The Effects of Ageing on the Reproductive System | OCR A-Level Biology B (Advancing Biology) (H422)
The Effects of Ageing on the Reproductive System
- 46 questions
- 3 subtopics
- Further biology content, examined on all three papers
- Component 01, Component 02 and Component 03
The Effects of Ageing on the Reproductive System is examined in all three written papers — the specification states that Components 01, 02 and 03 can each assess content from any of the five modules, so nothing is confined to one paper.
It covers ageing and the female reproductive system, managing the menopause and ageing and the male urinogenital system.
Sample questions from The Effects of Ageing on the Reproductive System
Answer each one closed book first, then open the answer.
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Ageing and the female reproductive system
Why is a raised FSH concentration useful as an indicator of approaching menopause?
Show the answer
It reflects the size of the remaining follicle pool directly, so it rises before periods stop and gives a measurable sign of declining ovarian function. -
Ageing and the female reproductive system
Describe the pattern of oestrogen, progesterone, FSH and LH after the menopause.
Show the answer
Oestrogen and progesterone are permanently low because no follicles develop or luteinise, while FSH and LH are permanently high because there is no negative feedback to restrain them. -
Managing the menopause
Why may a skin patch be preferred to a tablet for a woman at risk of thrombosis?
Show the answer
Oestrogen absorbed through the skin passes into the general circulation without first going through the liver, so it does not increase the liver's output of clotting factors in the way an oral dose does and the risk of thrombosis is much lower. -
Managing the menopause
Give two lifestyle measures that reduce vasomotor symptoms.
Show the answer
Keeping rooms cool and dressing in layers that can be removed, and reducing triggers such as alcohol, caffeine and spicy food. -
Ageing and the male urinogenital system
How does nitric oxide bring about an erection?
Show the answer
Parasympathetic stimulation releases nitric oxide in the erectile tissue, which raises the concentration of cGMP so that the smooth muscle of the arteries relaxes, blood fills the spaces of the erectile tissue and the swelling compresses the veins so the blood is trapped. -
Ageing and the male urinogenital system
Why does an enlarged prostate interfere with urination?
Show the answer
The prostate surrounds the urethra just below the bladder, so as it enlarges it compresses the urethra and obstructs the outflow of urine.
The 3 subtopics
One subtopic is one session. Work down the list.
| Subtopic | What it covers | Questions |
|---|---|---|
| Ageing and the female reproductive system | Recall questions on the declining number and quality of oocytes, non-disjunction and falling fertility with age, rising FSH, the menopause at an average age of about 51 and the perimenopause, post-menopausal hormone levels, hot flushes, osteoporosis, cardiovascular risk and urogenital effects. | 16 |
| Managing the menopause | Recall questions on what hormone replacement therapy involves, why a progestogen is added, its benefits and risks, patches versus tablets, non-hormonal and behavioural alternatives, and phytoestrogens. | 15 |
| Ageing and the male urinogenital system | Recall questions on the gradual fall in testosterone and rise in FSH and LH in older men, changes in semen and paternal age effects, nitric oxide, erectile dysfunction and phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors, and benign prostate hyperplasia, its symptoms, drug treatment and prostate specific antigen. | 15 |
How the guide is worked
Answering a question from memory stores it far better than reading the answer again. The guide runs that as a fixed procedure on one subtopic at a time, about twenty minutes a session.
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Step 1 · Closed book
Cover the answers. Work through one subtopic and write down what you can. Leave blanks where you have nothing.
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Step 2 · Open book
Go back to the top. Read each printed answer and write it out in full, including the ones you had right.
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Step 3 · Closed book again
Same questions, same order, from memory. The gap between pass one and pass three is the session result.
Read the full method, the return schedule and the research behind it.
Nearby topics
OCR A-Level Biology B (Advancing Biology) Active Recall Guide
Every topic, not just this one. 2,895 questions with their answers.