Reproductive System - Competency-Based Question Bank (with Answers)

Section A: Case-Based Questions

Case Study 1: Male partner with low sperm count.

1. Where are sperms produced?
   • Answer: Seminiferous tubules of the testes.
2. Why is the scrotum outside?
   • Answer: To maintain a temperature 2-3°C lower than the body temperature, which is essential for sperm production (spermatogenesis).
3. Designing: Lifestyle changes.
   • Answer: Wear loose clothing, avoid hot tubs/saunas, avoid placing laptops directly on the lap.
4. Analysis: Temperature requirement.
   • Answer: High body temperature can denature proteins/enzymes involved in sperm formation or kill developing sperm.
5. Function of Epididymis.
   • Answer: Storage and maturation of sperms (they gain motility here).

Case Study 2: Positive HCG test in woman. 6. Source of HCG.

• Answer: Placenta (initially from the trophoblast cells of the blastocyst).

7. What does it indicate?
   • Answer: Pregnancy (Implantation has occurred).
8. Creating: Timeline.
   • Answer: Day 0: Fertilization. Day 3: Morula. Day 5-7: Blastocyst. Day 7-9: Implantation.
9. Critical Thinking: Why does corpus luteum persist?
   • Answer: HCG signals the corpus luteum to continue producing Progesterone, which maintains the uterine lining for the embryo.
10. Function of Progesterone during pregnancy.
    • Answer: Prevents menstruation and keeps the endometrium thick and vascular for the fetus.

Section B: Assertion-Reasoning Questions

Directions: (a) Both A/R true, R explains A; (b) Both true, R doesn't explain A; (c) A true, R false; (d) A false, R true.

11. Assertion (A): Testes are outside in scrotum. Reason (R): Sperm formation requires lower temp.
    • Answer: (a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation.
12. Assertion (A): Urethra in males is urinogenital. Reason (R): It carries urine and semen.
    • Answer: (a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation.
13. Assertion (A): Menstruation occurs if egg is not fertilized. Reason (R): Breakdown of endometrial lining.
    • Answer: (a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation.
14. Assertion (A): Placenta is a permeable barrier. Reason (R): It allows mixing of blood.
    • Answer: (c) A is true but R is false. (Maternal and fetal blood do NOT mix; exchange happens by diffusion).
15. Assertion (A): Tubectomy is a sterilization method. Reason (R): Fallopian tubes are cut and tied.
    • Answer: (a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation.

Section C: Creating and Designing (Application & Analysis)

16. Designing: Menstrual Cycle flowchart.
    • Answer: Menstrual Phase (Day 1-5) -> Follicular Phase (Estrogen up) -> Ovulation (Day 14, LH up) -> Luteal Phase (Progesterone up).
17. Creating: Growth Chart.
    • Answer: 1st: Heart/Limbs form. 2nd: Hair/Eyelashes, movement felt. 3rd: Lungs mature, fat storage.
18. Analysis: Identical vs Fraternal Twins.
    • Answer: Identical: 1 Egg + 1 Sperm -> Zygote splits (Same sex/DNA). Fraternal: 2 Eggs + 2 Sperms (Can be different sex/DNA).
19. Designing: Male glands table.
    • Answer: [Seminal Vesicle: Fructose (energy). Prostate: Alkaline fluid (neutralize acidity). Cowper's: Lubrication].
20. Visualisation: Sperm diagram.
    • Answer: [Description: Head with Acrosome, Mid-piece with spiral Mitochondria, Tail]. Acrosome: Enzymes to penetrate egg membrane.
21. Application: Breast milk benefits.
    • Answer: Contains Colostrum rich in antibodies ($IgA$) that provide passive immunity to the baby.
22. Creating: Journey of a sperm.
    • Answer: Testes -> Epididymis -> Vas Deferens -> Urethra -> Vagina -> Cervix -> Uterus -> Fallopian Tube.
23. Analysis: Amniotic Fluid.
    • Answer: Protects fetus from mechanical shocks and maintains constant temperature.
24. Designing: Health poster.
    • Answer: [Visuals on cleanliness, awareness of STDs, and balanced nutrition for mothers].
25. Creating: Dialogue.
    • Answer: Estrogen: "I build the walls." Progesterone: "I keep them steady for the baby."

