Playing music to an IVF egg in a dish can increase its chances of fertilisation by five per cent, a new study has found.
Researchers from Barcelona's Marques Institute fertility clinic injected nearly 1,000 eggs with sperm and placed them in incubators with iPods in them, with music playing in half.
They found that heavy metal and other genres can increase the chances of fertilisation by five per cent.
The eggs were exposed to a selection of tracks from Metallica, Nirvana, Michael Jackson and Madonna, along with classical pieces by Bach, Vivaldi and Mozart, Metro.Co.Uk reported.
Eggs subjected to music were found to have a five per cent higher rate of fertilisation, possibly due to the vibrations created by the music aiding the passage of nutrients into the egg and assisting with the removal of toxic waste.
"Embryos produced using IVF sit on a dish, stewing in their own juices but those produced naturally are wafted down the fallopian tubes, rocking and rolling all their way to the uterus," said Oxford University fertility expert Dr Dagan Wells.
"This movement means that the embryo experiences a very dynamic environment, which may have some advantages, particularly in terms of getting rid of waste products.
"The vibrations caused by music may stimulate this effect. One might speculate that techno music, with its pounding bass beat, might do the best job of all," said Wells.
