Infertility

Glossary

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, Habitual	A condition whereby three or more pregnancies have been lost to miscarriage.(Also termed Recurrent Pregnancy Loss)
Abortion, Incomplete	An abortion after which some fetal tissues remain in-utero. Often requires a dilatation and curettage (D&C) to remove the tissue from the uterus.
Abortion, Spontaneous	A loss of pregnancy during the first trimester
Abortion, Therapeutic	An elective termination of pregnancy
Abortion, Threatened	A pregnancy at risk of spontaneously aborting. Symptoms are cramping, spotting or bleeding during pregnancy
ACTH	Adrenocorticotropic hormone a hormone: that stimulates the adrenal glands. High levels may lead to infertility problems.
Adhesions	A type of scar tissue often found in the pelvic cavity that can obstruct or impair implantation of the embryo in the uterus. Usually form as a result of infection, endometriosis or surgery.
Adrenal Androgens	'Male' hormones produced by the adrenal gland that may cause fertility problems when present in excessive amounts. Often found in patients with PCOD (Polycystic Ovarian Disease).
Agglutination	Act of sperm clumping together, often in response to anti-sperm antibodies.
Alpha-fetoprotein	A blood test that evaluates the developing fetus for possible congenital abnormalities.
A.I.D.	Artificial Insemination Donor- see also D.I. - insemination using donor sperm
A.I.H.	Artificial Insemination Homologous- artificial insemination with husband's sperm. Now called simply HI for homologous or husband insemination
Amenorrhea	Lack of menstruation for 6 months or more.
Androgens	Male sex hormones.
Andrologist	Physician who specializes in make reproductive disorders.
Anovulation	Absence of ovulation.
Antisperm Antibodies	Antibodies produced by the immune system that attack sperm as a foreign substance entering body.
Artificial Insemination	Deposition of sperm in vagina near cervix, often used in combination with ovulation drugs to improve timing and conditions for gamete interactions. Now called DI for donor insemination.
Asherman's Syndrome	Intrauterine adhesions.
A.R.T.	Assisted Reproductive Technologies: a generic term encompassing IVF, GIFT, ZIFT, ICSI, and many other technologies involving work with sperm and eggs in an embryology laboratory.
Azoospermic	Complete absence of sperm in semen. May be due to reproductive tract blockage or lack of sperm production.
B.B.T.	Basal Body Temperature charts used to predict time of ovulation. Biphasic charts are normal, with slight elevation of temperature in second half of cycle. Monphasic charts are abnormal, with relatively constant temperature.
Beta hCG Test	A blood pregnancy test used to follow early embryo development.
Board Certified	A Board Certified Physician has completed an approved residency program, written and oral examinations. A Board Certified Reproductive Endocrinologist has successfully completed an additional 2 or 3 year fellowship in reproductive medicine, passed written and oral exams and published and defended a thesis based on his/her own research.
Bromocriptine	A generic name for a drug used to reduce high prolactin levels in women
Cervical Mucus	A somewhat sticky fluid covering the cervix that changes in consistency throughout the woman's menstrual cycle. During ovulation thick mucus becomes more watery and stringy, allowing passage of sperm.
Cervical Stenosis	A stricture or scarring of the cervical canal.
Clomiphene Citrate	A common ovulation drug available under several commercial names such as Clomid and Serophene.
Coitus	Sexual intercourse.
Cryptorchidism	"Hidden testis". Occurs when a testis is abnormally positioned high in the scrotum- often elevated into the abdomen.
Corpus Luteum	A glandular structure forming from the burst folliculler cyst upon ovulation. Responsible for releasing progesterone in the second half of the menstrual cycle and to prepare the womb for implantation.
D&C (Dilatation and Curettage )	A procedure whereby the cervix is dilated and the uterine lining is scraped to remove fetal tissue, or sometimes polyps or fibroids, and for diagnostic purposes.
Danazol	A common medication used in endometriosis treatment to suppress LH and FSH production and give a woman a temporary menopause. May cause notable side effects for the patient.
Doxycycline	An antibiotic that is often used in treatment of reproductive tract infections. Often prescribed as a preventive measure.
Dysmenorrhea	Abnormal pain during menstruation.
Dypareunia	Pain during intercouse.
Ectopic Pregnancy	Embryo implantation outside of the uterus, typically in the fallopian tube.
Egg Retrieval	A surgical procedure to obtain eggs from follicles in the uterus for use in IVF/GIFT cycles. Usually involves ultrasound and a small needle passed though the top of the vagina.
Embryo Transfer	Placing fertilized eggs (embryos) back into the woman's uterus or fallopian tube.
Endometrial Biopsy	A procedure whereby a small sample of the uterine lining is removed and sent to pathology for evaluation.
Endometriosis	A condition where growth of endometrial tissues occurs in areas outside the uterus causing irritation, pain, adhesions, infertitily and other pelvic abnormalities.
Epididymis	The upper portion of the testicle - responsible for maturation of sperm prior to ejaculation.
Estradiol	The female hormone produced by the ovary
Fibroid	Benign tumor of the uterine muscle. Also called a Myoma.
