Do our bodies vet sperm?

That is what one (female of course!) researcher from Australia claims. If what Sarah Robertson, professor at the University of Adelaide, says is true, the female body is capable of being selective about which sperm progresses to pregnancy. Only sperm from men who are more suitable matches would be able to fertilize a woman's egg, leaving sperm from poor mates no chance to get past the body's defense systems. Is this true? I have no idea, but it is certainly an interesting theory.

Sarah Robertson, who thinks that sperm sends out what she calls signaling molecules, says: "We used to think that if a couple couldn't get pregnant, and the man's semen test was normal, the problem lay with the woman. But it appears this is not always the case." She goes on to describe the fertilization process as a two-way dance , rather than the one way street sperm's fight to reach an egg has been universally known as, an Associated Free Press report says... "The male provides information that increases the chances of conception and progression to pregnancy, Robertson argues, but the female body has a quality control system which needs convincing that his sperm is compatible". That's where the dance can go wrong with some couples if the male signals are not strong enough, or if the female system is too 'choosy'.

While I don't know nearly enough about this theory to say whether it is credible or not, it is certainly fascinating, and even logical. The female body is not a passive vessel designed to do whatever men dictate. But if these claims are true, then why do millions of women have children with abusive partners, who were clearly not a good choice of father? Why do women end up pregnant after a rape? This theory is certainly not one without flaws, but I am hoping to read more about it as research is ongoing. Perhaps, as Robertson is hoping, this study will even help couples solve their infertility problems in the future. Watch this space!