Researchers did not posit in the original study that sex partners could be a cause, though in a subsequent study it was suggested as a by-the-by hypothesis (at the end) for some of the cases (where prior male-pregnancy was thought to have not occurred; these were a minority of cases).
Research totally refutes the suggestion that women collect DNA from 'every' partner. Research suggests that it 'could' be just from pregnancies / unknown miscarriages, but there isn't enough data to definitively say none of it is from sex partners (though a lot of supposition provided elsewhere as to why this is thought unlikely). Nor is it crystal clear that any of it is. The conclusion based on the data is, either: Its possible to collect DNA from 'some' sex partners in some cases (conditions and prevalence unknown, but not 'every partner'). OR, Women have unknown miscarriages 'not infrequently' (a truth based on our best information... certainly more common than polite society acknowledges) and in others cases carry the DNA forward from older brothers (the majority of cases can be explained by the 'easier' explanation of having been knowingly pregnant with a male baby at some point prior to testing).
I don't draw a conclusion either way, but Occam's razor suggests there isn't anything definitive here to draw the more controversial conclusion.
Fascinating in any case, and something for people to think about (either way) before sharing our bodies with strangers.
I went down the rabbit hole and read the study.
Researchers did not posit in the original study that sex partners could be a cause, though in a subsequent study it was suggested as a by-the-by hypothesis (at the end) for some of the cases (where prior male-pregnancy was thought to have not occurred; these were a minority of cases).
Research totally refutes the suggestion that women collect DNA from 'every' partner. Research suggests that it 'could' be just from pregnancies / unknown miscarriages, but there isn't enough data to definitively say none of it is from sex partners (though a lot of supposition provided elsewhere as to why this is thought unlikely). Nor is it crystal clear that any of it is. The conclusion based on the data is, either: Its possible to collect DNA from 'some' sex partners in some cases (conditions and prevalence unknown, but not 'every partner'). OR, Women have unknown miscarriages 'not infrequently' (a truth based on our best information... certainly more common than polite society acknowledges) and in others cases carry the DNA forward from older brothers (the majority of cases can be explained by the 'easier' explanation of having been knowingly pregnant with a male baby at some point prior to testing).
I don't draw a conclusion either way, but Occam's razor suggests there isn't anything definitive here to draw the more controversial conclusion. Fascinating in any case, and something for people to think about (either way) before sharing our bodies with strangers.