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What is Y sperm?

Published in Human Reproduction 1 min read

Y sperm refers to sperm cells containing a Y chromosome, which determine the sex of a baby as male when they fertilize the mother's egg.

In mammals, the sex of a baby is determined by sex chromosomes, specifically the X and Y chromosomes. The mother always contributes an X chromosome, whereas the father contributes either an X or a Y chromosome. According to the provided reference: "The sex of a baby is determined by either a Y- (male) or an X-chromosome (female) inside the father's sperm that successfully fertilizes the mother's egg." Therefore, if a sperm cell carrying a Y chromosome fertilizes the egg, the resulting offspring will be male (XY).

Here's a breakdown:

  • Sperm Types: Sperm cells can carry either an X chromosome or a Y chromosome.
  • Sex Determination: The chromosome carried by the fertilizing sperm determines the sex of the offspring.
  • Y Sperm & Male Offspring: Y sperm are responsible for male offspring (XY).
Sperm Type Chromosome Offspring Sex
Y Sperm Y Male
X Sperm X Female