Sex Hormones

Question 1

Which changes happen to both males and females?

Answer 1

Pubic hair grows
Underarm hair grows
Stronger body smell
Increased sex drive and sexual awareness

Question 2

Which changes happen to females only?

Answer 2

Breasts develop
Ovaries start to release eggs (and periods start)
Increase in body mass: hips widen

Question 3

Which changes happen to males only?

Answer 3

Voice breaks, gets deeper
Testes and penis get bigger
Sperm is produced by testes
Hair grows on face and body
Increase in body mass: body becomes more muscular

Question 4

What is the menstrual cycle?

Answer 4

The menstrual cycle in women is a recurring process in which the lining of the uterus (womb) is prepared for pregnancy, and if pregnancy does not happen, the lining is shed atmenstruation (period).

Question 5

What is menstruation?

Answer 5

Shedding of the lining of the uterus

Question 6

Menstrual cycle?

Answer 6

Changes that happen in the female body over the course of a month

Question 7

Order of the menstrual cycle?

Answer 7

• old egg leaves the boy in menstruation (bleeding as uterus lining is shed)
• new egg maturing in the ovary
• egg released
• womb lining thick and spongy ready to receive new egg
• egg not fertilised so womb lining breaks down
• egg leaves body in menstruation

Question 8

FSH = where produced and effect

Answer 8

Pituitary gland

Causes an egg to mature in an ovary; stimulates the ovaries to release oestrogen

Question 9

Oestrogen = where produced and effect

Answer 9

Ovaries
Stops FSH being produced (so that only one egg matures in a cycle); repairs, thickens and maintains the uterus lining; stimulates the pituitary gland to release LH

Question 10

LH = where produced and effect

Answer 10

Pituitary gland
Triggers ovulation (the release of a mature egg)

Question 11

Progesterone = where produced and effect

Answer 11

Ovaries

Maintains the lining of the uterus during the middle part of the menstrual cycle and during pregnancy

Question 12

How long is one menstrual cycle?

Answer 12

28 days

Question 13

On which day of the menstrual cycle does your period begin?

Answer 13

1st

Question 14

On which day of the menstrual cycle is an egg released from the ovary (ovulation)?

Answer 14

14

Question 15

What happens to the lining of the uterus if an egg is not fertilised?

Answer 15

It breaks down as progesterone concentrations starts to fall

Question 16

Why does a woman not have periods when pregnant?

Answer 16

Because progesterone concentration do not start to fall and so the uterus lining does not break down

Question 17

How long does a period usually last in the menstrual cycle?

Answer 17

5 days

Question 18

If an egg is released from the left ovary on the 2nd March, when would the next egg be released from the right ovary?

Answer 18

30th March

Question 19

If a woman has a period which begins on the 1st January, when will her period begin?

Answer 19

29th January