If only a small volume of sperm is discharged into the vagina, an insufficient amount of enzymes might be released when sperm encounters the ovum. In that case, pregnancy would probably not result because:

1. Peristalsis of the fallopian tube would decrease, making it difficult for the ovum to enter the uterus.
2. The block to polyspermy (cortical reaction) would not occur.
3. The fertilized ovum would be unable to implant in the uterus.
4. Sperm would be unable to penetrate the zona pellucida of the ovum.


Correct Answer: 4
Rationale 1: "Peristalsis of the fallopian tube would decrease, making it difficult for the ovum to enter the uterus" is an incorrect statement.
Rationale 2: The answer choice of the block to polyspermy (cortical reaction) not occurring is incorrect because it is mediated by release of materials from cortical granules below the ovum's surface and not the result of low sperm count.
Rationale 3: The fertilized ovum would be unable to implant in the uterus because fertilization is unlikely to occur with a low sperm count.
Rationale 4: Sperm would be unable to penetrate the zona pellucida of the ovum because it takes hundreds of acrosomes (the result of the acrosomal reaction) to rupture and release enough hyaluronic acid to clear the way for a single sperm to penetrate the ovum's zona pellucida successfully.

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