Neither the egg nor the sperm is the baby. The zygote, formed when the sperm fertilizes the egg, is the beginning of the baby. The zygote contains all the genetic information (DNA) needed to develop into a baby. Half of the DNA comes from the mother's egg and half from the father's sperm.
In summary:
- The egg and sperm are individual gametes, carrying half of the genetic information needed for a baby.
- Fertilization, the fusion of the egg and sperm, creates the zygote, which is the beginning of a new individual.
- The zygote contains all the genetic information required for a baby's development.
