# Reproductive Health (NEET Biology Class 12): Contraceptives, MTP, STIs & ART (IVF/ZIFT/GIFT) Source: https://tracknation.in/story/reproductive-health-neet-biology-class-12-contraceptives-mtp-stis-art-ivf-zift-gift (TrackNation — free UPSC notes with PYQs) > NEET Class 12 Reproductive Health, mined from NCERT: WHO's definition and India's family planning/population-control history, a full contraceptive methods reference table (natural, barrier, IUD, oral, injectable, surgical), Medical Termination of Pregnancy (legalisation, safety window), sexually transmitted infections (which are curable vs not), and infertility with assisted reproductive technologies (IVF-ET, ZIFT, IUT, GIFT, ICSI, AI/IUI) in a full reference table. With 14 MCQs, 6 NEET PYQs and ## Reproductive Health & Population Control 📌 **NEET priority: Important.** *2–3 questions a year, but dense with named, exact-recall facts — contraceptive types, the MTP Act, the STI list, and the ART technique names (IVF, ZIFT, GIFT, ICSI) are all favourite one-line NEET questions.* Per the **WHO**, **reproductive health** means total well-being — physical, emotional, behavioural and social — in every aspect of reproduction, not just disease-free organs. **India was among the first countries in the world** to launch national action plans for this — **'family planning' programmes began in 1951**, now run as the **Reproductive and Child Health Care (RCH)** programme. ### Population control - World population: **~2 billion (1900) → ~6 billion (2000) → 7.2 billion (2011)**. India: **~350 million** (independence) → crossed **1.2 billion in May 2011**, with a 2011 growth rate of **<2% (20/1000/year)** — still fast enough to strain food/shelter/clothing. - Measures: promoting smaller families ("*Hum Do Hamare Do*"), a statutory **marriageable age of 18 (female) and 21 (male)**, incentives for small families, and wide propagation of **contraceptive methods**. ## Contraceptive Methods — Full Reference Table ### Contraceptive methods — full reference table | **Category** | **Examples** | **How it works** | | Natural/Traditional | Periodic abstinence (avoid days 10–17, the fertile period), withdrawal (coitus interruptus), lactational amenorrhea (effective up to 6 months) | Avoids ovum-sperm meeting; no medicine/device, so no side effects, but higher failure rate | | Barrier | Condoms (male 'Nirodh', female), diaphragm, cervical cap, vault + spermicides | Physically blocks sperm from reaching the ovum; condoms also protect against STIs | | IUDs (Intra Uterine Devices) | Non-medicated (Lippes loop), copper-releasing (CuT, Cu7, Multiload 375), hormone-releasing (Progestasert, LNG-20) | Increase phagocytosis of sperm; Cu ions suppress sperm motility; hormone IUDs also make the uterus/cervix hostile | | Oral contraceptives (pills) | Progestogen or progestogen-estrogen pills; Saheli (non-steroidal, once-a-week, from India's CDRI Lucknow) | Inhibit ovulation and implantation; alter cervical mucus to block sperm entry | | Injectables/Implants | Progestogen (± estrogen) injections or under-skin implants | Same mechanism as pills, but a single dose lasts much longer | | Surgical (sterilisation) | Vasectomy (male), tubectomy (female) | Blocks gamete transport by cutting/tying the vas deferens or fallopian tube; highly effective but poorly reversible | **Emergency contraception:** progestogens, progestogen-estrogen combinations, or an IUD, used within **72 hours of coitus**, are effective against unwanted pregnancy from rape or unprotected intercourse. ## Medical Termination of Pregnancy & STIs ### Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) - MTP (induced abortion) was **legalised in India in 1971** (amended in 2017), under strict conditions to prevent misuse. About **45–50 million MTPs** are performed globally each year — roughly **1/5th of all conceived pregnancies**. - MTP is **relatively safe up to 12 weeks** (first trimester); second trimester abortions carry much higher risk. **Misuse of amniocentesis for sex determination, followed by MTP of female foetuses, is illegal** and a serious ongoing concern — the law specifically bans amniocentesis for sex-selection. ### Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) - STIs (also RTI/VD): **gonorrhoea, syphilis, genital herpes, chlamydiasis, genital warts, trichomoniasis, hepatitis-B, and HIV/AIDS**. **All are curable if detected early — EXCEPT hepatitis-B, genital herpes, and HIV.