Infertility Terms To Know
What is infertility?
Infertility is a condition of the reproductive system that prevents the conception of children. Infertility, as defined by The International Committee for Monitoring Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ICMART), is a disease characterized by the failure to establish a clinical pregnancy after 12 months of regular, unprotected sexual intercourse or due to an impairment of a person’s capacity to reproduce either as an individual or with his/her partner. It affects approximately 10-15% of couples throughout the United States. The diagnosis of infertility is usually given to couples who have been attempting to conceive for at least 1 year without success.
A pregnancy that does not result in a live birth, including miscarriage, induced terminations, and stillbirths.
Any procedure where eggs are surgically removed from a woman’s ovaries and combined with sperm to assist a woman in getting pregnant. ART procedures include in vitro fertilization (IVF), gamete intrafallopian transfer(GIFT), and zygote intrafallopian transfer (ZIFT).
The process includes 1) an ART procedure, 2) ovarian stimulation, or 3) frozen embryos thawed for transfer into a woman. This process begins when a woman starts fertility medications or has her ovaries monitored for follicle production.
An ART cycle in which ovarian stimulation was carried out but was stopped before eggs were retrieved, or in the case of frozen embryo cycles, before embryos were transferred. The reasons a cycle may be have been cancelled include: undeveloped eggs, patient became ill, or the patient chose to stop treatment.
An ART cycle which uses more than one ART procedure. Combination cycles usually combine IVF with either GIFT or ZIFT.
A measurement of the sperm that can readily swim to fertilize the egg. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there should be a minimum of 10 million motile sperm per milliliter of semen.
The process of freezing extra embryos from a couple’s ART cycle for potential future use.
A diagnosed condition which means the ability of the ovary to produce eggs is reduced. The reasons may either be congenital, medical, surgical causes or advanced maternal age (older than 40).
An embryo is formed from the donor egg of one woman (the donor) and then transferred to another woman who is unable to use her own eggs (the recipient). All parental rights are relinquished by the donor.
An embryo that is donated by a couple who previously underwent ART treatment and had extra embryos available. All parental rights are relinquished by the donor couple.
A pregnancy in which the fertilized egg implants in a location outside of the uterus, usually in the fallopian tube, the ovary, or the abdominal cavity.
A female reproductive cell, also called an oocyte or ovum.
A procedure to collect the eggs contained in the ovarian follicles.
The procedure of transferring retrieved eggs into a womans fallopian tubes through laparoscopy; this procedure is used only in GIFT.
An egg that has been fertilized by a sperm and undergone one or more divisions.
The procedure of placing an embryo into a womans uterus through the cervix after in vitro fertilization (IVF). During the process of zygote intrafallopian transfer (ZIFT), the embryos are placed in a womans fallopian tube.
A medical condition that involves the presence of tissue similar to the uterine lining in abnormal locations. This condition can affect both fertilization of the egg and embryo implantation.
The penetration of the egg by the sperm and the resulting combining of genetic material that develops into an embryo.
The unborn offspring from the eighth week after conception to the moment of birth.
A structure in the ovaries that contains a developing egg.
A hormone produced by the pituitary gland that helps an egg mature and be released. High levels of FSH indicate ovarian reserve is low and chances of conception are poor.
Eggs, sperm, or embryos that have not been frozen. However, fresh embryos may have been conceived using either fresh or frozen sperm.
An ART cycle in which frozen (cryopreserved) embryos are thawed and transferred to the woman.
A reproductive cell, either a sperm or an egg.
An ART procedure that involves removing eggs from the womans ovary, combining them with sperm, and using a laparoscope to place the unfertilized eggs and sperm into the womans fallopian tube through small incisions in her abdomen.
A woman who carries an embryo that was formed from the egg of another woman. The gestational carrier usually has a contractual obligation to return the infant to its intended parents.
A fluid-filled structure that develops within the uterus early in pregnancy. In a normal pregnancy, a gestational sac contains a developing fetus.
An ART procedure that involves removing eggs from a womans ovaries and fertilizing them outside her body. The resulting embryos are then transferred into the womans uterus through the cervix.
A surgical procedure in which a fiber optic instrument (a laparoscope) is inserted through a small incision in the abdomen to view the inside of the pelvis.
The delivery of one or more babies with any signs of life.
Any cause of infertility due to low sperm count or problems with sperm function that make it difficult for a sperm to fertilize an egg under normal conditions.
A pregnancy ending in the spontaneous loss of the embryo or fetus before 20 weeks of gestation.
This procedure is also known as selective reduction. A procedure used to decrease the number of fetuses a woman carries and improve the chances that the remaining fetuses will develop into healthy infants. Multi-fetal reductions that occur naturally are referred to as spontaneous reductions.
This diagnostic category means that more than one female infertility cause was diagnosed.
A diagnostic category used when one or more female/male infertility causes are diagnosed together.
A pregnancy that results in the birth of more than one infant.
A pregnancy with two or more fetuses, determined by the number of fetal hearts observed on an ultrasound performed early in pregnancy.
The female reproductive cell, also called an egg.
The use of ultrasound and/or blood or urine tests to monitor follicle development and hormone production.
Refers to a womans fertility potential in the absence of problems in her reproductive tract (fallopian tubes, uterus or vagina).
The use of medications to stimulate the ovaries to develop follicles and eggs.
A diagnostic category used when a womans ovaries are not producing eggs normally. It includes polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and multiple ovarian cysts.
A pregnancy documented by ultrasound that shows a gestational sac in the uterus. For ART data collection purposes, pregnancy is defined as a clinical pregnancy rather than a chemical pregnancy (i.e., a positive pregnancy test).
The sperms ability to readily swim forward to fertilize the egg. Also referred to as sperm mobility.
Fetal death that occurs after 20 weeks gestation.
An ART cycle in which a woman receives oral or injected fertility drugs to stimulate her ovaries to produce more follicles.
Same as frozen embryo cycle.
A diagnostic category used when the womans fallopian tubes are blocked or damaged, making it difficult for the egg to be fertilized or for an embryo to travel to the uterus.
A technique used in ART for visualizing the follicles in the ovaries, the gestational sac, or the fetus.
An ART cycle in which the woman does not receive drugs to stimulate her ovaries to produce more follicles. Instead, follicles develop naturally.
A structural or functional disorder of the uterus that results in reduced fertility.
An ART procedure in which eggs are collected from a womans ovary and fertilized outside her body. A laparoscope is then used to place the resulting zygote (fertilized egg) into the womans fallopian tube through a small incision in her abdomen.
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