Abnormally high sperm count actually reduces the chances of fertilization in people, is this true?

Question

I remember this from either High School biology or Sex Ed class. There are at least two factors that cause this (that I can remember).

1) The sperm cells interfere with each other, causing a lack of motility, slowing their ability to reach the egg cell.

2) Several sperm cells reaching the egg at a time causes the egg to produce an enzyme that prevents entry of the sperm cells (this is why twins are so rare).

There may be more factors involved that a fertility student would be aware of. Anyone here able to add to, confirm or refute this posting?

**Yes -- I already realize this is a counterintuitive situation. Even my HS biology teacher knew that. Don't spam me with answers saying that this doesn't seem logical.

Answer 1

part 2 of your explanation is wrong. Only one sperm can fertilize an egg at a time. Once the sperm breaks through the outer part of the egg and fertilization occurs, a chemical reaction occurs to prevent any other sperm from getting inside the egg. This reaction only occurs once the egg is fertilized so it doesn't matter how many sperm reach the egg at one time.
It also has nothing to do with how many twins are born. Twins are born when either the fertilized egg splits into two complete embyros (to produce identical twins) or there were two eggs fertilized at the time of conception (to produce fraternal twins)

I'm not sure how high of a sperm count you are talking about. But i do know that when sperm are ejaculated about 200-500 million are ejaculated (normally). Of those millions only about 100 actually reach the egg. So I'm not sure if a high sperm count really would have much to do with reducing the chances of fertilizing an egg in people.

Answer 2

Very High Sperm Count

Answer 3

If spamming you by saying IT IS NOT TRUE, then erase my answer. Points: 1,.- the spermatozoids (cells contained in the sperm) do NOT interfere with each other, they COMPETE with each other, to arrive first to the outer thiurd of the fallopìan tube, where the fertile (not yet fertilized) ovum or egg, is located..../they don interfere causing lack of motility, since they all have the same components ( Head with a portion of cytoplasm, head containing DNA in haploid number, middle cell coil, and tail they do not have cilia, only protozoans have cilia),and there is NO LACK OF MOTILITY...they simply get exhausted of ATP energy molecules first than others...(survival of the fittest) they are not playing a foot ball game taclking each others tail.... 2.-The ovum y biological law, only admits ONE spermatozoid, and thickens its cellular wall or "zona pellucida" (hairy membrane) to prevent others from entering into the cytoplasm too.......if by accident, two spermatozoids enter the ovum, the ovum dies, and does not divide.. It is a mechanism that is REAL,,,Twins are formed by an absolutely different mechanism; Once the ovum or egg is fertilized, the Zygotic or daughter cells They can by accident be separated in the phase of "two zygotic cells), sometimes by gactors of low calcium concentration, Ph slightly more acid. etc, and give rise to identical twins, because they come from the same OVUM, and different daughter cells or Zygotes... The egg (ovum ) DOES NOT PRODUCE ANY ENZYME, to prevent anything. The spermatozoa, produce hyaluronidase, that carry on the top of the cytoplasmic "head", an enzyme that dossolves the hyaluronic acid that forms in great part, the cellular wall of the egg (as you se you have it all backwards) 3.- Lately, the number of true (same egg) and false (different eggs) twins, is increasing in the North East of the United States and north of Mexico, Uganda and Namibia in Africa, and Spain, and the reason is still unknown... At the same time, infertility, reaches 15% of all american couples....Do you have any good theories??? I would like to hear your opinion,,,,,and please dont spam me with just theories.....I want facts...!!!! (LOL) (RFMAOL)

Answer 4

Hmm, that sounds reasonable, since only a small fraction of the sperm actually TRY to fertilize the egg, meaning that the rest would just be in the way. I couldn't find any sources when I looked around, but I do remember the above.

Answer 5

I google this question and came up with some interesting facts.
I listed a few of the websites below. From what I read your information is right on track.

Answer 6

What I know is not on abnormally high sperm count but abnornally too much semen which can dilute the sperm count and reduce the chances of impregnation.

Answer 7

This is just part of the "mistery" surrounding the subject.
I can confirm to you this is simply false.