FSH (Follicle Stimulating Hormone)	Hormone secreted by the pituitary gland responsible for stimulating follicular development during the first half of the menstrual cycle.
Follicular Phase	The first half (pre-ovulation) portion of the woman's menstrual cycle. Marked by growth of the endometrial lining of the uterus, maturing of eggs in follicles and elevated estrogen levels.
Gamete Intrafallopian Transfer (G.I.F.T.)	A procedure whereby eggs are surgically 'harvested' from a woman and combined with a washed specimen of husband or donor sperm and placed in the fallopian tubes.
Gonadotropins	A generic term referring to pituitary FSH and LH hormones that stimulate the ovaries.
GnRH	Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone Agonist. A hormone released intermittently by the pituitary gland every 90 minutes. Enables the pituitary to produce and release FSH and LH.
hCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin)	The pregnancy hormone, often used to stimulate ovulation by injection at ,mid-cycle in controlled ovarian hyperstimulation cycles.
H.E.P.A.	Hamster Egg Penetration Assay: a test of semen quality to check what percentage of hamster eggs in a petri dish are penetrated by sperm. Also allows analysis of sperm motility and morphology.
hMG (Human Menopausal Gonadotropins)	A combination of FSH and LH derived from menopausal women. These hormones are used to induce ovulation of one or more eggs.
Hysterectomy	Surgical removal of the uterus.
Hysterosalpingogram (HSG)	A diagnostic image of pelvic organs through a radiopaque dye injected into the uterus and fallopian tubes. A common procedure in initial pelvic evaluation.
Hysteroscopy	A minimally invasive procedure where a fiberoptic 'telescope' is passed through the vagina into the uterus to examine the inside for abnormalities.
Intra-Cytoplasmic Sperm Injection (I.C.S.I.)	A breakthrough technique where a single sperm can be microsurgically injected into the cytoplasm of an egg to develop into a fertilized embryo. Procedure has given new hope to men with poor semen quality or azoospermia.
InVitro Fertilization I.V.F.	A procedure whereby retrieved eggs are fertilized with washed semen in a petri dish outside of the body and re-implanted into the uterus after successful fertilization.
Infertility	Clinically defined as an inability to conceive and carry a full term pregnancy after a year of unprotected sexual intercourse, or 6 months for a woman over the age of 35.
Laparoscopy	A minimally invasive surgical procedure that allows examination of pelvic organs through a fiberoptic telescope (laparoscope).
Laparotomy	Surgical procedure involving an incision in the abdominal wall.
Luteal Phase	The second half (post-ovulatory) of the woman's menstrual cycle, marked by elevated progesterone levels
Luteinizing Hormone	Commonly called LH, a surge in this hormone triggers ovulation 14 days before the end of the woman's cycle.
Ovarian Cyst	A fluid filled sac growing in the ovaries. Often leads to ovulatory disorders.
Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS/Hyperstim)	A rare but potentially serious complication during ovarian stimulation in which ovaries develop too many follicles.
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (P.I.D.)	An infection of organs in the pelvic cavity which can lead to severe complications such as tubal blockage and adhesions.
Pergonal	A brand name for hMG's used to replace the pituitary hormones (FSH & LH). Often used in patients who fail to respond to clomiphene citrate ovarian stimulation.
PolyCystic Ovarian Syndrome ( P.C.O.S.)	A condition whereby the patient suffers from multiple cysts in her ovaries. Often corresponds with elevated levels of androgens. Also called Polycystic Ovarian Disease. Also called Polycystic Ovarian Disease.
Post Coital Test	An analysis of cervical mucus within a few hours of coitus to inspect interaction between sperm and cervical mucus.
Progesterone	A hormone produced predominantly during the second half of the menstrual cycle to facilitate the development of the uterine lining so the embryo can implant.
Prolactin	Hormone that is responsible for production of breast milk in women. Excessive levels may be a factor in infertility.
Resistant Ovary	An ovary that fails to respond to FSH stimulation.
Salpingectomy	A surgical procedure to remove one or both fallopian tubes.
Semen Analysis	A test to assess sperm quality based upon the following characteristics: ejaculate volume, appearance, consistency, sperm morphology, sperm motility, sperm concentration and antibody presence.
Sonogram (Ultrasound)	Imaging of internal systems through high frequency sound waves.
Sperm Morphology	The shape of ejaculated sperm.
Spermatogenesis	The process of sperm production.
Sterility	A clinically irreversible condition that permanently prevents conception.
Testicular Biopsy	A minor surgical procedure typically performed by a urologist to ascertain the cause of testicular malfunction.
Turner's Syndrome	A genetic disorder in which women have only one X chromosome. Frequently causes infertility.
Ultrasound	See 'Sonogram'
Urologist	A specialist physician who manages genitourinary tract diseases.
Varicocoele	An enlarged vein that causes increased blood circulation in the scrotal areas, causing elevated scrotal temperatures, possibly leading to male infertility.
Vasectomy	Male sterilization via surgical obstruction of the vas deferens tubes
Zygote Intra-Fallopian Transfer (Z.I.F.T.)	A procedure whereby retrieved eggs are fertilized outside of the woman's body and returned to her fallopian tubes.