The preceding paragraphs have described the manner in which sperm are\u00a0produced. Now look at the entire pathway a sperm must travel to fertilize an ovum.<\/p>\n
a. With each ejaculation, the testes release up to 400 million sperm. The goal is\u00a0for one sperm cell to meet and fertilize one ovum.<\/p>\n
b. When a male ejaculates, sperm are ejected from the pocket of the testes\u00a0through a series of ducts (the epididymis ducts, the ductus deferens, and the ejaculatory\u00a0ducts).<\/p>\n
c. Seminal fluid, pouring into the ducts from the prostate gland and the\u00a0bulbourethral glands, flushes the sperm through the urethra and out of the tip of the\u00a0penis.<\/p>\n
d. Before fertilization can take place, the sperm must be deposited in the vaginal\u00a0vault, pass through the tiny opening of the cervix, swim through the uterus, and reach\u00a0the fallopian tubes.<\/p>\n
Editor’s Note: While sperm are capable of swimming short (microscopic) distances, this is no longer believed to be the primary mechanism by which sperm\u00a0reach the egg.\u00a0The uterus has rhythmic contractions around the time of ovulation which propel sperm from the cervix up through the uterine cavity\u00a0and out into the fallopian tube. The s<\/strong><\/em>wimming action of sperm is still\u00a0thought to play a role, but only at the very end of the process, when the sperm are within microscopic distances of the egg.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n (1) Only the strongest sperm cells survive. Most sperm are destroyed\u00a0immediately by the acidic fluids that cleanse the vagina. Only a few thousand sperm\u00a0reach the cervix, and fewer still reach the fallopian tubes.<\/p>\n (2) Normally, the cervix is blocked by a hard wall of mucus which prevents\u00a0bacteria from entering the uterus. For a few days each month (near the time of\u00a0ovulation), this thick cervical mucus changes into a fluid stream that sperm can\u00a0penetrate.<\/p>\n (3) Those sperm that pass through the cervix have about 48 hours in which\u00a0to reach and fertilize an ovum before they (the sperm) die. Sperm cells can travel this\u00a0distance in a few minutes.<\/p>\n e. The difficulty of this journey helps ensure that only the most healthy sperm\u00a0cells reach the fertilization point. Sometimes a poor quality sperm and ovum do unite.\u00a0Most of these fertilized ova stop developing and are lost spontaneously. The woman\u00a0losing such an ovum does not even realize that she has been pregnant.<\/p>\n NOTE: Erection of the penis and ejaculation of semen are necessary for the\u00a0placement of sperm in the female reproductive tract. Semen, also called\u00a0seminal fluid, is a mixture of sperm and secretions from the seminal vesicle,\u00a0the prostate gland, and the bulbourethral glands.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The preceding paragraphs have described the manner in which sperm are\u00a0produced. Now look at the entire pathway a sperm must travel to fertilize an ovum. a. With each ejaculation, the testes release up to 400 million sperm. The goal is\u00a0for one sperm cell to meet and fertilize one ovum. b. When a male ejaculates, sperm … Continue reading 1-09. PATHWAY OF SPERM CELLS<\/span>