A-
Amenorrhea: The absence or abnormal stopping of menstruation that can be caused by diet, hormone imbalance, exercise or emotional stress.
Anovulation: The absence of ovulation (the discharge of an ovum from the ovary to the Fallopian tube).
A.R.T.: Assisted Reproductive Technology.
Artificial insemination: The procedure in which sperm is placed into the uterus to help achieve pregnancy.
Assisted hatching: A type of micromanipulation performed in the lab, a few minutes before embryo replacement, done to improve implantation. The embryologist makes a chemical opening on the zona pellucida of the embryo to allows the embryo to break through the outer shell before implantation.
Assisted Reproductive Technology: A set of techniques used to help subfertile couples achieve pregnancy. In this group of techniques ovarian stimulation and intrauterine insemination, in vitro fertilization are included.
Azoospermia: The absence of sperm in the ejaculate.
B-
Biochemical pregnancy:Biochemical pregnancy:: A pregnancy confirmed by blood and urine test only.
C-
Capacitation: The change the sperm undergo when passing through the female reproductive tract that gives them the capacity to penetrate and fertilize the ovum.
Cervix: The lower part of the uterus which protrudes into the vagina. The cervix dilates during labor and allows the passage of the fetus during delivery.
Clinical pregnancy: An ultrasound-confirmed gestational sac within the uterus with an increasing level of hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin).
Conception: The fertilization of a woman's egg by a man's sperm to form an embryo.
Controlled ovarian hyperstimulation: Stimulation of the ovaries, generally with gonadotropins, with the goal of increasing the development of multiple follicles, then multiple eggs are harvested.
Corpus luteum: A special formation on the surface of the ovary where ovulation took place and an egg discharged. This formation produces progesterone during the second half of the menstrual cycle. Its function is necessary to prepare the endometrium or uterine lining for implantation by the fertilized egg.
Cryopreservation: A procedure used to the viability of cells or tissue by storing at very low temperatures. Cryopreservation is used to preserve and store embryos or gametes (sperm or eggs).
D-
Donor Egg:An assisted reproductive technology employing the use of donated egg(s) in a recipient couple undergoing in vitro fertilization; the donor undergoes ovarian stimulation prior to egg harvesting or retrieval and fertilization is performed in vitro with the recipient's partner's sperm; after fertilization and embryo culture, the embryo(s) is replaced into the uterus.
E-
Ectopic pregnancy: A pregnancy that develops outside of the uterus. Ectopic pregnancies are most frequently found in the Fallopian tube.
Egg retrieval: procedure.
Embryo: The developing being from conception until approximately the end of the second month.
Embryo transfer: Replacement of embryos, following in vitro fertilization (IVF).
Endometriosis: A disease whose origin is postulated in the emigration of endometrial cells from their normal location (inside the uterus) to other locations.
Endometrium: The inner lining of the uterine wall that contains a tissue that cyclically shed under the influence of hormones.
Estrogen: A hormone produced mainly by the ovaries from puberty to menopause which is responsible for thickening the uterine lining during the first half of the menstrual cycle in preparation for ovulation and possible pregnancy.
F-
Fallopian tubes: Pair of tubes attached to the uterus where sperm and egg meet in spontaneous conception.
Fertilization: The penetration of the egg by the sperm and fusion the 2 cells to create an embryo.
Fetus: The developing baby from the ninth week of pregnancy until the moment of birth.
Follicle: The fluid-filled formation in the ovary that grows and nurtures the maturing egg and from the follicle the egg is discharged during ovulation.
Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH): A hormone produced and released from the pituitary gland that stimulates the ovary to help stimulate a follicle where an egg grows and is later ovulated.
Frozen embryo transfer: The replacement of frozen embryo in a monitored, natural or a medicated hormone replacement cycle.
G-
Gamete: The male and female reproductive cells - the sperm and the egg.
Gestational sac: A fluid-filled structure surrounding an embryo that begins to develop in early pregnancy within the uterus.
Gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH): Hormone secreted by the hypothalamus that signals the pituitary gland to release FSH and LH into the bloodstream.
Gonadotropin releasing hormone agonist (GnRHa): An agonist for a hormone capable of stimulating the testicles or the ovaries to produce sperm or an egg, respectively.
H-
Hirsutism: The growth of excessive bodily and facial hair in women due to an excess of androgen.
Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG): A hormone produced by the placenta during pregnancy; its detection is the basis for the most precise pregnancy tests.
Human menopausal gonadotropin (hMG): A medication used in ovarian stimulation that contains FSH as well as LH. This medication comes from the urine of postmenopausal women.
Hyperstimulation syndrome: A possible side effect of ovarian stimulation treatment in which multiple follicles grow and enlarge ovaries until they are big and painful and fluid may accumulate in the abdomen and chest.
