QuestionHi, I just have a question. For the sake of explanation simplicity, I know that an egg's lifespan is roughly 12 to 24 hours. If an egg gets fertilized very close to the end of that, could it cause a miscarriage? I don't know what happens to the egg as it ages (do chromosomes begin to deteriorate?. Does that question make sense?
AnswerHi Courtney
What you are asking makes absolute sense. I have come across various theories during my research, one of which is that an old egg or old sperm may well contribute to miscarriage. I couldn't tell you why this is, but common sense would say that it's some sort of deterioration that means the egg cannot develop properly.
Miscarriage is still very much unclear and medical scientists are forever working to find the cause.
There is an excellent article related to causes of miscarriage on the Tommys website here: http://www.tommys.org/Page.aspx?pid=364
It doesn't refer to the age of an egg or sperm, but gives you an insight into other research that is being carried out.
I hope this has helped answer your question.
Kindest Regards
Sarah