Section D: Competency & Critical Thinking

26. Ovulation.
    • Answer: Release of secondary oocyte from the Graafian follicle. Day 14. Triggered by LH (Luteinizing Hormone).
27. Scenario: Vasectomy results.
    • Answer: Sperm production continues but they can't leave the testes. Ejaculation still occurs (fluid from glands) but it contains no sperms.
28. Critical Thinking: Mitochondria in sperm.
    • Answer: Provides energy (ATP) for the tail movement to swim towards the egg.
29. Application: IVF.
    • Answer: Fertilization outside the body. Recommended for blocked fallopian tubes or low sperm motility.
30. Menarche vs Menopause.
    • Answer: Menarche: First menstrual cycle (puberty). Menopause: Permanent cessation of menstrual cycles (age 45-50).
31. Diagram Based: Female Reproductive System.
    • Answer: Fertilization occurs in the Fallopian tube (Ampulla-isthmus junction).
32. Placenta functions.
    • Answer: Nutrient supply, O2/CO2 exchange, Waste removal, Hormone production (Estrogen, Progesterone, HCG).
33. Analysis: Why so many sperms?
    • Answer: Most die in the acidic vagina or lose their way; many are needed to dissolve the egg's protective layers.
34. Competency: Egg path.
    • Answer: Ovary -> Fimbriae -> Fallopian tube (cilia and peristalsis move it) -> Uterus.
35. Case: Fertile period.
    • Answer: Usually Day 10 to Day 17 of the cycle (considering sperm life and ovulation timing).
36. Creating: Puberty hypothesis.
    • Answer: Better nutrition/higher body fat often leads to earlier onset of menarche.
37. Designing: Umbilical Cord.
    • Answer: Connects the fetus to the placenta; contains two arteries and one vein.
38. Application: Pregnancy kits.
    • Answer: Use antibodies to detect HCG in urine; color change indicates binding.
39. Critical Thinking: Pregnancy after Menopause?
    • Answer: No natural pregnancy as egg production has stopped. (IVF with donor eggs is possible but medically complex).
40. Analysis: Gestation Period.
    • Answer: The time from fertilization to birth. Humans: Approx 280 days (9 months and 7 days).

Section E: Advanced Competency

41. Scenario: Ectopic Pregnancy.
    • Answer: The tube is too narrow to accommodate a growing fetus and lacks a thick vascular lining like the uterus; it can rupture, causing internal bleeding.
42. Designing: Uterus layers.
    • Answer: Perimetrium (Outer), Myometrium (Muscle - for birth), Endometrium (Inner - shed in menses).
43. Application: Parturition.
    • Answer: The act of giving birth. Induced by Oxytocin.
44. Creating: Crossword.
    • Answer: [Terms: Zygote (Fertilized egg), Gamete (Sex cell)].
45. Case Study: Fetal circulation (Foramen Ovale).
    • Answer: In fetus, blood bypasses lungs via a hole between atria because lungs aren't used for O2.
46. Crossing Over significance.
    • Answer: Swapping of genetic material between homologous chromosomes creates new gene combinations and variation.
47. Critical Thinking: Prostate enlargement.
    • Answer: Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) is common in aging men; it can squeeze the urethra and cause urinary problems.
48. Analysis: Spermatogenesis vs Oogenesis.
    • Answer: Spermatogenesis: Continuous, 4 equal gametes. Oogenesis: Discontinuous, 1 large egg and polar bodies.
49. Designing: Temperature graph.
    • Answer: Temperature rises slightly (approx 0.5°C) after ovulation due to progesterone.
50. Creating: New contraceptive.
    • Answer: E.g., Male hormonal pill that stops sperm production without affecting libido.