The answer is: It's not a boy or girl that is fertilized, but rather an egg is fertilized which will then develop into either a boy or a girl.
Here's a more detailed explanation:
How Sex is Determined During Fertilization
During fertilization, the sex of the offspring is determined by the combination of chromosomes from the sperm and the egg.
| Chromosome Source | Chromosome Type | Resulting Sex |
|---|---|---|
| Egg (Mother) | X | Female |
| Sperm (Father) | X or Y | Either Female or Male |
-
The Egg: An egg from the mother always carries an X chromosome, making it female by default.
-
The Sperm: A sperm from the father will carry either an X chromosome or a Y chromosome.
Determination of Baby's Sex
When the egg is fertilized, the chromosomes from both parents come together. According to the provided reference from 27-May-2024:
- If the sperm contains an X chromosome, the resulting combination will be XX, and the baby will be a girl.
- If the sperm contains a Y chromosome, the resulting combination will be XY, and the baby will be a boy.
In Summary:
The egg is fertilized first, and then the resulting combination of X and Y chromosomes determine the sex of the baby. Therefore, it's not that a boy or a girl is fertilized, but rather the fertilized egg will become either a boy or a girl.
