Intense lactation in mothers acts as a natural contraceptive due to the (A) Suppression of gonadotropins (B) H

Question

Q. Intense lactation in mothers acts as a natural contraceptive due to the (A) Suppression of gonadotropins (B) Hypersecretion of gonadotropins (C) Suppression of gametic transport (D) Suppression of fertilization

CBSECBSE Class XII Board 2020MCQ· 1mImportance★★★★★

✓ Free question

Concept understanding — Birth Control, Contraception & MTP

Contraceptive methods fall into a handful of categories, each blocking pregnancy at a different point. Natural/traditional methods (periodic abstinence during the fertile window, withdrawal, lactational amenorrhea) avoid conception without any device or hormone. Barrier methods (condoms, diaphragms, cervical caps) physically stop sperm and egg from meeting — and they're the only category NCERT credits with also reducing the risk of sexually transmitted diseases, since they block pathogen transmission along with sperm. IUDs (intrauterine devices) are inserted into the uterus; the copper-releasing type (Cu-T) works mainly by increasing phagocytosis of sperm within the uterus, alongside making the uterine lining less suitable for implantation — notably, Cu-T does not work by stopping ovulation. Hormonal contraceptives (pills, injectables, implants) primarily inhibit ovulation, with cervical-mucus alteration and endometrial effects as secondary, supporting mechanisms. Surgical methods — vasectomy (blocking the vas deferens in males) and tubectomy (blocking the fallopian tubes in females) — are permanent.

Hormonal contraceptives share one active ingredient family (progestogens, sometimes combined with estrogen) but differ in delivery route. A pill is taken daily; an injectable is given periodically; an implant is placed under the skin and releases hormone gradually. All three achieve the same primary effect — ovulation inhibition — the only difference is how often the user needs medical intervention to maintain it.

Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) is the legal, medical ending of a pregnancy. NCERT states it is considered relatively safe up to 12 weeks (the first trimester) of pregnancy. MTP has a genuine dual significance: medically, it allows termination of unwanted or medically risky pregnancies; but its misuse — combined with illegal sex-determination — has made it a tool for female foeticide, which is exactly why sex-determination itself (via techniques like amniocentesis) is legally restricted in India.

How this is examined in CUET. Classifying a described contraceptive method into its correct category (natural/barrier/IUD/hormonal/surgical); recalling that barrier methods uniquely also protect against STDs; the mechanism of hormonal contraceptives (primarily ovulation-inhibition) and their three delivery forms (pill/injectable/implant); the mechanism of Cu-T (sperm phagocytosis + anti-implantation, explicitly not ovulation-inhibition — a common point of confusion with hormonal methods); and the 12-week/first-trimester safety window for MTP along with its dual medical/social significance.

Lactation suppresses the release of gonadotropins (FSH and LH) from the pituitary, preventing ovulation and acting as a natural contraceptive. The answer is (A).

The phenomenon you're asking about is called lactational amenorrhea — the temporary absence of menstruation during breastfeeding. To understand why this happens, we need to trace the hormonal cascade that normally drives the menstrual cycle and see where lactation interrupts it.

The Normal Ovarian Cycle

In a non-lactating woman, the hypothalamus releases GnRH (gonadotropin-releasing hormone) in pulses. This stimulates the anterior pituitary to secrete two gonadotropins:

FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone) — drives follicle maturation in the ovary
LH (luteinizing hormone) — triggers ovulation and maintains the corpus luteum

Without these gonadotropins, follicles don't mature, ovulation doesn't occur, and pregnancy cannot happen.

How Lactation Disrupts This

During intense breastfeeding, the infant's suckling stimulates mechanoreceptors in the nipple. This neural signal travels to the hypothalamus and does two things:

Stimulates prolactin release from the anterior pituitary (prolactin drives milk production).
Inhibits GnRH pulsatility — prolactin and the suckling stimulus suppress the normal pulsatile release of GnRH.

