1. 4.4 THE CONTRIBUTION
OF SCIENCE &
TECHNOLOGY TO HUMAN
REPRODUCTION

2. LEARNING OUTCOMES
• To explain the contribution of science
& technology to human reproduction;
• To explain some moral issues related
to the application of science &
technology to human reproduction;
• To explain what sexually transmitted
diseases are;
• To give examples of sexually
transmitted diseases.

3. FAMILY PLANNING
• Two main problems
1. Preventing pregnancy
2. Difficulty in having children
• To plan families by preventing fertilisation
or development of a fertilised egg when
they occur at an convenient time.
• Enables married couples to choose when
to / not to have children.

4. FAMILY PLANNING
• Enables to take steps to prevent
pregnancy during that time frame.
• Enough children  should practise
family planning.
• Too many pregnancy  affected the
mother, economic stability can’t be
maintained.

5.  Preventing pregnancy / contraception
should involve on of the following
concepts :
a) Stop the ovum from being formed;
b) Stop the sperm from reaching the ovum;
c) Stop the fertilised ovum from developing in the
uterus.

6. NATURAL METHOD
• Depend on an understanding of the female
body’s menstrual cycle.
• Ovulation – around day 14 of MC.
• F ertile period – between day 12 to 16
• Avoiding sex during fertile period to prevent
conception.
• Detect ovulation by measuring her body
temperature daily.
• Ovulation is accompanied by a rise in body
temperature.

7. M E C H A N IC A L
•
M E TH O D
By using intrauterine
device (IUD).
– Made of either plastic,
copper or stainless steel.
– In various shape such as
T-shape, loop or coil.
– Are inserted into the
uterus by doctors 
preventing the
implantation of the
embryo.

8. In t r a u t e r in e D e v ic e
( IU D )

9. Using Diaphragm
• A dome-shaped
structure made up
of rubber.
• Placed at the
cervix to prevent
sperms from
entering the
uterus

10. Using a condom
• A rubber sheath worn by the male to
prevent sperms from entering the female
reproductive system
• Help to prevent the spreading of
sexually transmitted diseases (AIDS)

11. C H E M IC A L
M E T By takingD S
• H O oral contraceptive
pills.
– Contain oestrogen &
progesterone  prevent the
formation of follicles in the
ovaries, thus preventing
conception.
– Eaten every day for 21 days,
another 7 days the intake is
stopped (menstruation)
– After menstruation, the intake
of the pill is resumed.

12. By using
spermicides
• Are chemical applied
on the female to kill
sperms.
• Available in the form
of gel, cream, foam,
tablets or spray.

13. SURGICAL METHODS
• To prevent conception in a more
permanent form.
• The effects of sterilisation are not
reversible  the decision must be well
thought out.

14. Sterilisation of the
male
• The vas deferens is tied & then
cut  vasectomy.
• Sperms are still being
produced by the testes but are
unable to reach the urethra.
• They disintegrate & are
eventually reabsorbed.
• Seminal fluid is still produced
but does nOt contain sperms.

15. Sterilisation of the
female
• Tubal ligation is
a method in
which the
Fallopian tube
is ligated &
CUT.
• SPERMS are
unable to reach
the ovum  no
fertilisation.

16. Moral issues!!!!
• Encourage premarital sex.
• The use of IUD to prevent implantation of
blastocyst, which is considered a new
life, is also questionable.

17. O V E R C O M IN G
IN F E R T IL IT Y
• Infertility = the failure of a
couple to have babies.
• Common causes = blocked
Fallopian tubes & low
sperm count.

18. SPERM BANK
• A special laboratory that is used to store donor
sperm in liquid nitrogen at a temperature of
-196°C.
• These sperms can be used for artificial
insemination by couples having sterility
problem.
• The genetic biodata of the donor is recorded so
that a woman wishing to buy the sperm can
choose the quality of sperm she desires.
• The sperm are chosen & then injected into her
Fallopian tube during ovulation.

19. ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION
• An instrument is used to inject semen into the
uterus of a female during her ovulation so that
she can conceive.
• No copulation is involved.
• Enables a female who has no husband / whose
husband is sterile, to have a baby, using
sperms from other males obtained from the
sperm bank  enables a female to have a
child without having sexual relations with a
man.

20. ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION

21. IN VITRO FERTILISATION
(IVF)
• ‘In vitro’ = ‘outside the body’.
• To overcome sterility caused by blockage in the
Fallopian tubes.
• The female concerned is given daily injections of
hormones to stimulate the production of ova 
using ultrasound to view the ovary, the egg in
the ovary is extracted by the needle 
fertilisation in the Petri dish & is incubated for a
few hours  the embryo is implanted into the
uterus by using a catheter  embryo develop
baby born (test tube baby).

22. IN VITRO FERTILISATION
(IVF)

23. SURROGATE
MOTHER
• A woman who gives birth to
a baby for another woman
who is unable to conceive.
• The female’s ovum is
fertilised in vitro using her
husband’s sperm. The
embryo formed is then
implanted into the uterus of
the surrogate mother to
continue its development.

24. SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED
DISEASES
• Known as venereal diseases.
• Spread through sexual contact.
• Include syphilis, gonorrhoea & acquired
immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS).

25. SYPHILIS
• Caused by a type of bacterium (Treponema palladum)
which enters the body through sexual intercourse.
• Also pass from an infected pregnant mother to the
foetus through the placenta, resulting in her baby being
born with the disease.
• Symptoms : a hard ulcer at the site of infection, fever,
enlargement of lymph nodes & lesions throughout the
body.
• SEVERE CASES = the heart, blood vessels & the nervous
system may be damaged.
• Penicillin is effective in treating the disease in its early
stages.

26. GONORRHOEA
• Caused by a type of bacterium (Neisseria
gonorrhoeae).
• Symptoms : pain during urination & discharge of
pus from the penis or vagina.
• SEVERE CASES : sterility & heart problems.
• Treatment : antibiotics (sulphonamides, penicillin
@ tetracycline) is effective in the early stages.

27. ACQUIRED IMMUNE
DEFICIENCY
SYNDROME (AIDS)
• Caused by human immunodeficiency virus
(HIV).
• Spread through sexual contact, blood
transfusion & the sharing of syringes among
drug addicts. Can also pass from an expectant
mother to her child through the placenta or
breast milk.
• Check Chapter 1 (Form 5)

28. DON’ T
FORGET
TO
S T U D Y!!!
MAKE
YO U R O W N
R E V IS IO N !!
!