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Fertility Dictionary| A | | B | | C | | D | | E | | F | | G | | H | | I | | J | | K | | L | | M | | N | | O | | P | | Q | | R | | S | | T | | U | | V | | W | | X | | Y | | Z | 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 azoospermia - the absence of sperm in the seminal fluid, usually caused by a blockage or an impairment of sperm productionbaby 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 beta hCG test (BhCG) - a blood test used to determine pregnancy; gives a positive reading if human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is present in the blood birth control pill - a form of contraception in pill form taken once daily to prevent ovulation; contains the hormones estrogen and progesterone birth defect - any abnormality, biochemical, functional or structural, that is present at birth; may manifest itself in infancy or become apparent later in life; may be caused by genetic or other factors blastocyst - an embryo that has developed for approximately five days after fertilization with two cell types and a central cavity; surface cells will become the placenta, inner cells will become the fetus blastocyst transfer - a type of ART that allows embryos to reach blastocyst stage before they are transferred into the uterus blighted ovum - a fertilized egg that implants in the uterus, but does not develop further and dies cancelled cycle - discontinuation of an ART cycle, usually prompted by poor response to hormone therapy, no egg recovery or failed fertilization cervix - the lower section of the uterus which protrudes into the vagina; dilates during labor to allow the passage of the fetus and keeps infections from invading the uterus cervical OS - the tip of the cervix and opening to the uterus cervical mucus - secretions produced by the cervix; the amount and texture change during ovulation to allow sperm penetration cervical stenosis - a narrowing or a constriction of the cervical canal; impedes the sperm from swimming through to the uterus chemical pregnancy - an apparent, but not real, pregnancy; hCG level rises to yield a positive test result, but does not lead to a clinical pregnancy chlamydia - the most common sexually transmitted disease; caused by the bacterium chlamydia trachomatis; can infect both men and women and cause infertility in both sexes; may lead to pelvic inflammatory disease in women and epididymitis infection in men; treatable with antibiotics chocolate cyst - an ovarian cyst filled with blood; occurs when endometriosis invades an ovary and causes it to swell coitus - sexual intercourse clinical pregnancy - a pregnancy verified by both a blood test and ultrasound evidence of a gestational sac in the first trimester Clomid - the brand name of the fertility drug Clomiphene Citrate; used to stimulate production of follicle stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone conception - the fertilization of an egg by sperm that leads to the creation of an embryo; also used to describe the start of pregnancy, marked by the implantation of the embryo into the uterine lining Conception Cap - a device which is filled with semen and then fitted against the cervix to place sperm in direct contact with the cervical opening in order to avoid a hostile vaginal environment in hopes of increasing the chance of conception colposcopy - use of a scope to examine the cervix for abnormal cells condom - a barrier method of contraception and protection from sexually transmitted diseases usually made of thin latex or polyurethane designed to cover the penis (male condom) or vulva (female condom) during sexual intercoursecongenital - a characteristic or defect present at birth; may be hereditary or acquired during gestation corpus luteum - remnant of a follicle after ovulation; releases progesterone to preserve the uterine lining cryopreservation - a procedure used to preserve and store embryos or sperm by deep freezing; embryos or sperm can be thawed at a later date and used in infertility treatments cycle - the period of time, approximately one month, when an infertility treatment is initiated and continuing until the treatment is halted or completed dilation and curettage (D&C) - a surgical procedure in which the cervix is expanded (dilated) so that the cervical canal and uterine lining can be scraped with a spoon-shaped instrument called a curette dysmenorrhea - painful menstruation dyspareunia - painful sexual intercourse ectopic pregnancy - occurs when a fertilized egg doesn't travel into the uterus, but instead grows rapidly in the fallopian tube egg donation - the process in which eggs, removed from the ovaries of one woman, are donated for use by another egg donor - a woman who donates her eggs for use by another woman egg retrieval - a surgical procedure, usually under sedation, to collect the eggs contained within the ovarian follicles embryo - a developing baby in the early stages of fetal growth, from conception to the eighth week of pregnancy; in IVF treatments, a fertilized egg between one and five days old embryo transfer - placing an embryo (fertilized egg) into the uterus for implantation embryologist - a professional trained in advanced laboratory techniques who prepares and provides the necessary conditions for the fertilization of eggs, as well as facilitates the growth, development, maturation, and preservation of embryos endometrial biopsy - the extraction of a tiny piece of tissue from the endometrium for examination under a microscope for abnormal cells endometriosis - the presence of endometrial tissue (uterine lining) in areas outside the uterus, such as the fallopian tubes and ovaries; often causes painful menstruation and infertility endometrium - the lining of the uterus epididymis - the elongated organ in the male that lies above and behind the testicles where sperm are stored, nourished and ripened for several months estradiol - the estrogen hormone produced