A man's sperm can contribute to a healthy pregnancy but also runs the risk of being rejected if not entirely compatible with his partner, new research has found.
University of Adelaide Professor Sarah Robertson said semen had special qualities that contributed to a healthy pregnancy, including helping to prepare the female body for nurturing the fetus.
But some sperm fail to communicate with the female reproductive tract and while a man can appear to be fertile, his semen can be rejected if the woman's body doesn't consider it compatible.
"We used to think that if a couple couldn't get pregnant, and the mans semen test was normal, the problem lay with the woman," Professor Robertson said in a statement on Wednesday.
"But it appears this is not always the case.
"We have discovered that sperm doesn't just fertilise an egg.
"It actually contains signalling molecules that are responsible for activating immune changes in women so they can accept a foreign substance in the body, in this case sperm, leading to conception and a healthy pregnancy.
"It's rather like a two-way dance."
For more on this story follow the link: http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/sperm-holds-key-to-healthy-pregnancy-20100624-yzft.html
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