Reproduction in humans
Read the following passage carefully and answer the given questions.
The female reproductive system consists of a pair of ovaries, a pair of oviducts, a uterus, a vagina, external genitalia, and a pair of mammary glands. The ovaries produce the female gamete and some steroidal hormones. Ovarian follicles in different stages of development are embedded in the stroma. The oviducts, uterus and vagina are female accessory ducts. The uterus has three layers, namely perimetrium, myometrium and endometrium. The female external genitalia includes mons pubis, labia majora, labia minora, hymen and clitoris. The mammary glands are one of the female secondary sexual characteristics. Spermatogenesis results in the formation of sperm that is transported by the male sex accessory ducts. A normal human sperm is composed of a head, neck, a middle piece and tail. The process of formation of mature female gametes is called oogenesis. The reproductive cycle of female primates is called the menstrual cycle. The menstrual cycle starts only after attaining sexual maturation. During ovulation, only one ovum is released per menstrual cycle. The cyclical changes in the ovary and the uterus during the menstrual cycle are induced by changes in the levels of pituitary and ovarian hormones.
Which one of the following hormones is secreted by the corpus luteum for the maintenance of endometrium?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → Progesterone
After ovulation, the remaining part of the Graafian follicle changes into the corpus luteum. This is the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle.
(1) Estrogen — Incorrect. This is the hormone of the growing follicles. It stimulates the growth of the follicles and the repair of the endometrium in the first half of the cycle. The corpus luteum is not named as its source.
(2) Progesterone — Correct. The corpus luteum secretes large amounts of it. It is essential for the maintenance of the endometrium, which is needed for the implantation of the fertilised ovum and for pregnancy.
(3) Cortisol — Incorrect. This is a hormone of the adrenal gland. It is not made by the corpus luteum.
(4) Gonadotropin — Incorrect. The gonadotropins (LH and FSH) come from the anterior pituitary. They act on the ovary. The corpus luteum does not secrete them.
Note 1: The passage is taken from NCERT. NTA has put lines of the NCERT text together to make it. Most CUET (UG) questions come straight from NCERT, so study the book line by line, including figures and their titles.
Note 2: A similar question was also asked in CUET (UG) 2025 on 03-06-2025 (Slot 2) and on 28-05-2025 (Slot 1).
NCERT Extract:
Menstrual Cycle – …
