4.5 Hormones in human reproduction and contraception

Question 1

What is the menstrual cycle?

Answer 1

the monthly release of an egg from a woman’s ovaries

Question 2

At puberty what sort of hormones begin to be produced?

Answer 2

sex hormones

Question 3

Which hormone is produced in women in at puberty?

Answer 3

oestrogen is produced in the ovaries

Question 4

Which hormone is produced in men in at puberty?

Answer 4

testosterone is produced in the testes

Question 5

Oestrogen is involved in which cycle?

Answer 5

menstrual cycle

Question 6

Testosterone causes which cell to be produced by the testes?

Answer 6

sperm

Question 7

What happens in stage 1 of the menstrual cycle?

Answer 7

uterus lining breaks down for about 4 days

Question 8

What happens in stage 2 of the menstrual cycle?

Answer 8

uterus lining builds up again (day 4-14)

Question 9

What happens in stage 3 of the menstrual cycle?

Answer 9

an egg develops and is released at day 14

Question 10

What happens in stage 4 of the menstrual cycle?

Answer 10

the uterus lining is maintained from day 14 to day 28

Question 11

What is the release of an egg from the ovaries called?

Answer 11

ovulation

Question 12

What happens after day 28 o the menstrual cycle if not egg is fertilised

Answer 12

stage 1 - uterus lining breaks down and comes out of the body (period)

Question 13

FSH has two jobs, what are they?

Answer 13

• causes an egg to mature (in a follicle) in one of the ovaries
• causes the ovaries to produce oestrogen

Question 14

Oestrogen has three jobs, what are they?

Answer 14

• causes the lining of the uterus to grow
• stimulates (causes) the release of LH from the pituitary gland
• inhibits (stops) production of FSH from the pituitary gland

Question 15

LH has one jobs, what is it?

Answer 15

• stimulates (causes) the release of an egg form the ovary at day 14

Question 16

Progesterone has two jobs, what are they?

Answer 16

• maintains the ulerus lining for the 2nd half of the cycle

- inhibits (stops) FSH and LH production

Question 17

Where is FSH produced?

Answer 17

pituitary gland

Question 18

Where is LH produced?

Answer 18

pituitary gland

Question 19

Where is oestrogen produced?

Answer 19

ovaries

Question 20

Where is progesterone produced?

Answer 20

in the ovaries by the remains of the follicle after egg release

Question 21

How is pregnancy prevented if a man and woman have sex?

Answer 21

contraception

Question 22

Why is oestrogen used in contraceptive methods?

Answer 22

it inhibits FHS so no eggs develop

Question 23

Why is progesterone used in contraceptive methods?

Answer 23

it causes a thick mucus to prevent sperm reaching the egg

Question 24

What sort of contraceptive is the combined contraceptive pill (with oestrogen and progesterone)?

Answer 24

Oral contraceptive

Question 25

How effective is the pill as a contraceptive?

Answer 25

99%

Question 26

What are the side effects of using the pill?

Answer 26

Headaches and nausea

Question 27

Does the oral combined contraceptive pill protect against STI’s?

Answer 27

No

Question 28

Why might some women take the progesterone only pill?

Answer 28

it has fewer side effects

Question 29

Other than the pill, what other forms of contraception use hormones?

Answer 29

• contraceptive patch (oestrogen and progesterone), lasts 1 week
• implant (progesterone only), lasts 3 years
• injection (progesterone only), lasts 2-3 months
• intrauterine device (IUD) inserted into the uterus to kill sperm and prevent the egg from implanting

Question 30

What are the two types of IUD?

Answer 30

• plastic - release progesterone

- copper - kill sperm

Question 31

What form of barrier methods can be used as contraception?

Answer 31

male or female condoms

Question 32

Do condoms prevent STI transmission during sex?

Answer 32

Yes

Question 33

Where does a contraceptive diaphragm need to be positioned?

Answer 33

over the cervix (entrance to uterus)

Question 34

What substance must be used with a diaphragm, or can be used on its own to kill sperm?

Answer 34

spermicide

Question 35

How effective is using spermicide along as a contraceptive?

Answer 35

only 70-80%

Question 36

What are the more ‘drastic’ methods of avoiding pregnancy?

Answer 36

• sterilisation (cutting or tieong the fallopian tubes or sperm ducts).
• Natural methods which involve timing when sex occurs with when it is unlikely there will be an egg (not very successful).
• abstinence (no sex)