The egg does not wait for a winner. She chooses who she will create life with
For a long time, fertilization was thought to be a competition: the fastest sperm wins. But research has shown something different.
The follicular fluid surrounding the egg holds chemical signals — chemoattractants that selectively draw the sperm of particular men. And this selective attraction depends on the genetic compatibility of the couple.
Experiments revealed that one woman's fluid drew the sperm of one donor far more strongly and all but ignored another. The egg takes part in the choice. This completely transformed science's view of conception.
Sources
- Fitzpatrick JL, Willis C, Devigili A et al. Chemical signals from eggs facilitate cryptic female choice in humans. Proceedings of the Royal Society B, 2020; 287(1928):20200805. doi: 10.1098/rspb.2020.0805
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