If you are trying to get pregnant and are dealing with infertility, you might find some of the medical jargon and frequently used terms more than a little bewildering.
Here are some of the more commonly used terms with brief, easy to understand definitions:
ART: Assisted Reproductive Technology. This refers to basically any procedure that involves taking eggs from a woman’s ovaries and combining them with male sperm.
ART Cycle: This process involves an ART procedure, ovarian stimulation, and/or frozen embryos that have been thawed for transfer into a woman’s body. The process starts when a woman begins taking fertility drugs, or her ovaries are monitored for follicle production.
Canceled cycle: This refers to an ART cycle in which there was ovarian stimulation, but it was stopped before the eggs were harvested. In the case of frozen embryo cycles, it would be a canceled cycle if it was stopped before embryos were transferred. The reasons for a canceled cycle might be undeveloped eggs, if the patient became ill, or if the patient wants to stop the treatment.
Combination cycle: This is an Assisted Reproductive Technology cycle that utilizes more than one procedure. For example, combination cycles usually combine IVF with GIFT or ZIFT.
Concentration of motile sperm: This term refers to a measurement of the sperm that can quickly swim to fertilize an egg. According to the World health organization, there should be at least 10 million motile sperm per milliliter of semen.
Cryopreservation: This is the process of freezing extra embryos from a couple’s ART cycle for possible use in the future.
Diminished ovarian reserve: This refers to a female condition which means the ability of the ovary to produce eggs is diminished, or lessened. The reasons for diminished ovarian reserve might be congenital, medical, surgical causes or a woman’s age—generally women over the age of 40.
Donor egg cycle: This means that an embryo has been created from the egg of one woman, who is the donor, and subsequently transferred to another woman who is unable to use her own eggs, the recipient.
It might help to lessen the frustration and stress of infertility if you are knowledgeable about the frequently used terms.
Infertility Lingo: Terms That You Should Know Part 3
Infertility Lingo: Terms That You Should Know Part 4
Infertility Lingo: Terms That You Should Know Part 2
Infertility Lingo: Terms That You Should Know Part 5
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