I've learned that scientists are now thinking that the egg decides which sperm is allowed to penetrate. Has anyone heard about this? It's interesting if true.

I have never heard of that. Quite bizarre, really.

is there any information on it anywhere?

Not on the net as far as I found, but various Journals of Medicine had articles.

They don't imply that it is a conscientious selection but a bio-chemical one. Or in plain English, the egg is only fertilized by a compatible sperm.

Maybe those who study hybrids like mules have something on it.

If this where true, I think we would see a lot more problems with children born through In vitro fertilization and far fewer genetic birth defects in naturally born children. But thats just my twisted logic at work.

intresting but then if the sperm is compatible what about miscariage

Good question, next question....

Never heard of this before...

Hmm it could something along the lines of, the egg chooses the sperm, however, occasionally a sperm just bombards its way through regardless of what the egg chooses, like a bull in a china shop. Then when the egg is fertilised by the stampeding sperm, it is no good, otherwise the egg would have chosen it in the first place - hence miscarriage finally results because of a defect.

The egg has absolutely no way to decide if the sperm is defective just as the sperm has no way to determine if the egg is defective. It is more likely that there could be a chemical/molecular affinity that permeates the egg's cell membrane. No matter if good or not.

Egg: "I Choose the sperm with the long tail"
Sperm #221: "Yay!"

Only the best single sperm gets into the egg...I don't think it's the egg that chooses. Maybe when the egg gets the sperm, then it decides, thus resulting in miscarriage.

Most miscarriages are because of the mother's body not being able to carry the baby. Some believe that the woman's body knows that the baby is not healthy and miscarries. They say that the number of women that miscarry without even knowing that they are pregnant is amazing. Supposedly, it is rare for a woman not to have a miscarriage at least once in her life. We have a natural spermicide in our bodies, and this sometimes will attack the baby, too. Why do you think most women get morning sickness? There is a foreign body in our system and our body isn't sure what it is and attempts to fight it off. Sometimes the body wins. That is why many women will not even tell anyone that they are pregnant until the first three months are passed since that is usually the time that a woman miscarries.

Well, if this is true, then my mother can stop blaming my dad for "sending the wrong genes" to me.



I know I'm not the only one who sees at pregnancy as some sort of creepy alien parasite.