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A
AIDS (ACQUIRED IMMUNE DEFICIENCY SYNDROME) - As defined by the Center for Disease Control (CDC): "a reliably diagnosed disease that is moderately indicative of an underlying cellular immune deficiency" with "no known underlying cause of cellular immune deficiency or other cause of reduced resistance reported to be with the disease."

ADHESIONS - Scar tissues that attach to the surfaces of organs.

ANDROLOGIST - An MD/Ph.D. who specializes in the study of male reproduction.

ANOVULATION - The total absence of ovulation. Menses may still occur.

ASSISTED HATCHING - A microinjection procedure which chemically dissolves the embryo surface to facilitate implantation.

AZOOSPERMIA - The absence of sperm in the seminal fluid. This may be due to a blockage or an impairment of sperm production.

B
BASAL BODY TEMPERATURE - The body temperature of a person recorded immediately upon awakening, before any activity is undertaken. The temperature can be taken orally or rectally. The temperature is recorded daily on a graph, which can show some evidence of ovulation.

BETA hCG TEST (BhCG) - A blood test to determine pregnancy.

BIOCHEMICAL PREGNANCY - See chemical pregnancy.

BLIGHTED OVUM (EGG) - A general term used to mean a fertilized egg that fails to survive after implantation in the uterus.

BROMOCRIPTINE (PARLODEL) - An oral medication used to lower prolactin levels.

C
CANCELED CYCLE - Discontinuation of the cycle due to one of the following: poor response, no oocyte recovery, or failed fertilization.

CBC (Complete Blood Count) - A routine preoperative blood test that gives information regarding infection and anemia.

CERVICAL MUCUS - Secretions produced by the cervix which vary in viscosity according to the phase of the menstrual cycle, and become penetrable by sperm in the days preceding ovulation.

CERVIX - The lower section of the uterus which protrudes into the vagina and dilates during labor to allow the passage of the infant.

CHEMICAL PREGNANCY - A positive hCG level in the blood that fails to continue to rise and does not lead to a clinical pregnancy.

CLOMIPHENE CITRATE (CLOMID/SEROPHENE) - A synthetic drug used to stimulate production of FSH and LH. It is usually used to treat ovulation failure due to hypothalamic pituitary dysfunction.

CONGENITAL - A characteristic or defect present at birth, acquired during pregnancy, but not necessarily hereditary.

CRYOPRESERVATION (Embryo Freezing) - A procedure used to preserve (by freezing) and store embryos or sperm.

CYCLE - Refers to the period of time when infertility treatment is initiated and continues until treatment is discontinued or completed.

E
ECTOPIC PREGNANCY - A pregnancy in which the fertilized egg implants outside the uterine cavity (usually in the fallopian tube, the ovary or the abdominal cavity).

EMBRYO - The term used to describe the early stages of fetal growth, from conception to the eighth week of pregnancy.

ENDOMETRIOSIS - The presence of the normal uterine lining (endometrial tissue) in areas outside of the uterus such as the tubes, ovaries and peritoneal cavity. This condition often causes painful menstruation and infertility.

ENDOMETRIUM - The mucous membrane lining the uterus.

EPIDIDYMIS - The elongated organ in the male lying above and behind the testicles. It contains a highly convoluted canal four to six meters in length where, after production, sperm are stored, nourished and ripened for a period of several months.

ESTRADIOL LEVEL (E2 LEVEL) - A form of estrogen measured to determine follicular maturation prior to ovulation.

ESTROGEN - A class of female hormones responsible for the development of secondary sexual characteristics. Estrogen is produced mainly by the ovaries from the onset of puberty until menopause.

F
FALLOPIAN TUBE - Either of a pair of tubes that conduct eggs from the ovary to the uterus. Normal fertilization takes place within this structure.

FERTILIZATION - Penetration of an egg by a sperm and the fusion of genetic materials.

FERTINEX - A purified form of FSH which can be administered subcutaneously. Similar in function to Metrodin.

FETAL REDUCTION - A medical procedure to decrease the number of fetuses in a multiple gestation.

FETUS - The developing human organism after the embryo stage, from the ninth week of pregnancy to the moment of birth.

FIBROID/MYOMA - A noncancerous tumor found within the wall of the uterus.

FOLLICLE - Fluid-filled structure on the ovary which contains the ripening egg, from which the egg is released at ovulation or retrieved during the treatment cycle.

FOLLICLE STIMULATING HORMONE (FSH) - A hormone produced in the anterior pituitary gland that stimulates the ovary to ripen a follicle for ovulation.

FOLLICULAR PHASE - The portion of the menstrual cycle when ovarian follicle development takes place.

G
GAMETE - A sperm or an egg.

