Egg implantation is followed by

The correct answer is Gestation.

To understand why gestation follows egg implantation, let us break down the sequence of events in the process of reproduction:

1. Copulation: This is the sexual act that allows the transfer of male gametes (sperm) into the female reproductive tract.
2. Fertilization: Following copulation, a sperm fuses with the egg (ovum) in the fallopian tube to form a single-celled zygote.
3. Implantation: The fertilized egg (which develops into a blastocyst) travels down to the uterus and embeds itself into the thickened uterine wall (endometrium). This process is known as implantation.
4. Gestation: Once implantation is successfully completed, the state of pregnancy begins. Gestation is the period of development of the embryo/fetus inside the female's uterus, lasting from implantation until birth.
5. Parturition: This is the final stage, which refers to the process of giving birth to the fully developed offspring at the end of the gestation period.

Therefore, immediately after egg implantation occurs, the biological phase of gestation begins.