These three activities follow the same four cases. The students start as the fertility specialist for the couples, provide the pregnancy tests to see if the couples have conceived, and follow up by checking on fetal development for the couples that end up pregnant. Each activity can be done alone or as a series to follow each couple.

Activity 16a – Fertility

• Students will act as fertility specialists for four couples seeking fertility assistance. They will compare medical backgrounds and hormone test results to normal values to determine what may be causing the couples’ infertility. Students follow up with research to create a treatment plan for each couple.

Lab 16b – Pregnancy ELISA Test

• The four couples from Activity 16a have returned to see if the treatment plan has been effective. Student groups will provide pregnancy tests for each couple using the ELISA test method. This lab would also be suitable when discussing the immune system and/or antigen-antibody reaction.

Activity 16c – Fetal Development

• Students continue as the fertility specialist for the three couples that were able to conceive from Lab 16b. Data on fetal size and development is compared to normal values to determine whether the fetus is developing at a normal rate.

Items included in this lab are listed below.

Tween 20, Liquid Soap, Stock Substrate Solution, Toothpicks, Cling Wrap.