Fertility Glossary

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A Adhesion: Scar tissue in the abdomen, usually results from an infection or other tissue damage. Amenorrhoea: Complete absence or cessation of menstrual periods. Anovulation: The failure to ovulate. Artificial Insemination: Process in which sperm is placed into the female reproductive tract for the purpose of producing a pregnancy. Assisted Hatching: Micromanipulation procedure designed to improve implantation, whereby the embryologist makes an opening by laser on the zona pellucida of an embryo to allow the cleaved embryo to exit prior to implantation. Azoospermia: Complete absence of sperm in seminal fluid.

C Cervical Mucus: Thick clear fluid produced from the cervix, which becomes thinner before ovulation. Cervix: The lower section of the uterus, often called the "neck of the womb". Cleaved Embryo: A fertilised egg, which has undergone cellular division. Clinical Pregnancy: Ultrasound confirmed gestational sac within the uterus or with an increasing level of hCG (human chronic gonadotropin). Conception: Fertilisation of a woman's egg by a man's sperm. Controlled Ovarian Hyperstimulation: Stimulation of the ovaries using drugs (gonadotrophins), with the objective of stimulating the development of multiple follicles and hence retrieval of multiple eggs. Corpus Luteum: A cyst that forms on the surface of the ovary at the site of ovulation and produces progesterone during the second half of the menstrual cycle. It's function is necessary to prepare the uterine lining for implantation by the fertilised egg. Cryopreservation: The freezing of embryos, eggs and sperm.

D Donor Eggs: Use of donated egg(s) in a recipient couple undergoing IVF, the donor undergoes ovarian stimulation prior to egg retrieval to increase the number of eggs. Insemination is performed in vitro with the recipient's husband's sperm, after fertilisation the embryo is transferred into the womb. Donor Insemination: Artificial insemination using donor sperm.

E Ectopic Pregnancy: A pregnancy that develops outside the woman's uterus, usually in the fallopian tube. Egg (Oocyte): Cell produced by the ovary that contains half the normal amount of genetic material. Embryo: The developing fertilised egg from the time of conception until approximately the end of the second month. Embryo Transfer: Replacement of embryos following IVF via the cervix into the uterus, with the goal of achieving implantation and pregnancy. Endometriosis: Condition in which the lining of the uterus grows outside the uterus. Endometrium: Inner layer of the uterine wall; the structure, thickness and the state of the endometrium undergo change with the menstrual cycle. Epididymus: The tightly coiled tube on the surface of the testis where sperm mature before they are released by ejaculation.

F Fallopian Tubes: Pair of tubes attached to the uterus where sperm and egg meet in normal conception. Fertilisation: The penetration of the egg by the sperm that results in an embryo. Foetus: The developing baby from the ninth week of pregnancy until the time of birth. Fibroid: A benign muscle growth in the wall of the uterus. Fimbriae: Finger-like outer ends of the fallopian tubes that traps the egg and directs it into the fallopian tubes. Follicle: Fluid filled sac in the ovary that grows in each menstrual cycle and produces a mature egg capable of fertilisation. Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH): Hormone produced by the pituitary gland that stimulates the ovary to ripen a follicle for ovulation. Frozen Embryo Replacement (FER): The replacement of a cryopreserved embryo.

G Gamete: A sperm or an egg. Gamete IntraFallopian Transfer (GIFT): Transvaginal egg collection or via laparoscopy, combining it with the sperm and immediately placing the sperm and eggs into the fallopian tube, where fertilisation may occur. Gestational Sac: Fluid filled structure surrounding an embryo that develops within the uterine cavity in early pregnancy. Gonadotrophin Releasing Hormone (GnRH): Hormone produced by the hypothalamus that stimulates the pituitary gland to produce FSH (Follicle Stimulating Hormone) and LH (Lutenising Hormone).

H Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin (hCG): Hormone similar to LH and is used to stimulate ovulation during fertility drug treatment. Human Menopausal Gonadotrophin (hMG): Hormone that contains FSH and LH and is given by injection to induce ovulation. Hysterosalpingpgram: Radiographic procedure in which a special dye is injected into the uterus to illustrate the inner contour of the uterus and degree of openness of the fallopian tubes. Hysterescopy: Visual instrumental inspection of the cervical canal and uterine cavity through a hysteroscope (telescope).

