Glossary
Fertility words in simple language. Tap the speaker to hear it.
A
- AMH
- Anti-Müllerian hormone; a blood test that estimates how many eggs are left.
- Adenomyosis
- Womb-lining tissue growing into the muscle of the uterus.
- Antral follicle count (AFC)
- Number of small follicles seen on ultrasound; estimates egg reserve.
- Andrologist
- A doctor who specialises in male reproductive health.
- ART
- Assisted reproductive technology, such as IVF and ICSI.
- Asherman syndrome
- Scar tissue inside the uterus.
- Azoospermia
- No sperm in the semen.
B
- Beta-hCG
- Blood test for the pregnancy hormone.
- Biochemical pregnancy
- Very early pregnancy loss seen only on a blood test.
- Blastocyst
- An embryo 5–6 days after fertilisation.
- BMI
- Body mass index; weight compared to height.
C
- Cervix
- The neck of the womb, opening into the vagina.
- Chromosomes
- Packages of genetic information in cells.
- Clomiphene
- Tablet used to help ovulation.
- Corpus luteum
- Structure left after ovulation that makes progesterone.
- Cryopreservation
- Freezing eggs, sperm or embryos for later use.
- Cycle day 1
- The first day of full period flow.
D
- Donor gametes
- Eggs or sperm donated by another person.
E
- Ectopic pregnancy
- A pregnancy outside the uterus, usually in a tube; an emergency.
- Egg (oocyte)
- The female reproductive cell.
- Egg retrieval (OPU)
- Collecting eggs from the ovaries with a needle under anaesthesia.
- Embryo
- A fertilised egg in early development.
- Embryo transfer
- Placing an embryo into the uterus.
- Embryologist
- Lab scientist who handles eggs, sperm and embryos.
- Endometrium
- The inner lining of the uterus.
- Endometriosis
- Womb-like tissue growing outside the uterus.
- Estradiol (E2)
- The main female hormone made by the ovaries.
F
- Fallopian tubes
- Tubes where the egg and sperm meet.
- Fertilisation
- Sperm joining with the egg.
- Fertile window
- About 6 days each cycle when pregnancy is possible.
- FET
- Frozen embryo transfer.
- Fibroid
- Non-cancerous lump in the uterus muscle.
- Follicle
- Small fluid sac in the ovary that holds an egg.
- Folic acid
- B vitamin that prevents some birth defects; take before pregnancy.
- FSH
- Follicle-stimulating hormone; helps eggs grow.
G
- Gonadotropins
- Injectable hormones used to grow follicles in IVF.
H
- hCG trigger
- Injection that finishes egg maturation before ovulation or retrieval.
- HSG
- X-ray dye test to check the tubes.
- Hydrosalpinx
- A blocked tube filled with fluid.
- Hysteroscopy
- Camera look inside the uterus.
I
- ICSI
- Injecting a single sperm into an egg.
- Implantation
- The embryo attaching to the womb lining.
- Infertility
- Not conceiving after 12 months of trying (6 if 35+).
- IUI
- Placing washed sperm into the uterus.
- IVF
- Fertilising eggs with sperm in a lab.
K
- Karyotype
- Test that looks at chromosomes.
L
- Laparoscopy
- Keyhole surgery to see pelvic organs.
- Letrozole
- Tablet often used first to help ovulation in PCOS/PMOS.
- LH
- Luteinising hormone; its surge triggers ovulation.
- LH surge
- Sharp rise in LH that leads to ovulation in 24–36 hours.
- Luteal phase
- The days between ovulation and the next period.
M
- Menopause
- When periods stop permanently.
- Miscarriage
- Loss of a pregnancy before 20 weeks.
- Morphology
- The shape of sperm.
- Motility
- How well sperm move.
O
- Oligospermia
- Low sperm count.
- OHSS
- Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome; ovaries over-respond to medicines.
- Ovary
- Organ that holds eggs and makes hormones.
- Ovulation
- Release of an egg from the ovary.
- Ovulation induction
- Medicines to help the ovary release an egg.
P
- PCOS/PMOS
- Polycystic ovary syndrome; hormone condition causing irregular ovulation.
- PGT
- Preimplantation genetic testing of embryos for genetic conditions.
- Pituitary gland
- Small gland in the brain that controls hormones.
- POI
- Premature ovarian insufficiency; ovaries stop working before 40.
- Progesterone
- Hormone that prepares and supports the womb lining.
- Prolactin
- Milk-making hormone; high levels can stop ovulation.
R
- Recurrent pregnancy loss
- Two or more pregnancy losses.
S
- Semen
- Fluid containing sperm.
- Semen analysis
- Lab test of sperm count, movement and shape.
- Septum
- A wall of tissue dividing the uterus.
- Sperm
- The male reproductive cell.
- Sperm retrieval (TESA/PESA)
- Taking sperm directly from the testis or epididymis.
- Surrogacy
- Another woman carrying a pregnancy for a couple.
T
- Testosterone
- Main male hormone.
- TSH
- Thyroid-stimulating hormone; tests thyroid function.
U
- Ultrasound
- Scan using sound waves to see organs.
- Uterus
- The womb, where a baby grows.
V
- Varicocele
- Swollen veins in the scrotum.
- Vitrification
- Fast freezing method for eggs and embryos.
Z
- Zygote
- The first cell formed when sperm and egg join.