Fertility Dictionary

abortion - medical termination of a pregnancy before the fetus has developed enough to survive outside the uterus; several types, including clinical, habitual, incomplete, missed, spontaneous, therapeutic and threatened

adhesions - scar tissue that attaches to the surface of organs

American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) - a non-profit organization that works to advance knowledge and expertise in reproductive medicine through multidisciplinary information, education and advocacy

androgen (adrenal androgen ) - hormone produced by the adrenal gland which, when found in excess, may lead to fertility problems in both men and women; excess androgens in a female may lead to the formation of male secondary sex characteristics and the suppression of LH and FSH production by the pituitary gland; may also be associated with excess prolactin levels

andrologist - a medical doctor or Ph.D. who specializes in the study of male reproduction

anovulation - the failure to ovulate

artificial insemination - the placement of a sperm sample inside the female reproductive tract to increase the chances of fertilization and pregnancy; two types: 1) intrauterine insemination (IUI) places the sperm into the uterus, 2) intracervical insemination (ICI) places the sperm into the cervix

aspiration - a surgical technique used to obtain sperm or eggs

assisted hatching - a laboratory procedure that chemically dissolves an embryo surface to improve the likelihood of implantation

assisted reproductive technology (ART) - any fertility treatment in which both eggs and sperm are handled; procedures generally involve surgically removing eggs from a woman's ovaries, combining them with sperm in the laboratory, and returning them to the woman's body or donating them to another woman

Asherman's syndrome - a condition in which the walls of the uterus adhere together to an extent where the uterine cavity itself is diminished; defined by uterine inflammation, adhesions, and scarring

asthenozoospermia - low sperm motility

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baby aspirin - A low dose of aspirin (80-100 mg) used in infertility treatment to increase blood flow to the uterus

barrier method - a device that will not allow semen or sperm to come into contact with the cervix; among the oldest known contraceptives

basal body temperature - the body temperature of a person immediately upon awakening before any activity; can be taken orally or rectally and recorded daily on a graph. A jump in temperature (by approximately 0.5°F) may be evidence of ovulation; a drop may be evidence of the onset of menses or a miscarriage

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