Fertility Treatment - Glossary

Adoption: The legal process in which a couple adopt a child and become its legal parents.

Annovulatory: Absence of ovulation.

Antral Follicles: Smaller follicles which develop as a result of FSH stimulation but are then reabsorbed by the body.

Assisted Hatching: The thinning of the shell or creation of a small hole in the zona of an embryo.

Athenzoospermia: Low numbers if motile sperm in the ejaculate.

Azoospermia: Absence of sperm in the ejaculate.

Blastocyst: An embryo that is 4-5 days old and is a hollow ball of cells.

Blastocyst Transfer: An embryo that has developed to five days and is transferred into the uterus.

Corpus Luteum: A ruptured follicle. The corpus luteum releases Oestrogen and progesterone. Progesterone continues to be released if fertilisation has occurred. If pregnancy does not occur, the Corpus Luteum stops producing Progesterone and the female will have a menstrual bleed.

Dysmenorrhea: Pain with menstrual bleeding.

Ectopic Pregnancy: Pregnancy that develops outside the uterus, normally used in reference to a pregnancy that develops in the fallopian tube.

Egg Collection: A procedure performed to collect the eggs produced from an IVF/ICSI cycle. This can be performed under sedation or a General Anaesthetic.

Egg Donation: A woman donates eggs through IVF/IVCSI treatment, to another woman (recipient).

Embryo: Formative stages of development from fertilisation to 8 weeks.

Embryo transfer: A procedure following IVF/ICSI in which the embryos are replaced back into the uterus.

Endometriosis: A condition which can be a cause of infertility, in which the endometrium cells are found outside the uterus.

Endometrium: The lining of the uterus which is shed in the monthly menstrual cycle.

Epididymis: Where sperm is stored in the testes.

Fallopian tubes: Tubes connected to the uterus and positioned near the ovaries. It is here that fertilisation occurs.

Fertilisation: Sperm penetrating the egg which can lead to pregnancy.

Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH): A hormone produced by the pituitary gland. In females it stimulates the growth of follicles in the ovary. In males it contributes to the production of sperm.

Follicles: Fluid filled sac in which an egg grows and develops.

Follicular Tracking: Scanning a woman during a natural cycle for ovulation.

Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone (GnRH): Produced by the Hypothalamus, it enables the production of LH and FSH.

Gonadotropins: Hormones that are part of the reproductive cycle, i.e. FSH and LH.

Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG): A hormone that is produced by the body in the early stages of pregnancy. It enables the corpus luteum to continue producing Progesterone. In assisted conception HCG is used 36 hours prior to egg retrieval to mature the eggs ready for the egg collection procedure.

Hydrosalpnx: Fluid in the fallopian tube.

Hystero Contrast Sonography (Hycosy): Procedure which checks the patency of the fallopian tubes under ultra sound.

Hysteo-Salpingpgram (HSG): Procedure which checks the patency of the fallopian tubes and the uterus under x-ray conditions.

Hysteroscopy: A procedure in which the uterine cavity is visualised by a surgeon. Can help in the diagnosis of fibroids or polyps

Implantation: For a pregnancy to continue developing the embryo needs to implant into the lining of the womb, the endometrium.

In Vitro fertilisation (IVF): A procedure where fertilisation occurs outside the body. The resulting embryos are then replaced back into the uterus.

Infertility: The inability to conceive after a year of unprotected intercourse (six months if the woman is over age 35) or the inability to carry a pregnancy to term.

Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI): A procedure in which a single sperm is injected into a mature egg. Normally offered to couples where the male sperm count is low or there is poor motility. It can also be offered to couples who have experienced failed fertilisation following IVF.

Intrauterine Insemination (IUI): A procedure in which sperm is prepared and then passed directly into the uterus by a fine catheter.

Laparoscopy: A procedure in which the surgeon passes a scope by making a small incision under the belly button to explore the internal structure of the pelvis, in particular the ovaries, fallopian tube the uterus.

Luteinizing Hormone (LH): A hormone which is produced by the Pituitary. In women it is essential for the production of Oestrogen. In males it is necessary for the process of spermatogenesis and Testosterone.

Menstrual Cycle: Normally a 28 day cycle in which ovulation occurs around day 14 and if fertilisation does not occur, results in a bleed around day 28.

Menorrhagia: Heavy menstrual bleeding.

Miscarriage: Spontaneous loss of a viable embryo or fetus in the womb.

Oestrogen: A hormone that aids the thickening of the endometrium lining. It is also produced in small quantities in the male.

Ovary: Female reproductive organ which produces a follicle on a monthly basis under hormonal influences.

Ovarian drilling: Surgical procedure offered to women with PCO. Small holes are drilled into the ovary to reduce cysts present in an attempt to regulate the menstrual cycle and aid conception.

Ovulation: The release of the egg (ovum) from the ovarian follicle.

Ovulation Induction: Medical treatment performed to initiate ovulation.

PESA: Percutaneous Epididymal Sperm Aspiration

PGD: Pre- Genetic Implantation Diagnosis. The analysis of a cell, under laboratory conditions, from an embryo to check for genetic disease.

PID: Pelvic Inflammatory disease.

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome: An endocrine disorder affecting the function of the ovaries.

PMT: Premenstrual Tension. These are symptoms arising from hormonal changes, normally occurring a week before menstrual bleed. They can include irritability, tearfulness and mood swings.

Premature Ovarian failure: Indicated by an elevated FSH. The ovaries are no longer producing follicles, this can be due to congenital, genetic, chromosomal or damage caused by toxic drugs, such as chemotherapy.

Progesterone: This hormone is produced by the corpus luteum during the second half of a woman's cycle. It thickens the lining of the uterus to prepare for the implantation of a fertilised egg.

Pronuculate egg: Fertilised egg.

Seminiferous tubules: Sperm is developed and grows in the tubules.

Shared egg Donation: A woman who needs IVF/ICSI treatment shares her yield of eggs with another couple.

Sperm: The gamete that contains the genetic material of the male.

Sperm count: One of the parameter’s that is checked in a semen sample i.e. the number of sperm present in the ejaculate.

Sperm Donation: Donation of sperm, from another person, to help couples conceive.

Spermatogenesis: The production of sperm.

Sperm motility: Another parameter that it checked in the semen sample. It is the ability of the sperm to swim to the egg that enables fertilisation to occur.

STD: Sexually transmitted disease, such as Chlamydia.

Surrogacy: A woman carries a pregnancy for a couple.

Testosterone: This hormone aids the production of sperm. It is also found in smaller quantities in women.

TESE: Testicular Sperm Extraction

Testes: Where sperm is manufactured.

Uterus: The womb.

Vagina: Birth Canal

Vaginal Ultrasound: Internal scan which enables clear images the reproductive organs in a female. This will be used to assess follicular development during treatment.

Vas deferens: Tubes which carry sperm from the epididymis to the urethra.

Vasectomy: A surgical procedure which cuts the passages that transport the sperm.

Zona: Shell surrounding the egg/ embryo.