The union of sperm with egg during the birth of life is a miraculous process, but not all sperm make the journey successfully. After the sperm enters the woman's body, it faces a series of challenges, and only the strongest and luckiest sperm will finally meet the egg. Here are four possible outcomes for sperm in a woman's body.
1. The test of acidic environment
The first sperm to enter the woman's vagina is the environment, which is a huge test for sperm. The acidic environment of the vagina (pH of about 3.8 to 4.5) kills many sperm, which is a natural defense mechanism of the female body against the invasion of bacteria and viruses. Therefore, only those sperm that are able to adapt to this environment will survive and continue their journey.
2. A difficult journey
Even if sperm are able to pass through the vagina, they must pass through the cervical canal, enter the uterine cavity, and swim to the fallopian tubes. This process is very difficult and arduous for sperm. Sperm need to overcome the obstruction of cervical mucus, as well as the environment in the uterine cavity, in order to reach the fallopian tubes. During this process, many sperm die due to excessive fatigue.
3. Challenges of the immune system
A woman's immune system also has an impact on sperm. The immune system may recognize sperm as foreign substances and try to get rid of them. This means that even if sperm are able to pass through the vagina and cervix, they still need to avoid the immune system's attack in order to move on.
4. Luck in path selection
Women usually ovulate only one ovary each month, which means that the sperm needs to choose the right fallopian tube to meet the egg. If the sperm choose the fallopian tube where there is no ovulation, they will wait on the wrong path and eventually gradually lose their viability and will not be able to complete fertilization.
The journey of sperm is a challenging race that requires not only strength but also luck. Most sperm are eliminated in this race, but it is this process of natural selection that ensures that the strongest and most adapted sperm can combine with the egg to form a new life. This process is a miracle of the birth of life and a manifestation of the natural selection and evolution that is constantly taking place in nature.