1. 1
   A student is researching how hormones control human reproduction. She learns that at puberty, an egg matures and is released from the ovary approximately every 28 days, and that this process is controlled by a cycle of hormones acting on the ovary and uterus.

   (a)

   A student researching human reproduction reads that oestrogen is described as 'the main female reproductive hormone'. Which organ produces oestrogen?

   [1 mark]

   • AThe ovary
   • BThe pituitary gland
   • CThe pancreas
   • DThe testes

   (b)

   Which hormone is responsible for stimulating the release of the mature egg from the ovary (ovulation)?

   [1 mark]

   • AFSH
   • BLH
   • CProgesterone
   • DTestosterone

   (c)

   Describe the roles of oestrogen and progesterone in maintaining the uterus lining during the menstrual cycle.

   [2 marks]

   Total for question 1: 4 marks

2. 2
   A 24-year-old woman visits her doctor to discuss contraception. The doctor explains two options: a daily oral contraceptive pill, and a slow-release progesterone implant placed under the skin of the arm, which releases hormone continuously for up to three years.

   (a)

   A doctor prescribes a woman a daily oral contraceptive pill to prevent pregnancy. The pill contains hormones that inhibit the production of FSH. Why does inhibiting FSH prevent pregnancy?

   [1 mark]

   • ABecause FSH normally triggers ovulation directly, so without it the egg cannot be released
   • BBecause FSH normally thickens the uterus lining, so without it implantation cannot occur
   • CBecause FSH normally stimulates sperm production, so without it fertilisation cannot occur
   • DBecause FSH normally causes an egg to mature, so without it no egg develops

   (b)

   Which of the following is a non-hormonal method of contraception?

   [1 mark]

   • AOral contraceptive pill
   • BProgesterone implant
   • CCondom
   • DContraceptive skin patch

   (c)

   Suggest one advantage of the progesterone implant compared with the oral contraceptive pill as a method of contraception.

   [2 marks]

   Total for question 2: 4 marks

3. 3
   A couple have been trying unsuccessfully to conceive for two years. Tests show the woman does not produce enough FSH naturally to mature an egg each month. Her doctor recommends a course of injections containing FSH and LH as a fertility treatment, and explains that if this does not work, IVF (in vitro fertilisation) may be considered.

   (a)

   Explain how giving this couple FSH and LH could help them to have a child.

   [3 marks]

   (b)

   If the fertility drug treatment is unsuccessful, the couple may be offered IVF treatment, which also involves giving FSH and LH before eggs are collected and fertilised in a laboratory. Evaluate the physical and emotional issues this couple might face during IVF treatment.

   [4 marks]

   Total for question 3: 7 marks

4. 4
   A group of Year 11 students is debating methods of contraception as part of a PSHE lesson. They compare hormonal methods, such as the oral contraceptive pill and the progesterone implant, with non-hormonal methods, such as condoms and intrauterine devices, and consider which factors make one method 'better' than another for a given person.

   (a)

   A group of Year 11 students is debating whether hormonal methods of contraception (such as the pill or implant) or non-hormonal methods (such as condoms or intrauterine devices) are 'better' overall. One student argues hormonal methods are best because they are highly effective, while another argues non-hormonal methods are best because they avoid altering the body's hormone levels. Explain, using your knowledge of how hormonal contraceptives work, why hormonal methods are generally more effective at preventing pregnancy than barrier methods, and discuss why this alone does not make them the 'better' choice for every person.

   [6 marks]

   (b)

   (HT) A second student in the group argues that hormonal fertility treatments, such as giving FSH and LH to stimulate egg maturation and ovulation, are 'the opposite' of hormonal contraception, since one is used to cause pregnancy and the other to prevent it. Explain, with reference to the roles of FSH, LH, oestrogen and progesterone, how fertility treatment and hormonal contraception use the same hormones to produce opposite effects on the menstrual cycle, and evaluate why understanding these interactions is important for treating infertility responsibly.

   [6 marks]

   Total for question 4: 12 marks

End of questions