Controlling Fertility Flashcards
Explain how clomifene therapy is used to treat infertility.
- An infertile woman takes a clomifene drug
- This causes more FSH and LH to be released, which stimulate egg maturation and ovulation - this leads to an increased chance of pregnancy if they are to have sex
Explain how in vitro fertilisation (IVF) is used to treat infertility.
- Involves taking eggs from woman’s ovaries and fertilising them in lab using man’s sperm - these grow into embryos
- Once embryos become small balls of cells, one or two are transferred to woman’s uterus to improve chance of pregnancy
- (FSH and LH given before egg collection to stimulate egg production so more than one can be collected)
(It is Assisted Reproductive Technology)
Hormones can be used as contraceptives to prevent pregnancy.
Describe how oestrogen does this.
- It prevents the release of an egg
- If oestrogen is taken every day to keep the level high, it inhibits the production of FSH and eventually stops egg production completely
Hormones can be used as contraceptives to prevent pregnancy.
Describe how progesterone does this.
Progesterone stimulates production of thick cervical mucus, which prevents sperm from getting through to uterus and reaching an egg
Some hormonal contraceptives contain both oestrogen and progesterone.
Give examples of these.
- Combined pill
- Contraceptive patch
Give examples of hormonal contraceptives that contain only progesterone.
- Mini-pill
- Contraceptive injection
How do barrier methods of contraception prevent pregnancy?
They put a barrier between the sperm and egg so they do not meet
Give examples of barrier methods of contraception.
- Condoms
- Diaphragms
Evaluate the effectiveness of hormonal and barrier contraceptive methods.
- Hormonal methods are generally more effective at preventing pregnancy - they mean the couple will not have to consider contraception each time they have sex
- Hormonal methods have side effects such as headaches, and they do not protect against STIs - (only condoms do this)
