speed of a swimming sperm?

[little_fish]

Question for the day: I know that sperm lives for 3-5days, and the egg needs to be fertilised within 12-14hrs after being released, but can anyone tell me how long it takes the sperm to swim to the egg/fallopian tube? :detective:

[bambino]

Hi Little_Fish........it takes the swimmers approx 8 to 10 hours to reach their destination.
So after you have BD'd (especially at night).....place a pillow under your hips while you sleep to elevate your pelvis and that will assist them in their journey.
There was a documentary on foxtel recently called "In The Womb" and it showed in graphic detail their journey in a woman. It is a very educational show if you can get to see it again on foxtel.

Good Luck :thumbsup:

[annsam]

Here you go.........

From http://babymed.com/faq/content.aspx?446

A: Sperm can get into the fallopian tubes within 5 minutes after ejaculation. But the first sperm usually cannot fertilize the egg. It takes sperm many hours inside the cervix, uterus, or fallopian tubes before it's ready to fertilize the egg, this is called capacitation. During capacitation, the outside of the sperm is prepared for entry into the egg. The egg lives up to 12 hours after ovulation. Making love exactly at the time of or after ovulation is less likely to lead to a pregnancy because by the time the sperm has reached the egg and has finished capacitation and is ready to fertilize the egg, the egg has already died.

[little_fish]

Hmm thanks girls, I guess if the sperm takes say 8-10 hours for capacitation, and you BD at the moment of O, it should still (in theory at least) be ready before the egg is too old to penetrate. But I can understand you might be cutting the deadlines a bit fine. :yes:

Very intersting though. I didn't know sperm had to change before they could do the fertilisation thing!

[annsam]

Me neither. Fascinating isn't it?

[Little_Toad]

So it isn't the fastest gets there first!.

[annsam]

Thats a good point. Apparently not but I would imagine it would have the be the healthy sperm that gets through.