How do hormones control the menstrual cycle, contraception and fertility treatment?
Describe the stages of the menstrual cycle and the interactions of oestrogen, progesterone, FSH and LH, explain how hormonal and barrier contraception work, and the use of hormones in assisted reproduction.
A focused answer to Edexcel GCSE Biology 7.4 to 7.8, covering the menstrual cycle and the four hormones that control it, hormonal and barrier contraception, and the use of hormones in IVF and clomifene therapy.
Reviewed by: AI editorial process; not yet individually human-reviewed
Have a quick question? Jump to the Q&A page
Jump to a section
What this dot point is asking
Edexcel statements 7.4 to 7.8 want you to describe the stages of the menstrual cycle and the roles of oestrogen, progesterone, FSH and LH (7.5 is Higher tier), explain how hormonal and barrier contraception work and evaluate them, and explain the use of hormones in assisted reproduction (IVF and clomifene).
The menstrual cycle
The menstrual cycle lasts about 28 days and prepares the body for pregnancy. Four hormones control it:
So FSH and oestrogen dominate the first half of the cycle (maturing the egg and building the lining), and LH triggers ovulation, with progesterone maintaining the lining in the second half.
Contraception
Contraception prevents pregnancy, and the methods fall into two groups:
- Hormonal methods (such as the contraceptive pill, implants and injections) contain oestrogen and/or progesterone. These inhibit FSH, so no egg matures and ovulation does not happen, and progesterone also thickens the mucus at the cervix to block sperm.
- Barrier methods (such as condoms and diaphragms) physically stop sperm reaching the egg.
Assisted reproduction
If a person cannot conceive naturally, hormones can help:
- Clomifene therapy: clomifene is given to a woman who does not ovulate regularly. It increases the release of FSH and LH, stimulating egg maturation and ovulation, so she is more likely to conceive naturally.
- IVF (in vitro fertilisation): FSH and LH are given to stimulate the maturation of several eggs, which are collected and fertilised by sperm outside the body in a dish. One or more resulting embryos are then placed into the uterus.
IVF helps many couples have children, but it is expensive, emotionally and physically demanding, has a relatively low success rate per cycle, and can lead to multiple births.
Try this
Q1. State the hormone that causes ovulation and where it is produced. [2 marks]
- Cue. LH (luteinising hormone), produced by the pituitary gland.
Q2. Give one advantage of a condom over the contraceptive pill. [1 mark]
- Cue. A condom also protects against sexually transmitted infections (and has no hormonal side effects).
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of Pearson Edexcel exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
Edexcel 20194 marksExplain the roles of FSH and LH in the control of the menstrual cycle.Show worked answer →
A 4-mark explain question (Higher) rewards the action of each hormone.
FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone) is released by the pituitary gland and causes an egg to mature in the ovary. It also stimulates the ovary to release oestrogen.
LH (luteinising hormone) is released by the pituitary and causes the mature egg to be released from the ovary (ovulation), at about day 14 of the cycle.
Markers reward FSH maturing the egg (and stimulating oestrogen) and LH causing ovulation. Swapping the roles of FSH and LH, or saying they are made in the ovary rather than the pituitary, loses marks.
Edexcel 20214 marksExplain how the contraceptive pill prevents pregnancy, and compare it with a barrier method such as a condom.Show worked answer →
A 4-mark question rewards the hormonal mechanism and a fair comparison.
The contraceptive pill contains hormones (oestrogen and/or progesterone) that inhibit the release of FSH, so no egg matures, and ovulation is prevented, so there is no egg to fertilise.
A condom is a barrier method that physically stops sperm reaching the egg. Unlike the pill, a condom also protects against sexually transmitted infections, but it can fail if it splits, whereas the pill must be taken reliably to work and can have side effects.
Markers reward the pill inhibiting FSH and preventing ovulation, and at least one valid comparison point (STI protection or reliability). Saying the pill kills sperm is wrong.
Related dot points
- Describe where hormones are produced and how they reach their target organs, explain the role of adrenalin in the fight or flight response, and how thyroxine controls metabolic rate by negative feedback.
A focused answer to Edexcel GCSE Biology 7.1 to 7.3, covering the endocrine glands and how hormones travel to target organs, the role of adrenalin in fight or flight, and the control of thyroxine by negative feedback.
- Explain the importance of homeostasis, how insulin and glucagon control blood glucose concentration, the causes and control of type 1 and type 2 diabetes, and the correlation between body mass and type 2 diabetes.
A focused answer to Edexcel GCSE Biology 7.9 and 7.13 to 7.17, covering homeostasis, the control of blood glucose by insulin and glucagon, type 1 and type 2 diabetes, and BMI and waist-to-hip calculations.
- Explain thermoregulation by the skin including vasoconstriction, vasodilation and shivering, the structure and function of the kidney and nephron, and the role of ADH in osmoregulation.
A focused answer to Edexcel GCSE Biology 7.10B to 7.12B and 7.18B to 7.22B, covering thermoregulation by the skin, the structure and function of the kidney and nephron, the role of ADH in osmoregulation, and treatments for kidney failure.
- Explain the advantages and disadvantages of asexual and sexual reproduction, and the role of meiotic cell division in producing four genetically different haploid daughter cells.
A focused answer to Edexcel GCSE Biology 3.1B to 3.3, covering the advantages and disadvantages of asexual and sexual reproduction and the role of meiosis in producing four genetically different haploid gametes.
Sources & how we know this
- Pearson Edexcel GCSE (9-1) Biology (1BI0) specification — Pearson (2016)