by the ovaries; responsible for formation of the female secondary sex characteristics and supports the growth of ovarian follicles and the development of the uterine lining estrogen - a group of female hormones responsible for the development of secondary sexual characteristics; produced mainly by the ovaries from the onset of puberty until menopause fallopian tube - either of a pair of tubes that conduct eggs from an ovary to the uterus during natural fertilization female factor infertility - the condition when a couple's infertility is attributed to the woman fertility clinic - a specialized medical practice employing reproductive endocrinologists and embryologists who treat male and female infertility with treatments including fertility drugs, artificial insemination, egg donation and surgery fertility drugs - a class of medications used in infertility treatments fertility specialist - a gynecologist with additional specialization in infertility and assisted reproductive technologies such as IUI, ICSI, IVF and more. fertilization - penetration of an egg by a sperm and the fusion of genetic material frozen embryo transfer - the use of a frozen embryo in an IVF procedure fetus - a developing baby after the embryo stage, from the ninth week of pregnancy to the moment of birth fibroids - non-cancerous tumors within the wall of the uterus; can cause infertility follicle - a fluid-filled sac on the ovary that contains a ripening egg follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) - a hormone produced by the pituitary gland which stimulates the ovary to ripen a follicle for ovulation follicular phase - the portion of the menstrual cycle when the ovarian follicle develops frozen embryo - an embryo that has been preserved and stored by deep freezing that can be thawed at a later date and used in infertility treatments gamete - a sperm or egg gamete intra-fallopian tube transfer (GIFT) - a surgical procedure in which a sperm-egg mixture is transferred into the fallopian tubes where natural fertilization may occur genetic birth defect - a birth defect caused by genetic factors gestation - the period of fetal development in the uterus from conception to birth, usually 40 weeks in humans gestational carrier - a woman who carries the pregnancy to term but is not the genetic parent of the baby; also called a surrogate gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) - a hormone produced by the hypothalamus that controls the synthesis and release of the pituitary hormones FSH and LH gonads - the glands that make reproductive cells and sex hormones; testicles in men, ovaries in women gonadotropin - a hormone that can stimulate the testicles to produce sperm or the ovaries to produce an egg gynecologist - a doctor who specializes in the diseases and routine physical care of the reproductive system of women hormone - a chemical substance produced by one organ in the body that regulates the activity of another organ human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) - a hormone secreted by the placenta that preserves pregnancy by prolonging the life of the corpus luteum and stimulating progesterone production human menopausal gonadotropin (hMG) - a natural product extracted from the urine of postmenopausal women containing both human FSH and LH used to treat both male and female infertility and to stimulate the development of multiple eggs hydrocele - a fluid-filled swelling in the scrotum hysterectomy - the removal of the uterus; a partial hysterectomy removes the uterus, a total hysterectomy removes the uterus, ovaries and fallopian tubes hysterosalpingogram (HSG) - an x-ray procedure used to determine whether the fallopian tubes are open and capable of functioning properly; can also reveal the configuration of the uterus, irregularities, and the presence of fibroids hysteroscopy - a surgical procedure in which a telescope-like device is inserted through the cervix to view the inside of the uterus; sometimes performed in conjunction with a laparoscopy idiopathic infertility - the term used when no reason can be found to explain the cause of a couple's infertility implantation - the embedding of the fertilized egg in the lining of the uterus infertility - the inability of a couple to achieve a pregnancy after one year of regular unprotected sexual relations, or the inability of a woman to carry a pregnancy to live birth intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) - a laboratory procedure in which a single sperm is directly inserted into an individual egg intrauterine insemination (IUI) - the introduction of specially prepared sperm directly into the uterus through the cervix in vitro fertilization (IVF) - an infertility treatment procedure in which one or more eggs, each removed from a ripe follicle, is fertilized by sperm outside the human body before being placed in a woman's uterus to implant and result in pregnancy laparoscopy - a surgical procedure in which a telescope-like device is inserted through a small incision near the navel to view the pelvic cavity, the ovaries, fallopian tubes, and uterus LH surge - a spontaneous release of large amounts of luteinizing hormone during a woman's menstrual cycle that stimulates the ovarian follicle to release its egg, resulting in ovulation luteal phase - the days of a menstrual cycle following ovulation and ending with menses; usually lasts between 12 and 14 days luteinizing hormone (LH) - a hormone that causes the ovary to release a mature egg (ovulation); stimulates testosterone production in males male factor infertility - the condition when a couple's infertility is attributed to the man menstruation - a recurring cycle (beginning at menarche and ending at menopause) in which the endometrial lining of the uterus prepares for pregnancy. If pregnancy does not occur, the tissue and blood is shed metrorrhagia - menstrual spotting during the middle of the cycle microinsemination - a laboratory