba zokuzalwa, nezindlela ezingaba khona zokulawula ubuhlungu. Lolu hlelo ngokuvamile lufaka nezingxoxo mayelana nokondla ingane, kungaba ngokuncelisa, ubisi lwefomula, noma inhlanganisela yalokhu kokubili.

Inqubo Yokubeletha

Lapho ukubeletha kuqala, umama angase azwe izinkontileka, okuyiminyaniso yemisipha yesibeletho ephindaphindayo esiza ukunweba isibeletho esincane (cervix) nokucindezela ingane iye emgudwini wokuzala. Ekuqaleni, lezi zinkontileka zingazwakala zithambile futhi ezingavamile, bese ziba namandla futhi zivame kakhulu njengoba ukubeletha okusebenzayo kuqhubeka. Isibeletho esincane, okuyisiteshi esingaphansi kwesibeletho, siye sithambe futhi sivuleke sifike cishe kumasentimitha ayi-10 ububanzi. Uma sesivulekile ngokuphelele, umama uqala ukucindezela ngokusebenzayo, esizwa izinkontileka zesibeletho, ukuze akhiphe ingane. Ngemva kokuba ingane ifikile, i-placenta (okuyifilimu lokugcina ngemva kokuzalwa) iyaphuma, kuvalwe inqubo yokubeletha.

Ukuzalwa komntwana kumela umkhiqizo omangalisayo womzimba womuntu, okuxhumanisa izindilinga zokubuyisana kwama-hormone nokusebenzisana okuyinkimbinkimbi kwemisipha. Ama-endorphin namanye amahomoni asiza ukulawula ubuhlungu, kuyilapho i-oxytocin ikhuthaza kokubili izinkontileka zesibeletho nobudlelwano phakathi kukamama nengane ngemva kokuzalwa. Emasikweni amaningi, abalingani abasekelayo, amalungu omndeni, noma odoula banikeza ukwesekwa ngokomzwelo nangokwenyama, okuveza kabanzi ukuthi isipiliyoni sokubeletha siyinto umphakathi wonke abamba iqhaza kuyo [4].

Ukuchaza “Kuphuma Kuphi Izingane”

Ezimweni eziningi, umgudu wokuzala uyindlela ingane ephuma ngayo emzimbeni kamama. Ingane ihamba isuka esibelethweni iye esithweni sangasese sowesifazane (vagina) iphume iye emhlabeni—lokhu kuphendula umbuzo ovame ukubuzwa, kuphuma kuphi izingane? Kodwa-ke, kwezinye izimo kuyenziwa ukuhlinzwa kwe-caesarean. Lena inqubo yokuhlinza lapho ingane ikhishwa ngokuqaqa isisu odongeni lwesisu kanye nasodongeni lwesibeletho. Le ndlela ingahlelwa kusenesikhathi uma kunezinkinga ezaziwayo, njenge-placenta previa (lapho i-placenta ivimba isibeletho esincane) noma ukuma kwe-breech. Ngezinye izikhathi, ukuhlinzwa kwe-caesarean okungahlelwanga kuba yimpoqo uma ukubeletha sekuma noma ingane ibonisa izimpawu zokuhlupheka.

Noma ngabe indlela yokulethwa ihlukile, umongo okufanayo wokuzalwa—umuntu omusha ophuma endaweni yakhe yangaphambi kokuzalwa—uhlala ufana. Yonke indlela yokungena emhlabeni inezinto zayo ezingokomzwelo nezingokwenyama kubazali. Noma kwenzeka egunjini lokuhlinza noma ngomgudu wokuzala, ukufika kosana kuvame ukuchazwa njengolwazi olujulile noluguqula ukuphila.

Ukuqonda Umehluko Ekuthuthukisweni

Nakuba incazelo ebanzi yokuchanyushelwa, ukukhulelwa, nokuzalwa inikeza uhlaka olujwayelekile, okuhlangenwe nakho kwangempela kungahluka kakhulu. Ezinye izingane zizalwa zingakafiki esikhathini, zidinga ukunakekelwa okukhethekile emayunithini abhekele izingane ezisanda kuzalwa (neonatal intensive care). Ezinye zifika zinokwehluka kofuzo noma okuhlelekile okufuna ukungenelela kwezokwelapha. Ngaphezu kwalokho, akuzona zonke izingane ezizalwa ngamasonto ajwayelekile angama-40; ezinye zizalwa kancane ngaphambi kwalokho noma ngemva kwalokho. Uhambo ngalunye luyingqayizivele, lwenziwa izinto ezifana nofuzo, impilo kamama, izimo zomnotho, izinkolelo zesiko, ngisho nokufinyelela emitholampilo.

Ngezinga lomphakathi, ukuqashelwa kwezinhlobo ezahlukene zemindeni, ukubamba isikhundla sokubeletha, ukwamukelwa kwengane, kanye nezincazelo eziguqukayo zobuzali kwelula ukuqonda kwethu ngendlela izingane ezifika ngayo emindenini. Umbuzo owake wabekwa kalula ungase manje ube nezimpendulo eziningi, udonswe ezicini zezokwelapha, ezenhlalo, nezamasiko. Kodwa-ke, enhliziyweni yakho konke kusalokhu kunesipiliyoni esabelwana ngaso sonke sobuntu sokukhulisa impilo entsha.

Okusemqoka

Ekugcineni, umlingo wokuphila unyakazisa izizwe namava ahlukahlukene, uphendula umbuzo oselokhu ukhathaza abantu: bantshontsha kuphi izingane. Noma ngabe abantu bayazibuza ngenqubekelaphambili yansuku zonke esiswini noma ukuthi ngempela kuphuma kuphi izingane, ilukuluku libaholela ekwazini kangcono lolu hambo esabelana ngalo njengabantu. Nakuba indaba yokuzalana kwabantu ibanzi futhi inezingqimba eziningi, izinqubo eziyisisekelo—ukukhishwa kweqanda, ukuchanyushelwa, ukukhula kwembungu, ukuvuthwa komntwana esibelethweni, nokuzalwa—zikuyo mqondo. Abantu bangayibuza le mibuzo ngendlela elula, kodwa ububanzi besayensi nemizwa obukade bunalo buyamangalisa.

Izinkomba

1. Woodruff TK. Making eggs: is it now or later? Nat Med. 2008 Nov;14(11):1190-1. doi: 10.1038/nm1108-1190. PMID: 18989303; PMCID: PMC5134835.
2. Kadir M, Hood RB, Mínguez-Alarcón L, Maldonado-Cárceles AB, Ford JB, Souter I, Chavarro JE, Gaskins AJ; EARTH Study Team. Folate intake and ovarian reserve among women attending a fertility center. Fertil Steril. 2022 Jan;117(1):171-180. doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2021.09.037. Epub 2021 Nov 19. PMID: 34809974; PMCID: PMC8714696.
3. Choe J, Shanks AL. In Vitro Fertilization. [Updated 2023 Sep 4]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK562266/
4. Carlhäll S, Nelson M, Svenvik M, Axelsson D, Blomberg M. Maternal childbirth experience and time in labor: a population-based cohort study. Sci Rep. 2022 Jul 13;12(1):11930. doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-14711-y. PMID: 35831421; PMCID: PMC9279318