• Question: How does the female egg get fertilized?

    Asked by to James, Jennifer, Kim, Liam, Ricardo on 16 Jun 2014. This question was also asked by .
    • Photo: Kimberley Lowe

      Kimberley Lowe answered on 16 Jun 2014:

      Hi abooknigeriafc,

      When a couple have sexual intercourse, millions of sperm cells are transferred from the male to the female. These cells travel up towards the uterus or Fallopian tubes. If the conditions are right and there is an egg ready for fertilisation, the sperm will attack the surface of the egg. They begin to burrow through the wall of the egg and the first one that breaks through is the one that will fertilise it. When it is fertilised, the egg will implant onto the wall of the uterus, where it will begin the long process of turning into a baby!

    • Photo: Jennifer Stephens

      Jennifer Stephens answered on 24 Jun 2014:

      Over 100 million sperm start the journey upstream to reach the egg. Along the way most of them drop out with just a few thousand getting close to the egg. The first one there penetrates the egg and stops any others getting through.

      It’s a race to the death with only one winner!

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