Every human life starts with the fertilization of the egg cell – and the victory of a sperm. The losing sperm also has an impact on pregnancy. A new study of the Med Uni Graz has found evidence that sperm can penetrate embryos and influence their development.
After successful fertilization, the human embryo – the unborn – goes on its way to the womb. This path takes a few days. Until the implantation in the womb, the embryo is surrounded by a scale that it should protect against external influences. Only shortly before the implantation “slips” the for a few days old embryo from this protective coverage.
Sperm can have “far -reaching effects”
The embryo not only makes the road to the womb: thousands of sperm accompany him. When the embryo comes from its protective coverage, this can penetrate the sperm into the embryo – that of the father or another sexual partner.
This can “have many reaching effects on pregnancy success,” says chairman Berthold Huppertz. It may happen that the embryo can no longer nest well in the womb.
Sperm in competition
But why does the sperm do that? A suspicion from the scientists is that there is a “competition” between the sperm of different men. This is to ensure that the sperm of the “stronger” man is extracted and the baby is born with good genes. This is also observed in other animal species.
Too frequent sex can prevent pregnancy
The researchers also consider whether frequent sexual intercourse could reduce the chance of pregnancy. Because unnecessary sperm can disrupt the implantation of the unborn. “This hypothesis has already followed studies with conflicting results in the past, and therefore further research would be interesting here,” says Thomas Kroneis of the chairman of Cell Biology, Histology and Embryology at the Gottfried Treasure Research Center for cellular signal transduction, metabolism and aging.
Source: Krone
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