Fertility Glossary

To help you understand any words or phrases that may used during your fertility journey

Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH): Produced by small follicles (pouches which contain the eggs) growing in the ovary. It can be measured in a blood test. The level of AMH reflects how many follicles are growing, which gives an indication of how many eggs are present in the ovary.

Anovulatory: Absence of ovulation.

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

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

Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART): Procedures that help unite an egg and sperm outside the body in the laboratory.

Asthenozoospermia: Sperm with poor motility

Antisperm Antibodies: Sticky proteins on sperm causing immobilisation.

Azoospermia: Complete absence of sperm in the ejaculate.

Blastocyst: The early stage of an embryo that is 4-5 days old and is a hollow ball of cells whose wall is comprised of a single layer of cells; the blastocyst is the liquid-filled sphere that implants in the wall of the uterus during implantation

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

Cervix: The opening to the uterus.

Cervical Mucous: A fluid that enhances the transport of the sperm into the endometrial cavity.

Chromosome: Thread-like structures located inside the nucleus of animal and plant cells. Each chromosome is made of protein and a single molecule of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) which is passed from parents to offspring.

Clomifene Citrate: A medication used to treat infertility in women who do not ovulate, including those with polycystic ovary syndrome. (Also known as Clomiphene).

Clomifene Challenge Test: An exam that can determine the egg reserves in the ovaries.

Corpus Luteum: A ruptured follicle. The corpus luteum releases estrogen 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.

Cryopreservation: The process of freezing commonly used for embryos or sperm. Cryopreservation of oocytes is a relatively recent development and is called vitrification.

Dilation and curettage (D&C): A procedure to remove tissue from inside your uterus. Sometimes used to diagnose and treat certain uterine conditions such as heavy bleeding or to clear the uterine lining after a miscarriage or abortion.

DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid): The hereditary material in humans and almost all other organisms. Nearly every cell in a person's body has the same DNA

Dysmenorrhea: Pain with menstrual bleeding.

Ectopic Pregnancy: A pregnancy in which a fertilised egg begins to develop outside the uterus normally used in reference to a pregnancy that develops in the fallopian tube.

Egg: The female reproductive cell in animals and plants

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).

Ejaculate: To eject or discharge semen at the moment of sexual climax

Electro-ejaculation: The use of electrical stimulation to aid production of a semen sample in impotent or paralysed men.

Embryo: An unborn offspring in the process of development, during the period from approximately the second to the eighth week after fertilization (after which it is usually termed a foetus).

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

Endometriosis: A condition in which the lining of the uterus, called the endometrium, grows outside of the uterine cavity. Often, this tissue is found in the pelvic cavity attached to the ovary or fallopian tubes. It can be a cause of infertility in women.

Endometrium: The lining of the uterus which is shed. The lining of the uterus that grows throughout the menstrual cycle and is shed in the monthly menstrual cycle if an embryo does not implant.

Epididymis: Coiled tubing outside the testicles which store sperm.

Estradiol: A hormone secreted by the ovaries.

Estrogen: A female hormone secreted chiefly by the ovaries that stimulates the development of female secondary sex characteristics and promotes the growth and maintenance of the female reproductive system.

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

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

Fibroids: non-cancerous growths that develop in or around the womb (uterus).

Foetus: An unborn baby that develops and grows inside the uterus (womb). The foetal period begins 8 weeks after fertilization of an egg by a sperm and ends at the time of birth.

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

Follicles: A fluid filled sac in the ovary in which an egg grows and develops. Although the egg is microscopic, follicles can be visualised by ultrasound.

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

Gametes: Male sperm and female eggs.

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

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.

Hydrosalpinx: Fluid in the fallopian tube.

Hypothalamus: A specialised gland in the brain that orchestrates the body’s hormonal changes.

Hypospadias: Congenital abnormality, affecting male offspring, in which the opening of the urethra is misplaced or malformed.

Hystero Contrast Sonography (Hycosy): Procedure which checks the patency of the fallopian tubes using ultrasound waves.

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.

Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI): An effective treatment for men with infertility. It’s performed as part of IVF and involves the sperm being injected directly into the egg. Some men may need their sperm to be surgically extracted first.

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

Impotence: the inability in a man to achieve and maintain an erection

In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF): A procedure that involves removing eggs from a woman’s ovaries and fertilising them in the laboratory outside the body. The resulting embryos are then replaced back into the woman’s womb through the cervix.

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.

