Fertility Glossary
Glossary of Fertility Terms
- Adhesionsearch for term
- Scar tissue band attached to organ surfaces, capable of connecting, covering or distorting organs, such as fallopian tubes, ovaries, uterus, and bowel. Synonyms: adhesions
- Amenorrheasearch for term
- The absence of menstruation.
- Androgensearch for term
- Male sex hormones such as testosterone and DHEAS
- Anovulationsearch for term
- Lack of ovulation.
- Antibodiessearch for term
- Chemicals made by the body to fight or attack foreign substances entering the body. Normally they prevent infection; however, when they attack the sperm or fetus, they cause infertility. Sperm antibodies may be made by either the man or the woman.
- Antisperm Antibodiessearch for term
- Antibodies are produced by the immune system to fight off foreign substances, like bacteria. Antisperm antibodies attach themselves to sperm and inhibit movement and their ability to fertilize. Either the man or the woman may produce sperm antibodies Synonyms: ASA
- Artificial Inseminationsearch for term
- Any of the various techniques whereby sperm are introduced to the female by means other than sexual intercourse. Synonyms: AI
- Assisted Hatchingsearch for term
- Thinning of the embryo's outer egg shell (zona pellucida) prior to embryo transfer. Indicated for couples with advanced maternal reproductive age, elevated FSH levels, and prior repetitive IVF failures.
- Asthenospermiasearch for term
- Decreased number of motile sperm in the ejaculate.
- Autoimmunesearch for term
- An immune reaction against one's own tissue
- Azoospermiasearch for term
- The complete absence of sperm. It can result from obstruction of the vas deferens (the duct that carries the sperm from the testicles to the urethra) or from failure of the testes to produce sperm. MESA and TESE are two procedures to obtain sperm from azoospermic males.
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