Listed below are some of the terms used by infertility
specialists and in the literature. Being familiar
with these terms will assist you in understanding
us, our Web site, and other sources of information
about infertility.
AH
Assisted hatching (weakening of the shell surrounding
the embryo to help with implantation)
ART
Assisted reproductive technologies (techniques that
involve the removal of eggs from the ovary, such as
IVF, GIFT, ICSI, ZIFT)
Blastocyst
An embryo about 5 days after fertilization and close
to the time of implantation. The blastocyst is a ball
of cells filled with fluid.
Bravelle
An antiestrogenic drug
CB
Cryobiology
Clomiphene
A drug taken in tablet form that induces ovulation;
brand names: Clomid, Serophene
Clomid
Brand of clomiphene
Cryopreservation
Freezing sperm or embryos for prolonged storage and
later use
Donor insemination
Placement of sperm from an anonymous or known individual
into the uterus of a women who is not married to the
sperm donor. Typically, sperm is extensively screened
for sexually transmitted diseases and stored frozen.
Commonly used for severe male factor infertility.
Donor oocytes
Eggs obtained after gonadotropin stimulation and follicle
aspiration from an anonymous or known individual.
Typically used to address insufficient egg production
or the lack of egg production in the intended mother.
Embryo cryopreservation
Embryos stored in a frozen state for future use. (Liquid
nitrogen is used to freeze the embryos.) Excess embryos
from IVF typically are frozen at the 2 pronuclear
stage (sperm and egg nuclei are not yet joined) or
the blastocyst stage (day 5 or 6 of development).
Endocrinology
Study of glands and hormones, and of their disorders
FET
Frozen embryo transfer
Follicle
Fluid-filled cyst containing an egg
Follistim
Brand of gonadotropic medication containing FSH
Gamete
Egg or sperm
GIFT
Gamete intrafallopian transfer
Gonadotropins
Hormones that cause egg development and ovulation;
hormone medications include Repronex, Follistim, Gonal
F, Bravelle, and Menopur
Gonal F
Brand of gonadotropic medication containing FSH
Humegon
Brand of gonadotropic medication containing FSH
ICSI
Intracytoplasmic sperm injection
Intracytoplasmic
Into the interior of a cell, specifically, the egg
Intrafallopian
Into the fallopian tube (the tube connecting the ovary
to the uterus)
IVF
In vitro fertilization (fertilization outside of the
body)
Menopur
Brand of gonadotropic medication containing FSH and
LH
MESA
Epididymal sperm aspiration
ORM
Ohio Reproductive Medicine
Ovulation
The release of an egg from the ovary
Preimplantation genetic
diagnosis (PGD)
Removal of one or two cells from an embryo for rapid
analysis to avoid placing an embryo carrying a known
genetic disease (e.g., muscular dystrophy, cystic
fibrosis, sickle cell, Tay-Sachs) or a chromosomal
abnormality (e.g., Down syndrome) within the uterus
Recurrent pregnancy loss
Loss of two or more consecutive pregnancies before
20 weeks of pregnancy
Repronex
Brand of gonadotropic medication containing FSH and
LH
RDI
Reproductive Diagnostics, Inc. (the ART laboratory)
Serophene
Brand of clomiphene
ZIFT
Zygote intrafallopian transfer
Zygote
Fertilized egg
