• AMH: Anti Müllerian Hormone is produced by follicles and is one potential test for ovarian reserve
• Andrologist: Doctor specialising in male infertility
• Anovulation: When a woman does not ovulate
• Azoospermia: When no sperm is present in semen
• Blastocyst stage: An embryo that is 5 or 6 days old following egg collection
• Diathermy: Electrosurgery used either as a cutting modality or else to cauterize small blood vessels to stop bleeding
• Embryo: Fertilised egg
• Endometriosis: Cells from the endometrium appear outside the uterine cavity, generally on the ovaries and can cause distortion and adhesions
• Epididymis: The organ where sperm is stored
• Fallopian tubes: Tubes which join the uterus to the ovaries
• Fibroids: Benign (non-malignant) tumours of the uterine wall
• Follicle: The sack in which the egg grows before ovulation. Not every follicle contains an egg
• FSH: Follicle Stimulating Hormone which is responsible for maturing the egg
• Gametes: Reproductive cells, either female eggs or male sperm
• HEP B (Anti-HBc): Hepatitis B: first antibody produced after infection with hepatitis B virus; used to detect acute and chronic infections.
• HEP B (HBsAg): Hepatitis B: earliest indicator of acute hepatitis B and frequently identifies infected people before symptoms appear; undetectable in the blood during the recovery period; it is the primary way of identifying those with chronic infections
• hCG: Human Chorionic Gonadotropin is a hormone injection that triggers ovulation
• HFEA: Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority is the regulatory body by which all fertility clinics in the UK conform to set standards
• HTLV: Human T-Lymphotropic Virus (HTLV) is a retrovirus associated with a weakening of the immune system which is lifelong. Some people may carry without symptoms whilst others develop cancers and other diseases, depending on the form of HTLV with which they are infected
• Hydrosalpinx: Fluid collects in the fallopian tube
• Hypothalamus: Area of the brain responsible for the control of the pituitary gland
• Hysteroscopy: An inspection of the uterus using a small telescope
• IVF: In Vitro Fertilisation
• ICSI: Intra Cytoplasmic Sperm Injection involves injecting single sperm directly into a mature egg using a specially prepared needle
• IMSI: Intracytoplasmic Morphologically-selected Sperm Injection is ICSI with the difference of an extremely high-powered microscope to select the sperm cells with the best quality
• IUI: Intra Uterine Insemination involves injecting sperm using a fine catheter when a woman has ovulated
• Laparoscopy: An inspection of the pelvis using a small telescope
• LH: Luteinising Hormone which brings about ovulation
• LH – RH analogue: A drug that stimulates the release of FSH from the pituitary gland
• Myomectomy: Open surgery to remove large fibroids
• Oestrogen / Oestrodiol (E2): A female sex hormone secreted by the developing follicle
• OHSS: Ovarian Hyper Stimulation Syndrome has varying degrees of severity and is a complication caused when there is an excessive response of the ovaries to fertility drugs
• Ovaries: The female reproductive organs which produce female sex hormones and store and release eggs
• Ovulation: The release of the egg from the ovarian follicle
• Peritoneal cavity: The space that contains internal pelvic and abdominal organs
• Pituitary gland: The gland which secretes the hormones that control ovulation
• PCOS: Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome
• PGAS: Pre-implantation Genetic Aneuploidy Screening is a chromosomal analysis of abnormal embryos
• Progesterone: A female sex hormone produced by the ovaries during the release of a mature egg at ovulation
• Prolactin: Hormone produced by the pituitary gland. High levels of prolactin cause anovulation
• Pronuclei: Visible signs of fertilisation containing the genetic material from the male and female gametes
• Rubella: Disease caused by the rubella virus. If the mother is infected, the baby will be born with a range of serious incurable illnesses
• Sickle cell screening: Blood test to check whether or not there is a possibility that a baby could inherit sickle cell disease
• Testes: The male reproductive organs that produce sperm
• Thalassaemia: A genetic condition affecting the blood. There are different types of thalassaemia. Depending on which type, thalassaemia may cause no illness at all or may be a serious lifelong condition requiring treatment
• TSH: Thyroid Stimulating Hormone is produced by the pituitary gland and causes the thyroid gland to make 2 hormones: T3 and T4
• Varicocele: Varicose veins around the vas deferens
• Vas deferens: The tube from each testicle which transports sperm