technique in which sperm are injected next to the egg cell surface to increase the likelihood of fertilization micromanipulation - a procedure used to treat male factor infertility in which a single sperm is injected under the outer layer of the egg to induce fertilization microsurgical epididymal sperm aspiration (MESA) - a procedure in which sperm are obtained from the epididymis by aspiration or surgical incision miscarriage - also called a spontaneous abortion, a pregnancy that ends before the fetus can survive outside the uterus; may occur because the fetus is not developing properly or because the placenta is not attached properly mittelschmerz - discomfort felt on one side of the lower abdomen at the time of ovulation multiple birth - the birth of two or more offspring produced in the same gestational period multiple gestation - the conception of two or more fetuses in the same woman at the same time, whether or not they result in live births myomectomy - the surgical removal of non-cancerous fibroid tumors from the wall of the uterus. nulliparous - never having given birth to a child OB/GYN - see gynecologist oligo-ovulation - irregular ovulation oligomenorrhea - infrequent menstrual periods oligospermia - a condition in which the number of sperm in a semen sample is abnormally low oocyte - the egg cell produced in the ovaries; also called the ovum or gamete oocyte donation - the process in which eggs, removed from the ovaries of one woman, are donated for use by another oocyte retrieval - a surgical procedure, usually under sedation, to collect the eggs contained within the ovarian follicles ovarian cyst - a fluid-filled sac inside the ovary; may be found in conjunction with ovulation disorders, tumors of the ovary and endometriosis ovarian failure - the failure of the ovary to respond to FSH stimulation from the pituitary because of damage to or malformation of the ovary ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) - a possible side effect of medically induced ovulation, characterized by swollen, painful ovaries and, in some cases, the accumulation of fluid in the abdomen and chest ovary - one of a pair of female gonads, which make eggs and estrogen ovulation - the release of a mature egg from a follicle at the surface of an ovary ovulation calendar/chart - any method of ovulation tracking which plots a woman's cycle with the objective of finding her most fertile days to increase the chance of getting pregnant or to avoid pregnancy; parameters for plotting include temperature, cervical mucus thickness and cervical position ovulation dysfunction - a problem existing in the ovaries where either something is abnormal in the process of developing the follicle or the egg is not released from the follicle ovulation induction - medication to stimulate egg development and release ovulation test - any method which can detect ovulation ovum - the egg; the reproductive cell from the ovary; the female gamete; the sex cell that contains the woman's genetic informationPap smear (Papanicolaou smear) - a screening test to evaluate the cells of the cervix to determine whether they are normal pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) - inflammatory disease of the pelvis, often caused by infection, that can lead to infertility period - see menstruation preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) - genetic testing of embryos in IVF to help avoid certain genetic birth defects, such as Cystic Fibrosis, Down Syndrome, Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, Hemophilia A, Tay Sachs Disease and Turner Syndrome pituitary gland - a gland in the endocrine system located at the base of the brain just below the hypothalamus; controls hormonal factories throughout the body, including the gonads, the adrenal glands and the thyroid gland placenta - the embryonc tissue that implants in the uterine wall and provides a mechanism for exchanging the baby's carbon dioxide and waste products for the mother's nutrients and oxygen polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) - a condition found in women who don't ovulate, characterized by excessive production of androgens (male sex hormones) and the presence of cysts in the ovaries; symptoms include weight gain, acne, excessive hair growth and infertility postcoital test (PCT) - microscopic study of samples of vaginal and cervical secretions taken several hours after sexual relations and examined for live, moving sperm premature ovarian failure (POF) - the cessation of menses associated with high levels of gonadotropins and low levels of estrogen before age 40 primary infertility - infertility in women who have never conceived; sometimes extended to include those who have conceived but not had a live birth progesterone - a hormone secreted by the corpus luteum of the ovary after ovulation has occurred; also produced by the placenta during pregnancy prolactin - a hormone produced by the pituitary gland; elevated levels in the blood can indicate disorders that may hinder ovulation prostate gland - a gland encircling the male urethra that produces some of the fluid in semen, including a chemical that liquefies the coagulated semen twenty minutes to one hour after entering the vagina pyospermia - the presence of white blood cells in the semen that may indicate inflammation or infection recurrent miscarriage - repeated miscarriages reproductive endocrinologist (RE) - a physician trained in obstetrics and gynecology who further specializes in treating infertility with surgical procedures and assisted reproductive technologies including IUI, ICSI, IVF and more reproductive immunologist (RI) - a physician who specializes in combining obstetrics and gynecology with immunology to treat reproductive disorders that are related to immune problems reproductive surgeon - a surgeon who specializes in the surgical correction of anatomical disorders that affect reproductive function resistant ovary - an ovary