The Artificial Control of Fertility

L.O: To understand how hormones are used to prevent pregnancy and increase fertility

Is there a link?

Map of Total Fertility Rate in the World

The ‘contraceptive pill’• The contraceptive pill usually contains

oestrogen • Maintaining high levels of oestrogen prevents

FSH which means no eggs reach maturity and therefore there is no chance of fertilisation

• The high levels of oestrogen also keep progesterone levels up which maintains the lining – tricking the body that it is pregnant

• The ‘pill’ must be taken everyday to maintain high oestrogen levels and prevent FSH being released and an ovum becoming mature

How can fertility hormones help women to conceive?

• Many women who find it difficult to conceive are treated with FSH

• How do you think this could help?• FSH can be given to mature more eggs and

increase the chance of fertilisation • What might the problems with this be? • Multiple births

During the IVF video clip draw a flow diagram to show the stages of the treatment

IVF1. Give FSH2. Give LH (to stimulate release of egg)3. Collect eggs4. Add sperm from father5. Fertilised eggs become embryos

(tiny balls of cells)6. Insert 2 or 3 embryos into mother’s

womb

Sperm being injected into an egg cell

How likely are women to get pregnant after IVF

treatment?• Every woman is different; the chances of becoming pregnant will depend on a number of factors, such as age and the cause (if known) for why the woman is not conceiving naturally. The average success rates for fresh IVF treatment using their own eggs for the year 2014:

• 28.1% for women under 35 years old • 21.9% for women between 35-37 years old • 17.5% for women aged 38-39 years old • 10.4% for women aged 40-42 years old • 4.2% for women aged 43-44 years old • 1.4% for women aged over 44

Pros and Cons of Artificial Fertility Control:

Pros Cons

Fill this in your books – discuss it with your neighbour. 3

minutes! BE READY TO SHARE YOUR ANSWERS!

•You are members of an advisory panel•You must decide who can have IVF treatment on the NHS•Put them in order (1-6)•Work out what criteria you used

In groups of 4:

BE PREPARED TO DISCUSS IT AS A CLASS!

Summary• At the moment 2-3 embryos are

implanted back into the mother but they are looking into reducing the number of embryos that can be implanted to only 1.

• Do you think that this a good idea?• What are the pros and cons?• How will different groups of people be

affected by this decision.

• menstrual cycle

Artificial fertility:1. What hormone could be given to increase fertility (egg

production?)

To INCREASE fertility FSH is given to stimulate maturation of eggs.

2. What hormone could be given to decrease fertility? (stop egg production?)

To DECREASE fertility oestrogen is given (“The Pill”) to inhibit FSH production stopping eggs from maturing.