Dictionary

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 Spontaneous: A pregnancy loss during the first twenty weeks of gestation

Abortion threatened: Spotting or bleeding that occurs early in the pregnancy. May progress to spontaneous abortion.

Adhesion: Scar tissue occurring in the abdominal cavity, fallopian tubes or inside the uterus. Adhesions can interfere with transport of the egg and implantation of the embryo in the uterus.

Amenorrhoea: The cessation of the menstrual periods for six months or more at a time.

Anovulation: The failure to ovulate, ovulatory failure.

Antisperm Antibodies: Antibodies are produced by the immune system to fight off foreign substances, like bacteria. Antisperm antibodies attach themselves to sperm and inhibit movement and their ability to fertilise.

Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART): Several procedures employed to bring about conception without sexual intercourse, including IVF, GIFT and ZIFT.

Asthenozoospermia: Low sperm motility

Azoospermia: Semen containing no sperm, either because the testicles cannot make sperm or because of blockage in the reproductive tract.

Basal Body Temperature (BBT): Your body temperature when taken at its lowest point, usually in the morning before getting out of bed. Charting BBT is used to predict ovulation.

Beta HCG Test: A blood test used to detect very early pregnancies and to evaluate embryonic development.

Cervical Mucus: A viscous fluid plugging the opening of the cervix. Most of the time this thick mucus plug prevents sperm and bacteria from entering the womb. However, at midcycle, under the influence of estrogen, the mucus becomes thin, watery and stringy to allow sperm to pass into the womb.

Cervix: The opening between the uterus and vagina. The Cervical Mucus plugs the cervical canal and normally prevents foreign materials from entering the reproductive tract. The cervix remains closed during pregnancy and dilates during labour and delivery to allow the baby to be born.

Corpus Luteum: The yellow-pigmented glandular structure that forms from the ovarian follicle following ovulation. The gland produces progesterone, which is responsible for preparing and supporting the uterine lining for implantation. Progesterone also causes the half-degree basal temperature elevation noted at midcycle during an ovulatory cycle. If the corpus luteum functions poorly, the uterine lining may not support a pregnancy. If the egg is fertilised, a corpus luteum of pregnancy forms to maintain the endometrial bed and support the implanted embryo. A deficiency in the amount of progesterone produced (or length of time it is produced) by the corpus luteum can mean that the endometrium is unable to sustain a pregnancy. This is called a Luteal Phase Defect (LPD).

Dysmenorrhoea: Painful menstruation. This may be a sign of endometriosis.

Dyspareunia: Painful intercourse for either the man or the woman.

Endometrial biopsy: A test to check for a Luteal Phase Defect. A procedure during which a sample of the uterine lining is collected for a microscopic analysis. The biopsy results will confirm ovulation and the proper preparation of the endometrium by estrogen and progesterone stimulation.

Endometriosis: A condition where endometrial tissue is located outside the womb. The tissue may attach itself to the reproductive organs or to other organs in the abdominal cavity. Each month the endometrial tissue bleeds with the onset of menstruation. The resultant irritation causes adhesions in the abdominal cavity and in the fallopian tubes. Endometriosis may also interfere with ovulation and with the implantation of the embryo.

Endometrium: The lining of the uterus, which grows and sheds in response to estrogen and progesterone stimulation, the bed of tissue designed to nourish the implanted embryo.

Estradiol: The female hormone produced in the ovary. Responsible for formation of the female secondary sex characteristics such as growth of the breasts, supports the growth of the follicle and the development of the uterine lining.

Estrogen: Female sex hormones of which estradiol is an example.

Fallopian Tubes: Ducts through which eggs travel to the uterus once released from the follicle. Sperm normally meets the egg in the fallopian tubes, the site at which fertilisation usually occurs.

Fertility treatment: Any method or procedure used to enhance fertility or increase the likelihood of pregnancy, such as ovulation induction treatment and microsurgery to repair damaged fallopian tubes.

Fertility Workup: The initial medical examinations and tests performed to diagnose or narrow down the cause of fertility problems.

Follicles: Each month an egg develops inside the ovary in a fluid filled pocket called a follicle. This follicle grows to about 2 cm before it is ready to ovulate.

Follicular Phase: The pre-ovulatory portion of a woman's cycle during which a follicle grows and high levels of estrogen cause the lining of the uterus to proliferate. This normally takes between 12 and 14 days.

Gamete Intrafallopian Transfer (GIFT): A technique that may be used for women who have normal fallopian tubes. After the eggs are aspirated from the ovaries and mixed with the husband's sperm they are injected through the fimbria into the woman's fallopian tubes for in vivo fertilisation. This procedure is done at the time of a laparoscopy.

Hostile mucus: Cervical Mucus that prevents the natural progress of sperm through the cervical canal.

