Where does the secondary oocyte go if there is no fertilization?

  • Thread starter Suraj M
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In summary, after ovulation, the secondary oocyte is picked up by the fimbriae and taken to the ampulla for fertilization. If there is no fertilization, the ovum may be reabsorbed or expelled during menstruation. There is some confusion about where the secondary oocyte goes if there is no fertilization, with one source stating it is expelled during menstruation and another stating it is free to go anywhere. Reliable sources are needed to clarify this discrepancy.
  • #1
Suraj M
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After ovulation, the secondary oocyte is picked up by the fimbriae and taken to the ampulla where fertilization takes place... in case there is no fertilization, no sperms... does the secondary oocyte move through the fallopian tube and come out through the menstrual flow? this is what we were basically taught, by our teacher.
But, my mother(gynecologist) says that, if there is no fertilization, then the ovum is free to go anywhere, it can move out of the fallopian tube into the abdominal cavity, where it gets reabsorbed.
Im surprised, i told my teacher about the second case and he says that its totally wrong,
I'm not questioning either one of them, but which one is right, i really want to know! please, do help and provide a reference to a reliable source, i searched a lot but couldn't find exactly what i needed! :(
 
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  • #2
Your teacher is right..this is exactly what our textbooks says! In all indian books i have studied, it is written that secondary oocyte flows away along with menstrual flow! i am 101% sure about it!
 
  • #3
Everything I've been taught and managed to look up suggests that the secondat oocyte is expelled during menstration. As far as I am aware some of the endometrium is reabsorbed during menstration, is it possible your mother misunderstood your question? I'd be surprised if a gynaecologist was unaware of this.
 
  • #4
No actually my mom didn't say it doesn't come out through the menstrual flow, she said the oocyte is free to go anywhere in case there is no fertilization. Wrong huh? she's surprised too. She says that none of her medical books mention where the secondary oocyte goes, because they say it degenerates and also because its really minute.
 

1. What is the fate of a secondary oocyte after ovulation?

After ovulation, the secondary oocyte will be released from the ovary into the fallopian tube. It will then travel towards the uterus where it may be fertilized by a sperm.

2. Can a secondary oocyte survive without fertilization?

No, a secondary oocyte cannot survive without fertilization. If it is not fertilized within 12-24 hours after ovulation, it will disintegrate and be reabsorbed by the body.

3. What happens to the secondary oocyte after fertilization?

If the secondary oocyte is fertilized by a sperm, it will undergo a process called meiosis II and become a mature ovum. This ovum will then travel to the uterus where it may implant in the uterine lining to develop into a pregnancy.

4. Can a secondary oocyte be fertilized by multiple sperm?

No, a secondary oocyte can only be fertilized by one sperm. Once a sperm successfully enters the oocyte and fertilizes it, the oocyte's outer layer hardens and prevents any other sperm from entering.

5. What happens to the secondary oocyte if fertilization does not occur?

If fertilization does not occur, the secondary oocyte will disintegrate and be reabsorbed by the body. The uterus will also shed its lining, resulting in menstruation.

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