What are the REAL differences between X sperm and Y sperm??

[nuthinbutpink]

I just want to update this with the information about the IG claim that XX swim in circles and XY swim straight. This is completely FALSE.

Here is an excerpt from a fertility clinic about sperm motility:

•Sperm Motility: This part of the test assesses how well your sperm can swim. Obviously, the stronger the swimmers, the better as it is quite a journey for the sperm to make it from the uterus to the fallopian tubes. Sperms are evaluated according to a four-level grade system:

•Grade 4 sperm are known to have progressive motility meaning they are the strongest and swim fast in a straight line.

•Grade 3 sperm (non-linear motility) also move forward but tend to travel in a curved or crooked motion.

•Grade 2 sperm are labeled as non-progressive motility because they do not move forward despite the fact that they move their tails.

•Grade 1 sperm are immotile meaning that they fail to move at all.
Ideal sperm quality dictates that a man should have grade 3 or 4 sperm in order to fertilize an egg.

So, the idea that Grade 4 is XY and Grade 3 XX is just completely false and I have no idea where that even comes from! Sperm cannot swim in circles or they would never reach the egg! Dr Wegner, our Embryologist on here also addressed this in her forum- totally false. Just think, if it were true, all the IVF people would get all the right gender if it were that easy! For most of us, it is a 50/50 split at the end of our cycles.

[love being a mummy]

Thanks for that

[atomic sagebrush]

The study cited in the essay, seemed to indicate that X and Y sperm really DO swim differently, at least in cows.
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/1...O;2-L/abstract

This is one of those things that I personally kinda doubt is true and suspect will be debunked at some point but just want everyone to know, there really is SOME science there and not just something completely fabricated.

[atomic sagebrush]

I was just thinking the same thing. I 'love' having things that I can control like ions and ph to feel I am doing my best sway, but knowing it doesn't make a difference is depressing. Is it only diet then that we can control that can have an effect? (the hardest thing of the sway unfortunately!)

I know and I wish it could be easy.

FWIW I do think some of these things make a difference, just maybe not in the black/white way that it's been portrayed at times.

Lowering testosterone/estrogen, drying up CM, pH, sperm count - these things can and do make a difference and they are within our control. Is it as easy as wearing a pretty bracelet or a magical pad in your undies, or DTD on a particular day when the moon is right obviously not - but I betcha it is a LOT more effective!

What I hope people take away from that essay is that perhaps it's best to focus on the things that really DO matter and are supported by the science, rather than wasting your life's energy (and risking raising testosterone) pursuing things that don't even sway.

[OnlyPraying]

thankyou so much for this most informational post. Thankyou for giving me hope and thankyou for making me love The Lord even more....

[atomic sagebrush]

You are very welcome! Glad you found us!!!

[carmella_marie]

yes, this article is depressing. Makes me think there is really nothing we can do. What actually DOES sway?

[atomic sagebrush]

See I think it's really encouraging because it allows us to expend our energy on things that actualy sway rather than chasing after old wives tales and bad science.

Things that actually sway:

Blood sugar in woman
Testosterone in man and woman
Sperm count and quality
Maternal condition

Things that may sway:
Estrogen levels in man and woman
Environmental toxins
Temperature
Day length
pH (even if it doesn't sway in the way that people once believed it does, it may sway in some other way)
Quality and consistency of CM

These things can ALL be controlled in some manner or another. Things like diet, frequency of BD, and the supps we take are ways that we can alter those things.

[carmella_marie]

See, that is much more encouraging Atomic! Now I know what to focus on!

[carmella_marie]

temperature and day length? Will have to look into that, sounds interesting!