GAMETE INTRAFALLOPIAN TUBE TRANSFER (GIFT) - A procedure where a sperm - egg mixture is transferred by laparoscopy into the fallopian tubes where natural fertilization may occur.

GESTATION - The period of fetal development in the uterus from conception to birth, usually considered to be 40 weeks in humans.

GESTATIONAL CARRIER - A woman, who is not the genetic parent, carries the pregnancy to term, and then gives the child to the responsible parents.

GnRH (GONADOTROPIN RELEASE HORMONE; LHRH) - A hormone released from the hypothalamus that controls the synthesis and release of the pituitary hormones FSH and LH.

GONADOTROPIN - A hormone capable of stimulating the testicles or the ovaries to produce sperm or and egg respectively.

H
HIV - A retrovirus that causes acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). It is transmitted by the exchange of bodily fluids or blood transfusions.

HORMONAL ASSAY - Also known as hormone tests. These include: FSH (follicle stimulating hormone), LH (luteinizing hormone), DHEA-S (dehydroepiandresterone), prolactin and progesterone. A hormone is a chemical substance that is produced in the body by an organ or cells of an organ which has a specific regulatory effect on the activity of another organ.

HUMAN CHORIONIC GONADOTROPIN (hCG) (PREGNYL/PROFASI) - A hormone secreted by the placenta during pregnancy that prolongs the life of the corpus luteum, stimulates progesterone production and thus preserves the pregnancy. This hormone accounts for a pregnancy test being positive. It may also be administered therapeutically (PREGNYL/PROFASI) for some infertility problems.

HUMAN MENOPAUSAL GONADOTROPIN (hMG) (PERGONAL/HUMEGON) - A natural product containing both human FSH and LH. These hormones are extracted from the urine of postmenopausal women. The drug is used to treat both male and female infertility and to stimulate the development of multiple oocytes in the female.

HUMEGON - Human menopausal gonadotropins (hMG), a drug containing both FSH and LH. Humegon acts the same as Pergonal and acts directly on the ovaries to stimulate the development of follicles.

HYDROCELE - A swelling in the scrotum containing fluid.

HYSTERECTOMY - The removal of the uterus which can be total (including removal of the ovaries and tubes) or partial (just the uterus and sometimes including the cervix).

HYSTEROSALPINGOGRAM (HSG, HYSTEROGRAM, TUBOGRAM) - An x-ray procedure during which dye is introduced into the uterus through the cervix and passed through the tubes to determine if they are open. This also shows the configuration of the uterus (any irregularities, fibroids, etc.)

HYSTEROSCOPY - A surgical procedure where a telescope-like device is inserted through the cervix to allow visualization of the inside of the uterus. This procedure is sometimes performed in conjunction with a laparoscopy.

I
IDIOPATHIC INFERTILITY (UNEXPLAINED 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 the woman to carry a pregnancy to live birth.

INTRACYTOPLASMIC SPERM INJECTION (ICSI) - A microinsemination procedure where 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) - The procedure during which an egg is removed from ripe follicle and fertilized by a sperm outside the human body.

L
LAPAROSCOPY - A surgical procedure where a telescope-like device is inserted through a small incision near the navel in order to visualize the pelvic cavity, the ovaries, fallopian tubes and uterus.

LEUPROLIDE ACETATE (LUPRON) - A GnRH analog which stimulates the female hormones initially, then suppresses a woman's secretion of FSH and LH, thus creating a pseudo menopause. Lupron has been extensively used in the United States and has been found to increase the number of follicles, oocytes (eggs), and embryos obtained, with a decreased chance of cancellation of the cycle.

LH (LUTEINIZING HORMONE) - A hormone secreted by the anterior pituitary that causes the mature egg to be released by the ovary (ovulation). In the male, LH stimulates testosterone production.

LH SURGE - A spontaneous release of large amounts of luteinizing hormone (LH). This normally results in the release of a mature egg (ovulation).

LUPRON "DOWN REGULATION" - A treatment cycle in which Lupron is used to suppress a woman's internal hormone secretion before injection of hMG to stimulate follicular development.

LUPRON "FLARE" - This stimulation takes advantage of the initial rise or "Flare" of gonadotrophins (LH & FSH) which occurs 24 hours after the start of Lupron administration. This "flare" response is then augmented by giving other fertility agents.

LUTEAL PHASE - The days of a menstrual cycle following ovulation and ending with menses.

M
MALE FACTOR INFERTILITY - The term or diagnosis used to describe the condition when the couple's infertility is attributed to the male partner.

METRODIN - A preparation of FSH used to stimulate development and maturation of follicles.

MICROINSEMINATION - A laboratory technique whereby sperm are injected next to the egg cell surface to increase the likelihood of fertilization.

MICROMANIPULATION - Procedure by which a single sperm is injected under the outer layer of the egg to induce fertilization. This procedure is potentially useful for successful treatment of male factor infertility.

