Terms

There were so many things I did not know when I began this journey. One of the biggest things I had to get familiar with was a new set of vocabulary. I've compiled a small list of terms for your benefit, but there are many more. Many of the definitions on this page came from http://americanpregnancy.org. Please go there for more information and further research.

1. ART- 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).

2. ASRM- American Society of Reproductive Medicine

3. Basal Body Temperature (BBT)- Body temperature at rest

4. Blastocyst- an embryo that has developed (usually) 3-5 days after fertilization.

5. Cryopreservation- The process of freezing extra embryos from a couple’s ART cycle for potential future use.

6. Donor Egg-an egg donated by another woman.

7. Egg- A female reproductive cell, also called an oocyte or ovum

8. Egg Retrieval- A procedure to collect the eggs contained in the ovarian follicles.

9. Embryo- A female reproductive cell, also called an oocyte or ovum

10. Follicle- A procedure to collect the eggs contained in the ovarian follicles.

11. Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH)- 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.

12. Fresh Cycle- A cycle where fresh embryos are transferred to the women

13. Frozen Embryo Cycle- An ART cycle in which frozen (cryopreserved) embryos are thawed and transferred to the woman.

14. Gestational Surrogate- 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. Baby not genetically related to surrogate.

15. Infertility-Condition that prevents the conception of children. Generally seen in woman that that have been trying to get pregnant for a year or more with no success.

16. Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI_- A procedure in which a single sperm is injected directly into an egg; this procedure is most commonly used to overcome male infertility problems.

17. Intrauterine insemination (IUI)- A medical procedure that involves placing sperm into a woman’s uterus to facilitate fertilization. IUI is not considered an ART procedure because it does not involve the manipulation of eggs.

18. In Vitro Fertilization (IVF)- An ART procedure that involves removing eggs from a woman’s ovaries and fertilizing them outside her body. The resulting embryos are then transferred into the woman’s uterus through the cervix.

19. Ovarian Reserve- Refers to a woman’s fertility potential in the absence of problems in her reproductive tract (fallopian tubes, uterus or vagina).

20. Preimplantation Genetic Screening (PGS) - is a procedure used prior to implantation to help identify genetic defects within embryos. This serves to prevent certain genetic diseases or disorders from being passed on to the child. The embryos used in PGS are usually created during the process of In Vitro Fertilization (IVF).

21. Protocol-Medication given in combination to asssit with IVF cycle can generally last anywhere from 7-14 days.

22. RE-Reproductive Endocrinologist (Doctor that specializes in fertility)

Male Factor- 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.

23. Stimming-Term used to describe medications that stimulate your ovaries during IVF.

Surrogate-A woman that carries an embryo that biologically belongs to the person they are carrying it for.

24. Tubal Factor- A diagnostic category used when the woman’s fallopian tubes are blocked or damaged, making it difficult for the egg to be fertilized or for an embryo to travel to the uterus.

25. 2WW-Two week wait is the time period when IVF/FET has been completed and you are waiting on the results of your cycle for pregnancy.