Conception

CONCEPTION, a physiological process brought about by the act of fertilization; from this moment, the development of a new organism begins in the mother's body, and consequently, pregnancy ensues. The mechanism of conception reduces to the introduction of the male germ cell, which has penetrated into the female genital organs during coitus, into the egg cell that has fallen out of the ovarian follicle during ovulation; then the fusion of both types of sexual products occurs, followed by the cleavage of the fertilized egg and the neoformation of cell generations (see also Fertilization, Pregnancy, Embryo). The capacity for conception in women appears with the onset of puberty and is lost on average in the 46th year of life (approximately simultaneously with the cessation of the monthly cleansings), although variations are possible depending on climate, race, lifestyle, and state of health. In general, conception after 40 years is a rare phenomenon. According to Nevermann, out of 10,000 births, only 4.36% fall upon ages older than 40 years. However, cases of conception and childbirth have been described at the 55th (Dawies) and even at the 59th year (Mayer). Besides age, the state of the female genital sphere is also of significance, since various deviations in the latter due to pathological processes and developmental defects (see Sterility) can hinder, and sometimes completely exclude, the possibility of conception. From a forensic-medical point of view, it is interesting to note that significant narrowing of the genital canal does not in all cases lead to sterility. Haimschke observed pregnancy with almost complete fusion of the labia majora—only in the region of the posterior commissure did an opening the size of a pinhead remain. Braun published several cases of conception with an imperforate hymen (hymen imperforatus), wherein in one of them the vagina opened into the lower section of the urethra, ¹/₂ cm posterior to the external opening of the latter. Obviously, in order for fertilization to take place, a complete and deep introduction of the male organ is by no means necessary. The possibility of conception in the presence of clearly unfavorable anatomical conditions is primarily explained by the active movements of the spermatozoa themselves; furthermore, observations on humans and experiments on animals give grounds to think that the uterus during coitus also does not remain passive, but periodically contracts, which probably favors the penetration of spermatozoa into the uterine cavity. The question of the possibility of conception in a specific case can serve as the subject of a forensic-medical examination, for example, in alimony cases when the fact of a child's birth from a given woman is contested in view of doubt regarding her ability to be a mother; in this case, one has to take into account 1) age, 2) the state of health in general, and the results of the examination of the genital sphere in particular.