Hysteroscopy: A procedure in which the doctor checks for uterine abnormalities by inserting a fibreoptic device through the cervix during a light anaesthesia. Surgical procedures can be executed during a hysteroscopy.

In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF): Literally means "in glass". Fertilisation takes place outside the body in a small test tube.

Laparoscopy: Examination of the pelvic region by using a small telescope called a laparoscope. The laparoscope is inserted through a 1 cm incision in the belly button during a light general anaesthetic.

Luteal Phase: Post-ovulatory phase of a woman's cycle. The corpus luteum produces progesterone, which causes the uterine lining to thicken to support the implantation and growth of the embryo.

Luteinizing Hormone (LH): A Pituitary hormone that stimulates the ovaries. The LH is necessary for release of the egg from a follicle.

Luteinizing Hormone Surge (LH Surge): The release of luteinizing hormone (LH) that causes the release of a mature egg from the follicle. Ovulation test kits detect the sudden increase of LH, signalling that ovulation is about to occur (usually within 24-36 hours).

Menorrhagia: Heavy or prolonged menstrual flow.

Menstruation: The cyclical shedding of the uterine lining in response to stimulation from estrogen and progesterone.

Metrorrhagia: Menstrual spotting during the middle of the cycle.

Miscarriage: Spontaneous loss of an embryo or foetus from the womb.

Mittelschmerz: The discomfort felt on the side of the lower abdomen at the time of ovulation.

Oligomenorrhoea: Infrequent menstrual periods.

Oligozoospermia: A sperm count below 10 million per millilitre. A sperm count low enough to cause a fertility problem.

Ovarian Cyst: A fluid-filled sac inside the ovary. An ovarian cyst may be found in conjunction with ovulation disorders, tumours of the ovary and endometriosis.

Ovarian failure: The failure of the ovary to respond to FSH stimulation from the pituitary due to the absence of oocytes in the ovary. Diagnosed by raised FSH in the blood.

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

Ovulation induction: Medical treatment performed to initiate ovulation.

Ovum: The egg; the reproductive cell from the ovary; the female gamete; the sex cell that contains the woman's genetic information.

Polycystic Ovaries: A condition found in women who do not ovulate, characterised by excessive production of male sex hormones and the presence of cysts in the ovaries. Polycystic ovaries can be without symptoms; some include excessive weight gain, acne, excessive hair growth and amenorrhoea.

Post Coital Test: A microscopic examination of the cervical mucus best performed between 2 and 6 hours after intercourse to determine compatibility between the woman's mucus and the man's semen , a test used to detect sperm-mucus interaction problems, the presence of sperm antibodies, and the quality of the cervical mucus.

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

Prolactin: The hormone that stimulates the production of milk in breastfeeding women. Excessive prolactin levels when not breastfeeding may result in infertility.

Salpingectomy: Surgical removal of the fallopian tube.

Secondary Infertility: A couple who has one biological child but is unable to conceive another.

Semen: Semen consists of sperm and seminal plasma. The semen plasma provides nourishment and protection for the sperm and a medium in which sperm can travel to the woman's vagina.

Semen Analysis: A laboratory test used to assess semen quality: sperm quantity, concentration, morphology (form), and motility (movement). In addition, it measures semen (fluid) volume and whether or not white blood cells are presenting, indicating an infection.

Semen Viscosity: The liquid flow or consistency of the semen.

Sperm Antibodies: Antibodies that attack the sperm. May be formed by either the man against his own sperm or by the woman against her husband's sperm.

Sperm Bank: A place where sperm are kept frozen in liquid nitrogen for later use in artificial insemination.

Sperm Morphology: A semen analysis factor that indicates the number or percentage of sperm in the sample that appear to have been formed normally. Abnormal morphology includes sperm with kinked, doubled, or coiled tails.

Sperm Motility: The ability of sperm to swim. Poor motility means the sperm have a difficult time swimming towards the egg.

Ultrasound: A test used instead of X-rays to visualise the reproductive organs; for example, to monitor follicular development and to examine the tubes and uterus. The instrument works by bouncing sound waves off the organs. A picture displayed on a TV screen shows the internal organs.

Urologist: A specialist dealing with urological and male reproduction disorders.

Vaginitis: Yeast, bacterial infection or trichomonas infections of the vagina. Frequent vaginitis may be associated with the presence of pelvic adhesions and tubal blockage from other infections, such as chlamydia. Vaginitis may interfere with sperm penetration of the cervical mucus, and the symptoms may interfere with the ability and desire to have intercourse.

Veneral Disease: Any infection that can be sexually transmitted, such as chlamydia, gonorrhoea, ureaplasma and syphilis. Many of these diseases will interfere with fertility and some will cause severe illness.

Zygote: An Assisted Reproductive Technique whereby eggs are removed from a woman's ovaries, fertilised with the man's sperm in a lab dish, and the resulting embryos are transferred into the woman's fallopian tubes during a minor surgical procedure.