that cannot respond to the follicle-stimulating message sent by follicle stimulating hormone retrograde ejaculation - a male fertility problem where sperm travels into the bladder instead of out of the penis due to a failure in the sphincter muscle at the base of the bladder retroverted uterus - a uterus that is tilted back toward the rectum Rh factor - genetically determined antigens present in the red blood cells of most people and capable of inducing intense immunologic reactions salpingectomy - surgical removal of the fallopian tubes salpingitis - an inflammation of one or both fallopian tubes Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology (SART) - an organization of professionals dedicated to the practice of assisted reproductive technologies in the United States secondary infertility - the inability to conceive or carry a pregnancy after having conceived and carried one or more pregnancies semen - the fluid portion of the ejaculate consisting of secretions from the seminal vesicles, prostate gland, and several other glands in the male reproductive tract; provides nourishment and protection for the sperm and a medium in which the sperm can travel to the woman's vagina semen analysis (SA) - a microscopic examination of freshly ejaculated semen to evaluate the number of sperm (count), the percentage of moving sperm (motility), and the size and shape of the sperm (morphology) sonogram - a picture taken of the follicles in the ovaries or the fetus in the uterus during an ultrasound; can be used to measure growth sperm - the microscopic cell that carries the male's genetic information to the female's egg; the male reproductive cell; the male gamete sperm antibodies - entities that may attack and destroy sperm cells; can be produced by both women and men sperm bank - a place where sperm are kept frozen in liquid nitrogen for later use in artificial insemination sperm count - the number of sperm in ejaculate; also called sperm concentration or sperm density and given as the number of sperm per milliliter sperm donation - providing a sample of sperm for use in assisted reproductive treatments sperm maturation - a process during which the sperm grow and gain their ability to swim (takes about 90 days) sperm morphology - a semen analysis factor that indicates the number or percentage of sperm in the sample that appear to have been formed normally sperm motility - the ability of sperm to swim; poor motility means the sperm have a difficult time swimming toward the egg sperm penetration - the ability of the sperm to penetrate the egg so it can deposit the genetic material during fertilization sperm wash - a technique for separating sperm from seminal fluid split ejaculate - a method of collecting a semen specimen so that the first portion of the ejaculate is caught in one container and the rest in a second container spontaneous abortion - a miscarriage or the unintended termination of a pregnancy before the twentieth week sterility - the total inability to reproduce; not to be confused with infertility stimulation - administration of hormones that induce development of multiple ovarian follicles surrogate - a woman who becomes pregnant through insemination with the sperm of the husband of an infertile woman, and then following delivery, turns the child over for adoption by the couple swim-up test - a technique that separates motile sperm from non-motile sperm and cellular debris in a semen sample; the most motile sperm will "swim up" and are more easily separated for insemination testicle - one of two male sexual glands contained in the scrotum which produce the male hormone (testosterone) and reproductive cells (sperm) testicular biopsy - a small excision of testicular tissue to determine the ability of the cells to produce normal sperm testicular sperm aspiration (TESA) - a procedure in which sperm are obtained directly from the testicles by either aspiration or surgical incision of the testicular tissue testosterone - the most potent male sex hormone; produced in the testes therapeutic insemination (TI) - a procedure in which a sperm from a male partner or from a donor is placed into a woman's vagina or cervix; also called artificial insemination, but distinct from intrauterine insemination tubal embryo transfer (TET) - a surgical procedure in which an egg which has been fertilized and has divided outside the woman's body is transferred to the fallopian tubes tubal ligation - female sterilization as a result of tying the fallopian tubes tubal reversal - special surgery to reverse sterilization caused by tubal ligation ultrasound - a technique used to view the follicles in the ovaries or the fetus in the uterus; three types: 1) baseline ultrasound shows the ovaries in their normal state, 2) follicular ultrasound shows egg follicle maturation, 3) pregnancy ultrasound shows if a pregnancy is in the uterus or in a fallopian tube unexplained infertility - see idiopathic infertility unicornuate uterus - an abnormality in which the uterus is "one-sided" and smaller than usual uterine fibroids - see fibroids uterus - the hollow, muscular organ in the woman that holds and nourishes the fetus until the time of birth vaginal ultrasound - a technique used to view the follicles, fetus, and other soft tissues by projecting sound waves through a probe inserted into the vagina varicocele - a collection of varicose veins in the scrotum which causes blood to flow in an abnormal direction towards the testicles vas deferens - a pair of thick-walled tubes about 45 centimeters long in the male that lead from the epididymis to the ejaculatory duct in the prostate; the ducts make wave-like contractions to propel sperm forward zygote - a fertilized egg (embryo) in the early stages of development zygote intrafallopian transfer (ZIFT) - the surgical transfer of a zygote (fertilized egg) into a fallopian tube one day after fertilization
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