FRHD 2100 Chapter Notes - Chapter 10: Pre-Eclampsia, Prolactin, Episiotomy

• School: University of Guelph
• Department: Family Relations and Human Development
• Course: FRHD 2100
• Professor: Tuuli Kukkonen

Document Summary

Conception: union of a sperm cell and an ovum. Sperm carry either x or y sex chromosomes. Sperms that bear y-chromosomes appear to be faster swimmers than those bearing x chromosomes. This is one of the reasons 120 to 150 boys are conceived for every 100 girls. Despite spontaneous abortions, boys still outnumber girls at birth, but boys suffer higher incidence of infant mortality. 200 to 400 million sperm in an average ejaculation. Only 1 in 1000 will ever arrive in the vicinity of an ovum, however. Vaginal acidity can kill sperm, and sperm can exit if woman does not remain prone. Surviving sperm may reach fallopian tubes 60 to 90 minutes after ejaculation. About half the sperm end up in the wrong tube the one that doesn"t contain the egg. Perhaps some 2000 sperm find their way to the right tube.