Which of the following increases phagocytosis of sperms within the uterus and suppresses sperm motility and the fertilising capacity of sperms?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → IUDs
Contraceptive methods prevent pregnancy in different ways. Barrier methods stop the sperms from reaching the ovum, pills act on ovulation, natural methods avoid coitus on the fertile days, and IUDs act inside the uterus.
Option (1) Condoms — Incorrect. Condoms are barrier methods made of thin rubber or latex. They stop semen from entering the female tract, so they never act on sperms inside the uterus.
Option (2) IUDs — Correct. IUDs (Intra Uterine Devices) are inserted into the uterus by doctors or expert nurses. There they increase phagocytosis of sperms, and copper IUDs release Cu ions that reduce sperm motility and fertilising capacity.
Option (3) Pills — Incorrect. Oral pills contain progestogens or progestogen–estrogen combinations. They inhibit ovulation and implantation and alter the quality of cervical mucus to prevent or retard the entry of sperms; they do not increase phagocytosis of sperms within the uterus.
Option (4) Periodic abstinence — Incorrect. This natural method avoids coitus from day 10 to 17 of the menstrual cycle, when ovulation is expected. No device or chemical acts on the sperms.
NCERT Extract:
Population Stabilisation and Birth Control – “… Another effective and popular method is the use of Intra Uterine Devices (IUDs). These devices are inserted by doctors or expert nurses in the uterus through vagina. These Intra Uterine Devices are presently available as the non-medicated IUDs (e.g., Lippes loop), copper releasing IUDs (CuT, Cu7, Multiload 375) and the hormone releasing IUDs (Progestasert, LNG-20) (Figure 3.2). IUDs increase phagocytosis of sperms within the uterus and the Cu ions released suppress sperm motility and the fertilising capacity of sperms.”