When GnRH pulses are suppressed, the pituitary doesn't receive the signal to release FSH and LH. Without adequate gonadotropins, the ovaries remain quiescent: no follicle development, no ovulation, no corpus luteum, no menstruation.

Important

The key mechanism is suppression of gonadotropins (FSH and LH), not their hypersecretion. This is a negative feedback loop mediated by prolactin and neural signals from suckling.

Evaluating the Options

Let's see why the other options don't fit:

(B) Hypersecretion of gonadotropins — This is the opposite of what happens. High gonadotropins would promote ovulation, not prevent it.

(C) Suppression of gametic transport — This would mean blocking the movement of sperm or egg through the reproductive tract. Lactation doesn't act at this level; the contraceptive effect occurs earlier, at ovulation itself.

(D) Suppression of fertilization — Again, this would imply that sperm and egg meet but cannot fuse. The mechanism is upstream: no ovulation means no egg is released in the first place.

Watch out

Lactational amenorrhea is not 100% reliable as contraception. It works best when breastfeeding is exclusive, frequent (including night feeds), and the infant is under six months old. Ovulation can resume unpredictably, sometimes even before the first post-partum menstruation.

✓Final answer

The correct option is (A) — intense lactation suppresses gonadotropins, preventing ovulation and acting as a natural contraceptive.

Same / Similar Concept — real previous-year questions on the same or a closely similar concept, not this exact question.

Showing the 12 most recent of 48 on this concept.

CBSE 2026Set ZOOLOGY1 markMCQ
$Q. MTP is safest during which period of pregnancy?$
(a) Second trimester
(b) Third trimester
(c) First trimester
(d) Before parturition
›Reveal solutionSolution

MTP (abortion) carries the least risk of complications when carried out during the first trimester (up to 12 weeks) of pregnancy.

Medical Termination of Pregnancy involves the deliberate ending of a pregnancy before full term. It is considered safest during the first trimester (the first 12 weeks of gestation) because the embryo/foetus is smaller, the uterus is less developed, and the procedure carries a much lower risk of haemorrhage, infection, and other complications compared to termination during the second or third trimester, when the foetus is larger and more firmly implanted and hormonal/physiological changes are more advanced.

✓Final answer
$(c) First trimester.$
CBSE 2026Set ANNUAL1 mark
$Q. Fill in the blank: 'Saheli' named contraceptive pill was developed by Central Drug Research Institute of ______ city in India.$
›Reveal solutionSolution

Saheli, the non-steroidal oral contraceptive, was developed by the Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI) in Lucknow.

CDRI, located in Lucknow, developed 'Saheli', a once-a-week non-steroidal oral contraceptive pill for women with the active ingredient centchroman, which has few side effects and high contraceptive efficacy.

✓Final answer
$Lucknow.$
CBSE 2026Set ANNUAL1 mark
$Q. Note the relationship between the first two words and find a suitable word for the fourth place. LNG - 20 : Hormone releasing IUD Multiload 375 : ________$
›Reveal solutionSolution
LNG-20 is a hormone-releasing IUD; Multiload 375, like Cu-T and Cu7, is a copper-releasing IUD.

Intra Uterine Devices (IUDs) used as contraceptives are grouped by what they release into the uterus:

Non-medicated IUDs — e.g. Lippes loop.

Copper releasing IUDs — e.g. CuT, Cu7, Multiload 375. The Cu ions released increase phagocytosis of sperms and also suppress sperm motility and fertilising capacity of sperm.

Hormone releasing IUDs — e.g. Progestasert, LNG-20 (Levonorgestrel-releasing). These make the uterus unsuitable for implantation and the cervix hostile to sperm.

Since LNG-20 pairs with 'Hormone releasing IUD', the analogous relationship for Multiload 375 is that it is a copper releasing IUD.

✓Final answer
$Multiload 375 is a Copper releasing IUD.$
CBSE 2026Set ANNUAL1 mark
$Q. Name the oral pill which is taken by Indian women once a week.$
›Reveal solutionSolution

The oral contraceptive pill taken once a week by Indian women is Saheli.

