This exam focus covers Exam Focus within Fertility Treatment for GCSE Biology. Topic 10: Fertility Treatment It is section 9 of 11 in this topic. Treat this as a marking guide for what examiners are looking for, not just a fact list.
Topic position
Section 9 of 11
Practice
15 questions
Recall
20 flashcards
Exam Focus
Regularly Examined — AQA Paper 2Fertility treatment questions typically appear as 3-5 mark structured questions. The most common formats are:
- Describe IVF steps (4 marks): FSH stimulation, egg collection, fertilisation in lab, embryo transfer — one mark per step. Must be in the correct order.
- Explain why FSH is given (2 marks): To stimulate multiple egg production (1 mark) so more embryos are available, increasing success chances (1 mark).
- Evaluate IVF — advantages and disadvantages (4-6 marks): Must include at least 2 advantages and 2 disadvantages. Success rate data, ethical concerns about embryos, and emotional/financial costs are all examinable.
- Higher: Ethical considerations of embryo screening (4-6 marks): Present arguments for AND against. A conclusion is required for full marks.
Common error: Students confuse clomifene with FSH. Clomifene stimulates the pituitary to release FSH naturally; in IVF, FSH is injected directly. The effect is similar (egg maturation) but the mechanism is different.