** - Untreated STIs can cause **pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), abortion, still birth, ectopic pregnancy, infertility or reproductive-tract cancer**. Incidence is highest in the **15–24 age group**. Prevention: avoid unknown/multiple partners, use condoms, seek early qualified treatment. ## Infertility & Assisted Reproductive Technologies ### Infertility & Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART) - **Infertility** is the inability to conceive despite unprotected cohabitation — causes can be physical, congenital, disease-related, drug-related, immunological or psychological, in **either partner** (the female is often wrongly blamed, but the male is frequently the cause). - Where correction isn't possible, **ART techniques** assist conception: | **Technique** | **Full form** | **What happens** | | IVF–ET | In vitro fertilisation + Embryo Transfer | Fertilisation outside the body ('test-tube baby'); resulting embryo is transferred back | | ZIFT | Zygote Intra-Fallopian Transfer | Early embryo (≤8 blastomeres) placed into the fallopian tube | | IUT | Intra-Uterine Transfer | Embryo (>8 blastomeres) placed directly into the uterus | | GIFT | Gamete Intra-Fallopian Transfer | A donor ovum is transferred into the fallopian tube of a female who cannot produce her own | | ICSI | IntraCytoplasmic Sperm Injection | A single sperm is injected directly into the ovum in the lab | | AI / IUI | Artificial Insemination / Intra-Uterine Insemination | Semen (husband's or donor's) is artificially placed in the vagina (AI) or uterus (IUI) | ### Sexually Transmitted Infections — the full table | **STI** | **Curable if detected early?** | **Note** | | Gonorrhoea | YES | Bacterial; among the most common STIs | | Syphilis | YES | Bacterial | | Chlamydiasis | YES | Often ASYMPTOMATIC in females, so it goes undetected for long | | Genital warts | YES | — | | Trichomoniasis | YES | — | | Genital herpes | NO — NOT completely curable | One of the three exceptions | | Hepatitis-B | NO — NOT completely curable | Also spreads via shared needles, surgical instruments, blood transfusion, and mother to foetus | | HIV → AIDS | NO — NOT completely curable | The most dangerous STI; also spreads via needles, transfusion and mother to foetus | **Early symptoms** are minor — itching, fluid discharge, slight pain, swellings in the genital region — and **infected females are often asymptomatic**. Combined with social stigma, this delays treatment, leading to **PID, abortions, still births, ectopic pregnancies, infertility or reproductive-tract cancer**. ### Why this matters for NEET - High-value one-liners: Saheli is India's own oral contraceptive (CDRI, Lucknow) — a non-steroidal, once-a-week pill; vasectomy = male sterilisation, tubectomy = female; ZIFT vs IUT is decided purely by **blastomere count (≤8 vs >8)**; MTP legalised **1971**, safest within **12 weeks**. - **Trap:** hepatitis-B, genital herpes and HIV are the STI **exceptions that are NOT fully curable** — don't say "all STIs are curable if detected early." Removal of gonads is **NOT considered a standard contraceptive option** (it's sterilisation with major hormonal consequences, distinct from vasectomy/ tubectomy which only block gamete transport). GIFT transfers a **donor ovum**, not an embryo — don't confuse it with ZIFT/IUT which transfer already-fertilised embryos. ## Test Yourself: MCQs, PYQs & Active Recall Answer these, then close the article and do an Active Recall. Reveal each answer only after you commit to one. ## Practice Questions **Q1.** According to the WHO, reproductive health means: - (a) A government population target - (b) Only successful childbirth - (c) Total well-being in physical, emotional, behavioural and social aspects of reproduction - (d) Absence of disease in reproductive organs only **Answer: (c)** — WHO defines reproductive health as total well-being — physical, emotional, behavioural and social — not just disease-free organs. **Q2.** India's national family planning programmes were initiated in the year: - (a) 2000 - (b) 1951 - (c) 1971 - (d) 1991 **Answer: (b)** — Family planning programmes in India began in 1951, later expanded into the RCH programme. **Q3.** The 'fertile period' avoided in the periodic abstinence method corresponds to which days of the menstrual cycle? - (a) Day 1 to 5 - (b) Day 10 to 17 - (c) Every day equally - (d) Day 20 to 28 **Answer: (b)** — Ovulation is expected around day 14, so days 10–17 are the fertile period couples abstain from coitus in this method. **Q4.** Lactational amenorrhea is effective as a contraceptive method for a maximum of about: - (a) 1 month - (b) 6 months - (c) 2 years - (d) It has no time limit **Answer: (b)** — The method is reported effective only up to about 6 months following parturition, during intense breastfeeding. **Q5.** Copper ions released by copper-releasing IUDs act mainly by: - (a) Suppressing sperm motility and fertilising capacity - (b) Making the uterus favourable for implantation - (c) Killing the ovum - (d) Increasing sperm motility **Answer: (a)** — Cu ions released by copper IUDs suppress sperm motility and their fertilising capacity. **Q6.** Oral contraceptive pills are typically taken for how many days before a gap? - (a) 21 days - (b) 7 days - (c) 30 days - (d) 14 days **Answer: (a)** — Pills are taken for 21 days starting within the first 5 days of the cycle, followed by a 7-day gap during which menstruation occurs. **Q7.