Saheli is a non-steroidal oral contraceptive developed by scientists at the Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI), Lucknow. Its active compound is Centchroman. Unlike most steroidal oral pills that need to be taken daily, Saheli has a weekly dosing regimen and has few side effects, making it a widely recommended contraceptive option for Indian women.

✓Final answer
$Saheli (Centchroman).$
CBSE 2026Set ANNUAL1 markMCQ
$Q. Assertion (A) : Medical termination of pregnancy (MTP) is done to get rid of unwanted pregnancies. Reason (R) : It is usually done after 24 weeks of pregnancy.$
(a) Assertion (A) and Reason (R) both are true and Reason (R) is the correct explanation of Assertion (A).
(b) Assertion (A) and Reason (R) both are true, but Reason (R) is not the correct explanation of Assertion (A).
(c) Assertion (A) is true, but Reason (R) is false.
(d) Assertion (A) is false, but Reason (R) is true.
›Reveal solutionSolution

MTP does help end unwanted pregnancies (A is true), but it is NOT usually done after 24 weeks — it is medically safest and most commonly performed during the first trimester (up to 12 weeks); second-trimester MTPs carry more complications (R is false).

Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP), or induced abortion, is indeed carried out to terminate unwanted pregnancies — making Assertion (A) true. However, MTPs are considered relatively safe only during the first trimester (up to 12 weeks of pregnancy); second trimester abortions are associated with significantly more complications. MTP is legally and medically NOT 'usually' done after 24 weeks — in fact, current Indian law restricts MTP beyond 24 weeks to specific exceptional circumstances. So Reason (R) is false.

✓Final answer
$Option (c): A is true, R is false.$
CBSE 2026Set ANNUAL1 mark
$Q. Write the full form of MTP.$
›Reveal solutionSolution

MTP = Medical Termination of Pregnancy — the medical/surgical induced termination of an unwanted pregnancy.

MTP (Medical Termination of Pregnancy), commonly called induced abortion, is the intentional termination of pregnancy before full term, done by a qualified medical practitioner. In India, the MTP Act (1971, amended later) legalised abortion under specific conditions to check illegal and unsafe abortions, which were a major cause of maternal mortality and reproductive health complications. MTPs are considered relatively safe up to 12 weeks of pregnancy (first trimester); after 12 weeks the risk associated with the procedure increases substantially.

✓Final answer
$MTP = Medical Termination of Pregnancy.$
CBSE 2026Set ANNUAL1 markMCQ
$Q. Which of the following contraception aids works by releasing hormones to prevent ovulation?$
(a) Diaphragm
(b) Oral Contraceptive Pills
(c) Vaults
(d) Copper - T
›Reveal solutionSolution

OCPs contain synthetic estrogen and/or progestogen that suppress the pituitary's FSH/LH surge, blocking ovulation.

Oral contraceptive pills are taken daily and contain a combination of synthetic estrogen and progesterone (or progestogen alone — the 'mini-pill'). These hormones work mainly by inhibiting the release of FSH and LH from the pituitary (negative feedback), which prevents the LH surge needed for ovulation; they also thicken cervical mucus, hindering sperm entry.

The other options are non-hormonal barrier/IUD methods: the diaphragm and vault are barrier devices that physically block sperm entry into the cervix; Copper-T is an intra-uterine device that releases copper ions, which are toxic to sperm and cause a local inflammatory reaction hostile to implantation — it does not release hormones.

✓Final answer
$(b) Oral Contraceptive Pills.$
CBSE 2026Set ANNUAL1 mark
$\tfrac{1}{2}+\tfrac{1}{2}=1$
›Reveal solutionSolution

Vasectomy and tubectomy are the two surgical sterilisation procedures that provide permanent contraception.

Terminal methods of contraception are surgical sterilisation procedures that provide permanent (irreversible, in practice) protection against pregnancy. In males, this procedure is called vasectomy, in which a small part of the vas deferens is cut and tied/sealed on each side, preventing sperm from being included in the ejaculate. In females, the corresponding procedure is called tubectomy, in which a small part of each fallopian tube is cut and tied/blocked, preventing the ovum from meeting sperm.

