TTC Myth (from TTGP Board)

rocky_star

A girl on TTGP just posted this, thought it was interesting!

 

Myth:  "All it takes is one [sperm]."

Fact:   It actually takes approximately 100,000 sperm to attach to the egg in order for one to fertilize it.  Which means there have to be approximately 3 million sperm in the fallopian tube because the sperm are NOT automatically drawn to the egg -- they just run into it randomly.  (There needs to be about 40 million sperm passing through the cervix in order to get 3 million in the fallopian tube because some end up in the wrong fallopian tube, others stay in the uterus, and others go the wrong way -- back out.)

Why 100,000?  According to my RE, it takes approximately that many to break down the hard outer shell of the egg, turning it into a sort of gelatinous membrane that one sperm can wiggle through.  As soon as the winner wiggles through, a spasm of electricity passes through the shell and it hardens again.

So next time you hear someone say "All it takes is one"... mentally add... "hundred thousand." Yet another reason why it can be so hard to get pregnant!

 

Karrotelle

It really IS a Miracle when a woman gets pregnant!

rocky_star

It sure is! Geez. Doesn't make me feel very good about the odds.

AmandaBoud2011

Have you ladies seen the Great Sperm Race... its on You Tube. I watched it the other week and it really is a wonder that women do get pregnant. Add into it all of the female things going on lining thickening, and the egg/sperm being at the right place etc. I can't believe it happens so easily for many.

GL testing this weekend ladies, I hope you get your BFP's.

megs2011

AmandaBoud2011:

Have you ladies seen the Great Sperm Race... its on You Tube. I watched it the other week and it really is a wonder that women do get pregnant. Add into it all of the female things going on lining thickening, and the egg/sperm being at the right place etc. I can't believe it happens so easily for many.

GL testing this weekend ladies, I hope you get your BFP's.

I have, its a fantastic documentary. Really puts things into perspective.

juliane2004

Are you sure? I've seen things like The Great Sperm Race, where they say that there may be only ~20 sperm around when the egg is released.