Controlling fertility Flashcards
How can Oestrogen be used to reduce fertility
If a woman uses it daily it will maintain high levels of oestrogen which will inhibit FSH which will stop egg development and production
How does progesterone reduce fertility
Stimulates the production of thick cervical mucus which prove to sperm getting through and reaching an egg
What is “The pill”
An oral contraceptive
When was the first version of “the pill” made
1950’s
What did the pill used to contain
High levels of both progesterone and oestrogen
Why was there concerns about the first versions of the pill
Side effects like blood clotting
What is the pill like now
Contains a lower dosage of oestrogen which has less side effects
What is the progesterone-only pill
Less effective pill with fewer side effects
Give 2 pros of the pill
Over 99% effective at preventing pregnancy
Reduces risks of certain cancers
Give 2 cons of the pill
Isn’t 100% effective
Can cause side effects such as: Headaches, nausea, irregular menstrual bleeding
Why may some women need fertility increased
Have low levels of FSH which means their eggs can’t mature and can’t be released so the woman can’t get pregnant
How do we increase fertility
Have women inject themselves with FSH and LH to stimulate an egg to release in the ovaries
What is a pro of increasing fertility
Helps a lot of women get pregnant when they previously couldn’t
What are 2 cons of increasing fertility
Doesn’t always work so women might need multiple rounds of treatment which can be expensive
Too many eggs could be stimulated leading to unexpected multiple pregnancies
What does IVF involve
Collecting eggs from a woman ovaries and fertilising them in a lab with a mans sperm which grow into embryos
When the embryo becomes a tiny ball of cells, 1 or 2 transferred into woman’s uterus
