You may often hear medical and clinical terms used. Please see this summary of terms explained to simplify some of the language used in the world of fertility.
Abandoned Cycle
When a treatment cycle is stopped before egg collection.
Andrologist
A doctor who specialises in treating male fertility problems.
Baseline Scan
This is an ultrasound scan to check that down regulation drugs have worked. It is usually a vaginal scan.
Blastocyst
An embryo when it is 5 or 6 days old.
Chromosome
Small bodies within the nucleus of every cell in the body, which contain the genes.
Clinical Pregnancy
Ultrasound evidence of a fetal heart
Clinical Pregnancy Rate
This is calculated as a proportion of pregnancies with beating heart for every 100 treatment cycles commenced.
Congenital Abnormalities
Deformities or diseases which are present at birth or show themselves soon after birth.
Cryopreservation
The freezing of eggs, sperm or embryos and their storage in liquid nitrogen.
Cystic Fibrosis
A disorder of the mucus-secreting glands of the lungs, the pancreas, the mouth and the gastro-intestinal tract. The commonest serious genetic disease in Caucasian children.
Cytoplasm
The material between the nucleus and the cell surface.
Day 9/10 Scan
This is an ultrasound scan to check the response of the ovaries to the stimulation drugs. It is usually a vaginal scan.
Donor Insemination
The insemination of a woman with donor sperm.
Down Regulation
This means that the pituitary function has been ‘switched off’.
Ectopic Pregnancy
A pregnancy that occurs outside the womb.
Egg Collection
The procedure to remove eggs from the ovaries, usually performed under sedation.
Embryo
A fertilised egg up to eight weeks of development. At two weeks it is approximately 1-1.5mm in diameter.
Embryo Transfer
The transfer of one or more embryos to the womb.
Embryologist
A scientist who cultures and studies embryos in a clinical or research laboratory
Female Factor
This term covers any reason why a woman is subfertile, such as ovulation failure or damage to the fallopian tubes.
Follicle
A fluid filled sac in the ovary, which hopefully contains an egg.
Frozen Embryo Transfer (FET)
A treatment using embryos that have been frozen then thawed.
FSH
Follicle stimulating hormone - one of the hormones that controls the menstrual cycle.
Gamete
A reproductive cell such as a mature egg or a sperm.
GIFT
Gamete Intra Fallopian Transfer. Sperm and eggs are mixed together and transferred to one or both of a woman’s fallopian tubes.
Gynaecologist
A doctor who specialises in treating women.
Intra Cytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI)
A micromanipulation technique. A variation of IVF treatment where a single sperm is injected into the inner cellular structure of the egg. This technique is used for couples in which the male partner has severely impaired or few sperm.
Intrauterine Insemination (IUI)
The insertion of specially prepared sperm through the cervical canal into the uterine cavity.
In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF)
Sperm and eggs are collected and put together to achieve fertilisation outside the body.
Karyotype
A test on a sample of blood to check chromosomes.
LH
Luteinizing hormone - one of the hormones that controls the menstrual cycle.
Live Birth
The delivery of one or more babies from a pregnancy.
Live Birth Rate
This is calculated as a proportion of live births for every 100 treatment cycles commenced.
Male Factor
This term covers any reason why the male partner’s sperm may be less effective or incapable of fertilisation, including the absence of viable sperm and a failed reversal of vasectomy.
Miscarriage
Spontaneous loss of a pregnancy before 24 weeks.
Multiple Birth
Birth of more than one baby from a pregnancy.
Multiple Birth Rate
This rate is calculated as a proportion of all births.
Neonatal Death
The death of a baby within 28 days after the birth.
OHSS
Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome - a condition in which the ovaries over-respond to fertility drugs. It can range from mild/moderate to severe.
Oocyte
Another name for an egg.
Perinatal Death
The death of a baby either in the womb after 24 weeks of pregnancy (stillbirth) or within 28 days after the birth.
Prolactin
A female hormone
Pronuclei
The small round structures inside an egg that contain the genetic material. Two pronuclei are visible in an egg that has fertilised normally, approximately 24hours after insemination.
Seminologist
A scientist who specialises in examining sperm.
Spermatid
An immature sperm cell.
Stimulated Cycle
A treatment cycle in which the woman’s ovaries are stimulated with drugs to produce more than one egg.
Transport (or Satellite) IVF
An arrangement whereby IVF is carried out at a primary centre (HFEA licensed) but other parts of the treatment (eg ovulation induction or egg retrieval) are performed at a secondary centre (not necessarily HFEA licensed). The embryology and embryo transfer take place at the primary centre.
Treatment Cycle
- a) IVF/ICSI with fresh embryos: a cycle begins with the administration of drugs for the purpose of superovulation, or if no drugs are used, with the attempt to collect eggs
- b) With frozen-thawed embryos: a cycle begins with the removal of the stored embryos in order to be thawed and then transferred.
- c) A Donor Insemination (DI ) treatment cycle begin when the first insemination with donor sperm takes place.
Uterus
The womb