AID - Artificial Insemination with Donor Sperm
AIH - Artificial Insemination with Husband’s Sperm
AMENORRHEA - Lack of menstrual periods
ANDROGEN - A hormone, which stimulates the functioning of the reproductive organs in men and develops gender characteristics in men.
ANTISPERM ANTIBODIES - The defense mechanism in the body of some men produces anti-sperm antibodies which cause sperm to stick to each other in the semen and significantly reduce their ability to move properly. Antibodies reduce the semen’s ability to fertilize oocyte.
ART - Assisted Reproductive Technology, for example IVF and ICSI treatments.
ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION - A fertility treatment where washed semen is injected into the cavity of the uterus at the time of ovulation.
ASPERMIA - Lack of semen during ejaculation.
ASTHENOZOOSPERMIA - Reduced sperm motility.
AZOOSPERMIA - No sperm in semen.
BLASTOCYST - An embryo, which has divided into more than 100 cells, where the first differentiation of cells has occurred. The cells in the inner cell mass develop into the fetal tissue and the outer layer of cells gives rise to the placenta at the fetal end.
BLASTOCYST CULTURE (Prolonged embryo culture) - Prolonged embryo culture is possible both in vitro fertilization and intracytoplasmic sperm injection treatments. Often the embryos are implanted into the uterus on the second or third day after the oocytes have been collected. By cultivating embryos for a longer period of time, we can obtain information concerning the vitality of the embryos and determine whether or not they will continue their development. A human embryo develops into a blastocyst five to six days after fertilization.
CORPUS LUTEUM - During ovulation, a corpus luteum forms in place of the ovarian follicle. It produces progesterone, a hormone necessary for maintaining pregnancy.
CHROMOSOME - Located in the nucleus of a cell, it is the DNA stranded structure that contains our genes. Normally human cells have 46 chromosomes. During the development of gametes the number of chromosomes goes down to half, so each sperm and oocyte only has 23 chromosomes.
COLLECTION OF OOCYTES, FOLLICULAR PUNCTURE - A procedure used in IVF and ICSI where fluid from the ovarian follicles is removed from the ovaries and the oocytes are collected from the fluid.
CYST - A vesicle or pouch-like formation on the surface tissue of the ovaries
ECTOPIC PREGNANCY - A pregnancy occurring outside the uterus, i.e. the embryo has implanted to the wrong place, in the Fallopian tube or cervix, for example.
EMBRYO - A fertilized oocyte, which has divided into many cells. The fertilized oocyte is referred to as an embryo up to 8 weeks of age after which it is called a fetus.
EMBRYO TRANSFER - A procedure in which a divided embryo is transferred into the uterus after IVF (in vitro fertilization) or ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection) fertilization. The embryo transfer is performed via the vagina using a thin, plastic catheter.
ENDOMETRIOSIS -A disease affecting tissue inside the uterus; it is found in other parts of the body.
ENDOMETRIUM - The lining of the uterus.
EPIDIDYMIS - A series of small tubes, attached to the back of each testicle that collects and stores sperm.
ESTROGEN - A hormone, which regulates gender characteristics in women and guides the menstrual cycle.
FERTILITY - The ability to reproduce.
FERTILIZATION - A sperm fertilizes an oocyte by penetrating it, after which the nuclei and the genetic substances within the nuclei combine together and lead to the development of an embryo. Fertilization usually occurs in the Fallopian tube, but during fertilization treatment it occurs outside the body in a cell culture laboratory.
FERTILIZATION TREATMENTS - Procedures and methods used to improve fertility and increase the chances of becoming pregnant, e.g. ovulation induction, artificial insemination, in vitro fertilization (IVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).
FOLLICLE-STIMULATING HORMONE (FSH) - A hormone, which secretes from the hypophysis and which stimulates the follicle. In women, it accelerates the growth of the ovarian follicle, and in men it increases the production of sperm.
GAMETE - The sperm and the oocyte that transmits the parental genetic information to offspring.
GENE - The unit of biological information. Genes contain the “building instructions” for proteins in cells but also for the entire bodily system.
GONADOTROPINS - Hormones, which regulate reproductive functions: FSH, LH and hCG.