Intra-Cytoplasmic 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 washed and prepared and then passed directly into the uterus via a fine catheter to enhance the chances of fertilisation.

Klinefelter’s Syndrome: A genetic condition in which men have an extra X chromosome. 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 foetus in the womb.

Microsurgical Tubal Reanastomosis: A procedure used to reverse tubal sterilisation.

Motile Forms: Sperm with a heightened ability to swim.

Myomas (fibroids): Benign (non-cancerous), smooth muscle tumours found in the female genital tract.

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

Luteinizing Hormone (LH): A hormone which is produced by the Pituitary gland. In females it is essential for the production of Oestrogen. In males it is necessary for the process of sperm production and testosterone secretion.

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

Oligozoospermia: Low numbers of sperm in the ejaculate.

Oligo-asthenoteratozoospermia (OATS): Low numbers, reduced motility and abnormality of the sperm shape in the ejaculated sample.

Oocyte: a cell in an ovary which may undergo meiotic division to form an ovum.

Open Approach (Abdominal Myomectomy): A surgical procedure in which only fibroids, but not the uterus, are removed. This preserves childbearing potential. Myomectomy can be performed in different ways depending on the location of fibroids within the uterus. The most common approach is abdominal myomectomy, which allows the surgeon to directly visualise the uterus and fibroids through an abdominal incision.

Ovarian Cysts: Sacs filled with fluid or semisolid material that develops on or within the ovary during the time of ovulation. Most cysts are benign and disappear spontaneously without treatment.

Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS): A condition due to excessive response of the ovaries to stimulation drugs, in which the ovaries enlarge and there may be nausea, abdominal swelling and shortness of breath. This develops after the trigger injection and you should always report it to the clinic or an emergency doctor.

Ovary: The female reproductive organs that produce eggs and estrogen on a monthly basis under hormonal influence from pituitary gland.

Ovarian Drilling: Surgical procedure offered to women with PCOS. Small holes are drilled into the ovary to reduce the number of 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.

Ovum: a mature female reproductive cell, especially of a human which can divide to give rise to an embryo usually only after fertilization by a male cell.

Pelvic Adhesions: Abnormal bands of scar tissue that form in the pelvis and cause organs to stick or bind to one another.

PESA-Percutaneous Epidymal Sperm Aspiration: A procedure involving sperm being retrieved directly from the epididymis using a needle.

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: an infection of the female reproductive organs. It most often occurs when sexually transmitted bacteria spread from your vagina to your uterus, fallopian tubes or ovaries

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: A female hormone secreted by the corpus luteum in the ovaries 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.

Scrotum: a pouch of skin containing the testicles.

Semen: The whitish fluid containing sperm (plus other substances) that is released during male ejaculation.

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

Shmira: The supervision of reproductive material (sperm, eggs or embryos) while it is either being stored or used in treatment, to ensure that it is the couple’s own material used throughout their fertility journey. While most Halachic authorities in the UK hold that the standard laboratory procedures mandated in this country are sufficient in this regard, some people prefer to also use a Jewish Shomer (supervisor) on top of this, with the agreement of their clinic. This can either be the husband, or another person with specific training in this area.

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 Morphology: Size and shape of sperm. It is the factor that's examined as part of a semen analysis to evaluate male infertility. Sperm morphology results are reported as the percentage of sperm that appear normal when semen is viewed under a microscope.

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.

Stillbirth: when a baby dies after the 24th week of a pregnancy or during birth. If the baby dies before 24 completed weeks, it's known as a miscarriage or late foetal loss

Surrogacy: A woman carries a pregnancy for a couple.

Teratazoospermia: High numbers of abnormal sperm in ejaculate.

TeSE: Testicular Sperm Extraction, involving sperm being retrieved from a biopsy of testicular tissue.

Testes: The body part where sperm is manufactured.

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

Vagina: The birth canal leading to the uterus

Vaginal Ultrasound: Internal scan which enables clear images of 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.

Vitrification: A technology that is used in the embryo and egg freezing process so that they can be stored for later use.

Womb: (Uterus) where the baby grows during pregnancy

Urethra: Tube that drains urine from the bladder outside the body

Uterus: The hollow, pear-shaped organ in a woman's pelvis. The uterus is where a foetus (unborn baby) develops and grows. Also called a womb.

Zona: Shell surrounding the egg/embryo.

Zygote: A fertilized egg cell that results from the union of a female gamete (egg, or ovum) with a male gamete (sperm).