Hypothalamus: A small area in the base of the brain that controls that regulates the pituitary gland.
Hysterosalpingogram: A procedure which consists in a series of x-rays of the pelvis after having injected dye into the uterus where the inner contour of the uterus and if the Fallopian tubes are patent.
Hysteroscopy: Inspection of the cervical canal and uterine cavity through an optical lens called a hysteroscope.
I-
Implantation: The embedding of the embryo in the endometrium or lining of the uterus.
Infertility: The inability of a couple to achieve a pregnancy after one year of unprotected sex, or the inability of the woman to carry a pregnancy to term.
Insemination: A procedure where semen is placed in the uterus for the purpose of conception.
Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI): ICSI is a micromanipulation procedure in which a selected sperm is injected directly into the cytoplasm of the egg.
In vitro fertilization (IVF): A method of assisted reproduction that involves ovarian stimulation, ultrasound-guided egg retrieval, combining the eggs with sperm in the laboratory and after fertilization, replacing the resulting embryo(s) in the woman's uterus.
Intrauterine Insemination: The procedure in which sperm is placed into the uterus to help achieve pregnancy.
J-, K-
L-
Laparoscopy: Visualization of the ovaries and the exterior of the Fallopian tubes and uterus by an optical lens inserted into the abdomen through a small incision below the naval; one or two other punctures may be made to add other instruments to perform surgery.
Luteal phase: The second half of the menstrual cycle after ovulation when the corpus luteum secretes large amounts of progesterone; Progesterone is needed to prepare the endometrium for embryo implantation.
Luteal phase defect: A deficit in progesterone production in the luteal phase of the cycle causing a suboptimal endometrium.
Luteinizing hormone (LH): A hormone produced by the pituitary gland that triggers ovulation and causes the corpus luteum to secrete progesterone.
M-
Male factor: Infertility caused by deficit in sperm quality, quantity or motility which prevents pregnancy.
N-
O-
Oligospermia: An abnormally low number of sperm in the ejaculate of the male.
Ongoing pregnancy: A clinical pregnancy which is continuing but undelivered at time of reporting.
Oocyte: The egg which an ovary produces every month which is the female contribution to the future being.
Oocyte retrieval: Ultrasound-guided follicular aspiration of follicles to obtain eggs after ovarian stimulation in IVF cycle.
Ovarian failure: The inability of the ovary to respond to stimulation usually due to menopause.
Ovarian reserve: The amount of antral follicles which indicates the probability of pregnancy.
Ovaries: The female organs situated on each side of the uterus which produce estrogen and progesterone, and where eggs develop.
Ovulation: The discharge of a mature egg from its follicle to the Fallopian tubes which usually occurs on approximately day 14 of a normal 28-day menstrual cycle.
Ovum : The unfertilized egg which is produced each month by an ovary, that contains the genetic information to be transmitted by the female to the future being.
P-
Pituitary gland: A small organ situated below the hypothalamus that secretes FSH and LH.
Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS): Ovaries with multiple cysts due to arrested follicular growth and lack of monthly ovulation
Post coital test (PCT): An examination of a woman's cervical mucus after she has had intercourse in order to see how the sperm move in the mucus and the number.
Progesterone: A hormone produced by the corpus luteum in the luteal phase after ovulation. The placenta produces progesterone during pregnancy.
Prolactin: A hormone produced by the pituitary gland that stimulates milk production.
Q-, R-
S-
Semen: The sperm and seminal secretions ejaculated by the male during orgasm.
Sperm: Also called spermatozoon which is the male sex cell that contains the genetic information transmitted to the future being.
Sperm density: The number of sperm present per ml of semen.
Sperm morphology: Shape of the sperm cells.
Sperm motility: How sperm cells move.
Sperm viability: Whether or not the sperm are alive.
Spontaneous miscarriage: A pregnancy ending in miscarriage without therapeutic procedure.
T-
Testicle: The two male sexual glands located in the scrotum which produce testosterone and produce sperm.
Testosterone: The male sex hormone produced in the testicles.
Therapeutic abortion: A pregnancy which is terminated electively.
Tubal patency: Unobstructed Fallopian tubes.
U-
Ultrasound: A technique using soundwaves to visualize the pelvic organs.
Uterus: A hollow, muscular organ that is part of the female reproductive tract and is the source of a woman's menses and during pregnancy houses the fetus.
V-
Vagina: A passageway in the woman which connects the external sex organs with the cervix and uterus.
Varicocele: A varicose vein of the testicles which can cause infertility sometimes.
W-, X-, Y-
Z-
Zona pellucida: The outer shell of the egg that the sperm must penetrate before fertilization can occur.
Zygote: An embryo in early development state.
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