GONADOTROPIN RELEASING HORMONE - A hormone secreted by the hypothalamus, which regulates the production of gonadotropins, i.e. FSH and LH, in the hypophysis. FSH and LH in turn stimulate the sex glands.
GnRh AGONIST - Medication used in fertilization treatments to slow the body’s own hormone functions down before administering FSH.
GnRh ANTAGONIST - Medication used in fertilization treatments, which prevents the oocyte from maturing and ovulating prematurely during the FSH stimulation.
HUMAN CHORIONIC GONADOTROPIN (HCG) - A hormone secreted by the placenta in the beginning of pregnancy, which maintains the production of progesterone in the corpus luteum. Pregnancy can be tested at an early stage by determining the amount of HCG hormone in the blood and urine.
HYSTEROSALPINGOSONOGRAPHY (HSG) - An x-ray of the uterus and fallopian tubes that involves the injection of dye through the cervix.
HYSTEROSCOPE - A procedure that allows a doctor to examine the inside of the uterus.
IMPLANTATION - The embryo adheres to the uterine endometrium.
INFERTILITY - A couple is considered infertile if, after regular intercourse, the woman does not become pregnant within a year after discontinuing contraception or experiences repeated miscarriages.
INSEMINATION - See artificial insemination.
INTRACYTOPLASMIC SPERM INJECTION (ICSI) - Intracytoplasmic sperm injection is a procedure where a sperm is injected directly into the oocyte. In this way, we can ensure the oocyte will be fertilized even if the semen is of weaker quality.
IN VITRO FERTILIZATION (IVF) - An effective form of treatment for infertility where the use of hormones stimulates the ovaries in producing several ovarian follicles. The oocytes, which develop in the ovarian follicles, are then collected and fertilized outside the bodily system. The embryos, which then develop from fertilized oocytes, are transferred in the uterus using a catheter.
LUTEINIZING HORMONE (LH) - A hormone produced by the hypophysis that stimulates the sex glands.
LUTEINIZING HORMONE (LH) SHOT - Releases the luteinizing hormone, which causes the oocyte to detach from the ovarian follicle.
MYOMA - A benign tumor of smooth muscle in the uterine wall.
OVARIAN FOLLICLE - A vesicle filled with fluid in the ovaries. During a normal menstrual cycle, one ovarian follicle develops in either one of the ovaries. An oocyte matures in the ovarian follicle and detaches itself in the middle of the menstrual cycle.
OVARIAN HYPERSTIMULATION SYNDROME, OHSS - A situation in which the ovaries overreact to the hormone stimulation administered in fertilization treatments; the ovarian follicle grows too large, fluid gathers in the stomach and the balance of fluids becomes disrupted.
OVARIES - The ovaries are two small glands, located on either side of a woman’s uterus, that are part of the female reproductive system.
OVULATION -A process in which an oocyte detaches itself from the ovarian follicle.
OVULATION INDUCTION - A hormone treatment to stimulate normal ovulation.
PCO, Polycystic Ovaries - Ovaries which have several small cysts in them.
POLYPUS -A benign growth on the surface of the mucous membrane in the cervix or uterus.
PREIMPLANTATION GENETIC DIAGNOSIS (PGD) - A procedure in which certain chromosomes are examined from cleavage stage embryos before embryo transfer. The procedure assists in choosing normal embryos in relation to examined chromosomes to transfer into the uterus.
PROGESTERONE - A hormone in the corpus luteum which prepares the mucous membrane in the uterus for the attachment of the embryo and maintains pregnancy.
PROLACTIN (PRL) -A hormone which stimulates the lacteal gland and the secretion of milk.
PROLONGED EMBRYO CULTURE -See Blastocyst Culture.
TESA, Testicular Sperm Aspiration -Procedure in which a tissue sample is extracted from the testicles to see if there are is sperm there. The procedure assists in determining whether or not the testicles contain sperm in the event no sperm can be found in the semen. The sperm extracted from the testicles can be used for fertilization in ICSI.
TESTIS -Testicle.
TESTOSTERONE - A male hormone which influences the development of the characteristics of the male sex, sexual instinct, and the production of sperm.
UTERUS -The womb