✓Final answer
$Vasectomy (in males) and tubectomy (in females) are two examples of the terminal method of contraception.$
CBSE 2025Set X11 markMCQ
$Q. Which one among the following is a contraceptive method that involves no medicine or device?$
(a) Condom
(b) Saheli
(c) Cervical caps
(d) Coitus interruptus
›Reveal solutionSolution

Coitus interruptus (withdrawal) is a natural contraceptive method that uses no medicine or device.

Natural/traditional methods of contraception avoid meeting of sperm and ovum without any drugs or devices. Coitus interruptus is the withdrawal of the penis before ejaculation to avoid insemination—no medicine or device is involved. In contrast, condoms and cervical caps are barrier devices, and Saheli is an oral contraceptive pill (a medicine).

✓Final answer
$(d) Coitus interruptus$
CBSE 2025Set ANNUAL1 markMCQ
$Q. Terminal method to prevent pregnancies is -$
(a) Sterilisation
(b) Periodic abstinence
(c) Intra uterine devices
(d) Diaphragms
›Reveal solutionSolution

Sterilisation (vasectomy in males, tubectomy in females) permanently blocks gamete transport and is therefore called a terminal method.

Contraceptive methods are grouped as barrier (diaphragms), IUDs (intra-uterine devices), natural/behavioural (periodic abstinence), and terminal (permanent) methods. Sterilisation involves a minor surgical procedure — vasectomy (cutting/blocking the vas deferens in males) or tubectomy (blocking the fallopian tubes in females) — which is highly effective but essentially irreversible, so it is used only when a couple does not want any more children; hence it is called a 'terminal' method, unlike the reversible options in the other choices.

✓Final answer
$(a) Sterilisation.$
CBSE 2025Set ANNUAL1 markMCQ
$Q. IUD stands for$
(a) Inter Union Device
(b) Intra Uterine Device
(c) Infra United Device
(d) Insta Uterine Device
›Reveal solutionSolution

IUD stands for Intra Uterine Device - a contraceptive device placed inside the uterus by a doctor or trained nurse.

IUDs are one of the widely used reversible contraceptive methods for women. They include non-medicated devices (e.g. Lippes loop), copper-releasing devices (CuT, Cu7, multiload 375), and hormone-releasing devices (progestasert, LNG-IUS). Copper ions released from copper-based IUDs suppress sperm motility and fertilising capacity, while hormone-releasing IUDs make the uterus unsuitable for implantation and the cervix hostile to sperm. IUDs are inserted into the uterus and are a preferred choice for spacing births.

✓Final answer
$(b) Intra Uterine Device.$
CBSE 2025Set ANNUAL1 mark
$Q. Name the oral contraceptive for female developed by CDRI.$
›Reveal solutionSolution

Saheli, developed by CDRI, is India's own non-steroidal oral contraceptive for women, taken once a week rather than daily.

Among the various contraceptive methods available to couples, oral contraceptive pills are a chemical method used by women to prevent pregnancy. While most oral pills are steroidal (containing synthetic progestogen alone or in combination with an oestrogen), India's Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI), Lucknow, developed a non-steroidal oral contraceptive for females called Saheli, whose active compound is Centchroman. It has very few side effects, high contraceptive efficacy, and is unique in being taken only once a week rather than daily, which was a major indigenous contribution to contraceptive technology.

✓Final answer
$Saheli (Centchroman) — developed by CDRI, Lucknow; a non-steroidal, once-a-week oral contraceptive pill for women.$

Q.Intense lactation in mothers acts as a natural contraceptive due to the (A) Suppression of gonadotropins (B) Hypersecretion of gonadotropins (C) Suppression of gametic transport (D) Suppression of fertilization

The Normal Ovarian Cycle

How Lactation Disrupts This

Evaluating the Options

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