The ovum is alive, and has been the woman's entire life. The ovum actually begins its cellular division while the woman is still in the womb.
Early philosophers thought the sperm cell contained a little tiny person inside it, but then someone wondered if the sperm person was male, would it not have even smaller sperm-people inside its testicles; and wouldn't the males inside the sperm-person’s testicles also have sperm-people inside their testicles, etc, etc, reducto ad absurdum.
Several years ago, I read an article from a British newspaper, that has haunted me ever since. As you noted, the ovum begins its cellular division while the woman is still in the womb. Scientists in GB were able to cull the ovaries from aborted fetuses with the intent of extracting these ovum for implantation into infertile women. Psychologists intervened at that point, noting that a birth resulting from such a procedure would present serious psychological consequences for the adult child in search of his or her biological mother. Mercifully, they shelved this option "for future consideration". Can you imagine finding out your mother was never born!