** Saheli, India's indigenous oral contraceptive, was developed by: - (a) WHO Geneva - (b) ICMR Mumbai - (c) AIIMS Delhi - (d) Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI), Lucknow **Answer: (d)** — Saheli, a non-steroidal once-a-week pill, was developed by scientists at CDRI, Lucknow. **Q8.** Emergency contraceptives are effective when used within how many hours of coitus? - (a) 1 week - (b) 48 hours - (c) 24 hours - (d) 72 hours **Answer: (d)** — Progestogens, progestogen-estrogen combinations, or an IUD used within 72 hours of coitus are effective as emergency contraception. **Q9.** Sterilisation in the male, involving removal/tying of a part of the vas deferens, is called: - (a) ICSI - (b) Tubectomy - (c) Vasectomy - (d) Castration **Answer: (c)** — Vasectomy is male sterilisation, done by removing/tying a small part of the vas deferens through the scrotum. **Q10.** Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) was legalised in India in the year: - (a) 1994 - (b) 1971 - (c) 2017 - (d) 1951 **Answer: (b)** — MTP was legalised in India in 1971, with strict conditions to prevent its misuse. **Q11.** MTP is considered relatively safe up to how many weeks of pregnancy? - (a) 24 weeks - (b) 6 weeks - (c) 20 weeks - (d) 12 weeks **Answer: (d)** — MTP is relatively safe during the first trimester, i.e. up to 12 weeks; second trimester abortions are much riskier. **Q12.** Which of the following STIs is NOT completely curable even with early detection? - (a) Syphilis - (b) Genital herpes - (c) Gonorrhoea - (d) Chlamydiasis **Answer: (b)** — Hepatitis-B, genital herpes and HIV are the exceptions — not completely curable, unlike most other STIs. **Q13.** In assisted reproductive technology, an early embryo with up to 8 blastomeres is transferred into the: - (a) Cervix - (b) Fallopian tube (ZIFT) - (c) Ovary - (d) Uterus (IUT) **Answer: (b)** — Embryos with up to 8 blastomeres go into the fallopian tube (ZIFT); those with more than 8 go into the uterus (IUT). **Q14.** GIFT (Gamete Intra-Fallopian Transfer) involves transferring: - (a) A fertilised zygote into the uterus - (b) Sperm directly into an ovum - (c) A donor ovum into the fallopian tube of another female - (d) Semen into the vagina **Answer: (c)** — GIFT transfers an ovum (not yet fertilised) from a donor into the fallopian tube of a female who cannot produce her own. ### NEET Previous Year Questions (PYQs) *Real NEET previous-year questions on this chapter, with explanations in our own words.* **Q15.** Which of the following is an example of a non-medicated IUD? (NEET PYQ) - (a) Lippes loop - (b) CuT - (c) Progestasert - (d) LNG-20 **Answer: (a)** — Lippes loop is a non-medicated IUD; CuT is copper-releasing and LNG-20/Progestasert are hormone-releasing. **Q16.** ICSI stands for: (NEET PYQ) - (a) Intra Cellular Sperm Implantation - (b) Intra Cervical Sperm Insertion - (c) Intra Cytoplasmic Sperm Injection - (d) In vitro Cytoplasmic Semen Injection **Answer: (c)** — ICSI (IntraCytoplasmic Sperm Injection) directly injects a single sperm into the ovum in the laboratory. **Q17.** Tubectomy, the female sterilisation procedure, involves blocking or removing part of the: (NEET PYQ) - (a) Vas deferens - (b) Uterus - (c) Ovary - (d) Fallopian tube **Answer: (d)** — In tubectomy, a small part of the fallopian tube is removed or tied to block gamete transport. **Q18.** Roughly what fraction of all conceived pregnancies worldwide end in MTP each year? (NEET PYQ) - (a) 1/5th - (b) 1/20th - (c) 1/10th - (d) 1/2 **Answer: (a)** — About 45-50 million MTPs occur globally each year, roughly 1/5th of all conceived pregnancies. **Q19.** Infertility in a couple is most accurately described as: (NEET PYQ) - (a) A permanent, untreatable condition - (b) Caused only by psychological factors - (c) Inability to conceive despite unprotected cohabitation, due to causes in either partner - (d) Always due to a defect in the female partner **Answer: (c)** — Infertility can arise from physical, congenital, disease, drug, immunological or psychological causes in either partner — not just the female. **Q20.** The age group reporting the highest incidence of STIs is: (NEET PYQ) - (a) 15–24 years - (b) Above 60 years - (c) Below 15 years - (d) 35–45 years **Answer: (a)** — STI incidence is reported highest among persons aged 15-24 years. ### Active Recall Prompt Write everything you can recall about **Reproductive Health**, naming each part first: the **WHO definition** and India's family planning history; **population control** measures; every category of **contraceptive method** (natural, barrier, IUD, oral, injectable, surgical) with how each works; **Medical Termination of Pregnancy** (when legalised, safety window); **STIs** (the named diseases, which are NOT fully curable, complications, prevention); and **infertility and ART** (IVF, ZIFT, IUT, GIFT, ICSI, AI/IUI). Begin each fact with its topic and end it with a full stop.