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A village health worker was… (Class 12 Biology 2025, Q22)

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BiologyCBSE Class 12 · Board exam 2025, set 57/7/1 · 3 marks · Short answer

CBSE Class 12 Biology 2025: question 22

Set in the CBSE Class 12 board exam of 2025, paper 57/7/1, section C, question 22, for 3 marks. Try it first; the hints and our step-by-step solution are below.

Q22 · 3 marks · Short answerCompetency-basedReproductive Health

A village health worker was taking a session with women. She tells them that one has to be careful while using oral pills as a method of birth control. Wrong usage can actually promote conception.
(a) Analyse the above statement and compare the merits and demerits of using oral pills and surgical methods of birth control.
(b) Village women are confused as to how a thin metallic copper loop can provide protection against pregnancy. Explain the mode of action of IUDs. Give two points.

Source: official question paper from cbse.gov.in (PDF). See it in the full 2025 board paper, set 57/7/1.

Hints

Open one hint at a time and try again before the next.

Hint 1

Pills must be taken daily in a fixed pattern. What happens if a woman misses some?

Hint 2

For IUDs, think of what copper ions do to sperm, and what hormone-releasing IUDs do to the uterus and cervix.

Step-by-step solution

Each step shows the marks it earns, as an examiner would award them. Checked by an independent re-solve from the question paper.

  1. (a) Analysis: oral pills (progestogens or a progestogen–estrogen combination) work only if taken daily for 21 days in a fixed pattern. If doses are missed or the pattern is not followed, ovulation may not be suppressed, so wrong usage can lead to conception.

    Oral pills: merit. They are very effective and reversible, with few side effects, and are cheap and easy to use.

    ½ mark

  2. Oral pills: demerit. Long-term use can cause side effects such as nausea, abdominal pain or breast tenderness. If not taken regularly they may fail to prevent conception.

    ½ mark

  3. Surgical methods (vasectomy/tubectomy): merit. They are highly effective, as permanent methods that block gamete transport.

    ½ mark

  4. Surgical methods: demerit. Reversibility is very poor. They can harm health if not done under hygienic conditions.

    ½ mark

  5. (b) Mode of action of IUDs (any two):

    • IUDs increase phagocytosis of sperms within the uterus.
    • Copper-releasing IUDs (e.g. CuT, Cu7, Multiload 375) release Cu²⁺ ions, which suppress sperm motility and fertilising capacity.
    • Hormone-releasing IUDs (e.g. Progestasert, LNG-20) make the uterus unsuitable for implantation and the cervix hostile to sperms.
    1 mark

Answer: Pills are effective and reversible but need correct daily use (wrong use can fail); surgical methods are highly effective but almost irreversible. IUDs work through sperm phagocytosis, Cu²⁺ ions reducing sperm motility and fertilising capacity, and hormonal effects on the uterus and cervix.

Where the marks are

  • Merit of oral pills (½ mark)
  • Demerit of oral pills, e.g. failure if not taken in the correct pattern (½ mark)
  • Merit of surgical methods (½ mark)
  • Demerit of surgical methods, e.g. irreversible (½ mark)
  • Any two modes of action of IUDs (½ + ½ mark)

Revise the chapter

Practise this chapterBoard-style questions from Reproductive Health, one at a time, marked against the answer key and marking points.Back to the full paper2025 board paper, set 57/7/1: every question, by section.

The question is transcribed from the official paper; figures are described in words. The solution, hints and chapter tag are ours. Spotted an error? Write tosupport@questionbuddy.in.