Controlling Fertility

Question 1

What can be used to artificially change a person’s fertility?

Answer 1

1. FSH
2. Oestrogen
3. LH
4. Progesterone

Question 2

Which hormone can be used as a contraceptive?

Why?

Answer 2

Oestrogen

Can be used to prevent the release of an egg

Question 3

Explain why oestrogen works as a constraceptive

Answer 3

If oestrogen is taken every day to keep the level of it permanently high, it inhibits the production of FSH, and after a while the egg development and production stop and stay stopped

Question 4

What hormone, besides oestrogen, can reduce fertility?

How?

Answer 4

Progesterone

By stimulating the production of thick cervical mucus which prevents sperm from getting through and reaching the egg

Question 5

What is ‘the pill’?

Answer 5

An oral contraceptive

Question 6

When was the pill first introduced?

Answer 6

The 1950s

Question 7

What did the pill contain when it was first introduced?

What was it known as?

Answer 7

High levels of oestrogen and progesterone

The combined oral contraceptive pill

Question 8

How was the pill changed from its original form, and why?

Answer 8

Now contains lower doses of oestrogen because of concerns about the link between the oestrogen in the pill and side effects like blood clots

Question 9

Name the 2 pros of the pill

Answer 9

1. Over 99% effective at preventing pregnancy
2. It reduces the risk of getting some types of cancer

Question 10

Name the 3 cons of the pill

Answer 10

1. It isn’t 100% effective - still chance of pregnancy
2. It can cause side effects: headaches, nausea, irregular menstrual bleding, and fluid retension
3. Doesn’t protect against STDs

Question 11

Name one advantage and one disadvantage of the progesterone-only pill

Answer 11

• Has fewer side-effects than normal pill
• BUT*
• Is not as effective

Question 12

Which hormones can artificially help increase fertility?

How?

Answer 12

FSH and LH

Some women do not produce high enough levels of FSH to cause their eggs to mature, and

no eggs released = no pregnancy

Injecting FSH and LH can stimulate egg release in the ovaries

Question 13

Name the pro of injecting FSH and LH to increase fertility

Answer 13

1. Helps people get pregnant who previously couldn’t

Question 14

Name the 2 cons of injecting FSH and LH to increase fertility

Answer 14

1. It doesn’t always work - some people may have to do it _many time_s which can be expensive
2. Too many eggs could be stimulated, resulting in unexpected multiple pregnancies

Question 15

What can IVF do?

Answer 15

Help people have children

Question 16

Name the 4 steps to IVF

Answer 16

1. FSH and LH given to mother to stimulate egg production
2. Eggs collected from mother and sperm collected from father
3. Fertilised in lab - grown in embryos
4. Once embyos are tiny balls of cells, one or two are transferred to the mother’s uterus

Question 17

In IVF, why are FSH and LH given to the mother to stimulate egg production?

Answer 17

So more than one egg can be collected

Question 18

Why is more than one embyo transferred into the mother’s uterus?

Answer 18

To improve the chance of a successful pregnancy

Question 19

Name the pro of IVF

Answer 19

1. Fertility treatment can give an infertile couple a child

Question 20

Name 3 cons of IVF

Answer 20

1. Some of the mothers can have a strong reaction to the hormones - abdominal pain, vomiting, dehydration
2. Reports suggest increase in risk of developing cancer from fertility treaments (though other reports do not)
3. Risk of multiple births - dangerous for mother and fetuses (increased chance of miscarriage, stillbirth etc)