MONOGAMOUS - An exclusive sexual relationship between 2 individuals.

MOTILITY - The percentage of all moving sperm in a semen sample. Normally 50% or more are moving rapidly.

MULTIPLE BIRTH - The birth of two or more offspring produced in the same gestational period.

MYOMECTOMY - The surgical removal of fibroid tumors from the wall of the uterus.

O
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.

OLIGO-OVULATION - Irregular ovulation.

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 - Eggs that are removed from the ovaries of one woman for use by another.

OOCYTE RETRIEVAL - A surgical procedure, usually under sedation, to collect the eggs contained with the ovarian follicles. A needle is inserted into the follicle, the fluid and egg are aspirated into the needle and then placed into a culture medium - filled dish.

OVULATION - Release of a mature egg from the surface of the ovary.

OVULATION INDUCTION - The use of female hormone therapy (Clomiphene citrate, Pergonal/Humegon, Metrodin, hCG) to stimulate oocyte development and release.

P
PAPANICOLAOU SMEAR - Also known as Pap Smear. This is a screening test to evaluate the cells of the cervix to determine if they are normal. It is done by using a cyto-brush and a wooden spatula in the cervical canal. A pathologist then examines the cells under a microscope.

PELVIC INFLAMMATORY DISEASE (PID) - Inflammatory disease of the pelvis, often caused by infection.

PERGONAL - Human menopausal gonadotropin (hMG), a drug containing both FSH and LH. Pergonal acts directly on the ovaries to stimulate the development of follicles.

POSTCOITAL TEST (PCT) - Microscopic study of samples of vaginal and cervical secretions taken several hours after sexual relations and examined for live, moving sperm. Also known as Sims-Huhner Test.

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. Measurement of blood level of prolactin is useful in providing an index of functional disorder within the hypothalamic-pituitary axis that may lead to failure to ovulate properly.

R
RUBELLA TITER - A blood test which determines if the patient is immune to rubella (German measles). If immunity is not present the patient may be advised to have a rubella vaccination, wait three months before attempting pregnancy, and then re-test for immunity.

S
SECONDARY INFERTILITY - The inability to conceive or carry a pregnancy after having conceived and carried one or more pregnancies.

SEMEN - The sperm and seminal secretions ejaculated during orgasm.

SEMEN ANALYSIS (SA) - Freshly ejaculated semen is observed under a microscope to evaluate the number of sperm (count), the percentage of moving sperm (motility), and to assess the size and shape of the sperm (morphology).

SPERM ANTIBODIES (IMMUNOLOGICAL RESPONSE) - Antibodies against sperm cells which may attack and destroy them. These antibodies can be produced either by men against their own sperm or by the woman.

SPERM WASH - 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. In most men the first specimen will contain the vast majority of the sperm. The first portion can then be used to inseminate the eggs.

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 which 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 - This technique separates motile sperm from non-motile sperm and cellular debris in a semen sample. The most motile sperm will "swim-up" in a small volume of media so they can be more easily separated for insemination.

T
TESTICLES - The two male sexual glands contained in the scrotum. They produce the male hormone testosterone and produce the male reproductive cells, the sperm.

TESTICULAR BIOPSY - A small excision of testicular tissue to determine the ability of the cells to produce normal sperm.

TESTOSTERONE - The most potent male sex hormone; produced in the testes.

TET (Tubal Embryo Transfer) - A process where a fertilized and divided egg is transferred to the fallopian tubes.

TI - Therapeutic or artificial insemination. During this procedure sperm from a male partner or from a donor (TDI) is placed into a woman's vagina or cervix.

U
ULTRASOUND - Technique for visualizing the follicles in the ovaries and the fetus in the uterus, allowing the estimation of size.

UTERUS - The hollow, muscular organ in the woman that holds and nourishes the fetus until the time of birth.

V
VAGINAL ULTRASOUND - Visualization of soft tissue by projecting sound waves through a probe which is inserted into the vagina. A baseline ultrasound shows the ovaries in their normal state. A follicular ultrasound shows egg follicle maturation. A pregnancy ultrasound shows if a pregnancy is intrauterine or tubal and measures growth.

VARICOCELE - A collection of varicose veins in the scrotum. Blood flows in an abnormal direction in these veins towards the testicles.

VAS DEFERENS - A pair of thick-walled tubes about 45cm long in the male that lead from the epididymis to the ejaculatory duct in the prostate. During ejaculation, the ducts make wave-like contractions to propel sperm forward.

Z
ZYGOTE - An embryo in the early stages of development.

ZYGOTE INTRAFALLOPIAN TRANSFER (ZIFT) - The transfer of a zygote, or fertilized egg into a fallopian tube one day after fertilization.

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