Question

Pretend you are synthesizing reproductive hormones as possible new ingredients in female contraceptive pills. You have so far successfully synthesized these two hormones:

--FSH
--Estrogen

Given what you know about the roles of these hormones in females, do you think FSH and/or estrogen would be effective in preventing pregnancy? Why?

Answer 1

FSH promotes the maturation of oocytes into Graafian follicles in the onset of ovulation.

Estrogen helps to maintain menstruation and necessary for the uterus to function normally. It helps to hold the uterine lining during pregnancy. Therfore, estrogen  should be maintained for the pregnancy to sustain.

Therefore lower level of estrogen in the pill reduces the level of LH and FSH which are necesssary for subsequent stages of ovulation to prepare for fertilization. By doing so, it fools the pituitary gland to pretend to be pregnant. which in turn prevent ovulation and so prevents pregnancy.