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| Photo from: sciencedaily.com |
Are you a sickly child? Do you have a weak immune
system? If yes, maybe there is a possibility that your parents don't love each
other that much at the time you were created. That will be the case if the
conclusion of Dustin Penn’s experiment appears to be true and can be also
applied in human beings.
Penn
together with his researchers experimented female house mice. Some female mice
are partnered with the mouse of their choice while others are partnered with
non-preferred male. The test is to find out if the female preference of a
sexual partner affects the health of their offspring. After the test has been
conducted, it was found out that females mated with their preference produced
more offspring. Their babies are also found to be healthier than those with
non-preferred partners. Their babies have a higher resistance against infection
from Salmonella (a common mouse pathogen). They tend to have a higher
resistance due to the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) genes. There are
doubts with the hypothesis that love preference affects the health of their
offspring. The health benefits can also be affected by genetics, parasite
loads, and other cases.
In my
opinion, the result of the experiment is doubtful but I am not saying that it
is impossible. The experiment might be only true in the cases of mice. I also
believe that the health condition of a parent can be genetically affecting the
health of their offspring. I think genetic influences are the greatest factor
here. A sickly offspring for me does not really reflect that his parents do not
have enough love for each other. It is easier to believe that one or both of
his parents are unhealthy or the mother has been living an unhealthy lifestyle
while the offspring is inside the womb. A sex done with love might just make a
baby healthier than what it’s supposed to be but does not guarantee a healthy
one. How about you? What are your opinions?
Blogpost by: Stephen Ko
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