I Implantation: The embedding of the fertilised egg in the endometrium of the uterus. Infertility: The inability of a couple to achieve a pregnancy after one year of unprotected sexual intercourse, or the inability of the woman to carry a pregnancy to live birth. Insemination: The addition of sperm into a woman's cervix or uterus for the purpose of conception or in the laboratory to eggs for IVF. IntraCytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI): Technique in which an individual sperm is injected into the nucleus of an individual egg, usually as a treatment for male infertility. In Vitro fertilisation (IVF): Method of assisted conception that involves surgically removing an egg from the ovary (by ultrasound-guided retrieval) after ovulation induction, combining it with the sperm and after fertilisation replacing the resulting embryo(s) in the woman's uterus. Also called "test tube baby". Intrauterine Insemination (IUI): Process in which prepared sperm are placed at the top of the uterine cavity, usually at the time of artificially induced ovulation.

L Laparoscopy: Visualisation of the ovaries and the exterior of the Fallopian tubes and uterus by means of inserting a surgical instrument through a small incision below the navel, one or two other incisions may be made through which additional instruments can be inserted. Luteal Phase: The second half of the menstrual cycle after ovulation when the corpus luteum secretes large amounts of progesterone, receptivity of the endometrium to implantation of a fertilised egg depends on progesterone produced in the luteal phase. Lutenising Hormone (LH): Hormone that normally triggers ovulation and stimulates the corpus luteum to secrete progesterone, it is produced and released by the pituitary gland. In the male, it stimulates testosterone production.

M Male Factor: Infertility caused by a problem in the male partner such as the inability to ejaculate or poor quality sperm preventing pregnancy from occurring. N Natural Cycle IVF: In vitro fertilisation following retrieval of preovulatory eggs from unstimulated ovaries.

O Oestrogen: Main female hormone produced by the ovaries from the cells in the wall of developing follicles. Oocyte: The immature ovum, the unfertilised female egg produced in the ovaries each month, contains the genetic information to be transmitted by the female. Ovarian Failure: The inability of the ovary to respond to any gonadotropic hormone stimulation, usually due to the absence of follicular tissue on a genetic basis or postmenopausal condition (absence of eggs). Ovary: One of the two organs in the woman's pelvis that produce an egg every month and the hormones oestrogen and progesterone. Ovulation: Spontaneous release of a mature egg from its follicle in the outer layer of the ovary, which usually occurs on approximately day 14 of a normal 28 day menstrual cycle. Ovulation Induction: Stimulation of the ovaries, generally with gonadotrophins with the objective of stimulating the development of multiple follicles and hence multiple eggs. Ovum: The unfertilised female egg produced in the ovaries each month that contains the genetic information to be transmitted by the female.

P Pituitary Gland: Small gland just beneath the hypothalamus that secretes Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) and Luteinising Hormone (LH). Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS): Development of multiple cysts in the ovaries due to anovulation. Preimplantation Genetic Screening (PGS): Early form of genetic testing to detect chromosomal abnormalities in embryos. May be useful for women of advanced maternal age or who have had repeated miscarriage or failed IVF treatment. Progesterone: Ovarian hormone secreted by the corpus luteum during the second half of the menstrual cycle after ovulation has occurred, crucial to the maintenance of an early pregnancy before the placenta begins to function.

S Semen: The carrier fluid, including sperm, released by a man at ejaculation. Semen Analysis: The study of fresh ejaculate under the microscope to count the number of sperm per millilitre, to check the shape and size of the sperm, and assess their ability to move (motility). Sperm: The male sex cell that contains the genetic information to be transmitted by the male (spermatozoa). Sperm Density: Number of sperm present per millilitre of semen. Sperm Morphology: Shape or form of the sperm cells. Sperm Motility: Sperm cells demonstrating any type of movement. Sperm Viability: Whether or not the sperm are alive. Sperm Washing: Technique that separates the sperm from the seminal fluid in preparation for use in assisted reproduction.

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