Glossary

	adhesions
	scar tissue from previous injuries, infections or endometriosis that forms in and around reproductive organs, possibly interfering with reproductive capability

	agglutination (of sperm)
	sticking together of sperm, often due to infection, inflammation or antibodies, which impairs the ability to fertilize an egg

	azoospermia
	absence of sperm in the ejaculate

	biphasic
	a two-level BBT record, which shows a rise in temperature and is suggestive of ovulation.

	cervical mucus
	mucus secretion produced by the cervix which changes at the time of ovulation.

	cervix
	the mouth and neck of the uterus or womb

	corpus luteum
	the site of ovulation (in the ovary) that produces progesterone during the second half of the cycle

	dysmenorrhea
	Painful menstruation. Cramping and pain during the time of menstruation

	embryo
	the term used to describe the early stages of fetal growth, from the fourth to the ninth week of pregnancy

	endometriosis
	the presence of endometrial tissue (the normal uterine lining) in abnormal locations such as the tubes, ovaries and peritoneal cavity

	endometrium
	A mucus membrane the lining of the uterus

	estradiol
	One of many different types of estrogens produced in the human body. It is the primary and considered to be the most important estrogen in human females; produced mainly by the ovaries.

	fallopian tubes
	either of a pair of tubes that conduct the egg from the ovary to the uterus

	fibroid tumor (leiomyoma
	benign tumor of fibrous tissue that may occur in the uterine wall. May be totally without symptoms or may cause abnormal menstrual patterns or infertility

	fimbria
	the fringed and hair-like outer ends of the fallopian tubes

	follicle
	the cyst like structure in the ovary from which the egg is released

	FSH (follicle stimulating hormone)
	a hormone produced and released from the pituitary that stimulates the ovary to ripen a follicle for ovulation. In the male FSH stimulates sperm production

	HSG (hysterosalpingogram)
	a dye x-ray test in which dye is injected into the uterus and fallopian tubes. Done to evaluate the uterine cavity and to confirm whether or not the fallopian tubes

	hypogonadism
	inadequate ovarian or testicular function as shown by low sperm production or lack of follicle production, as well as in low or absent levels of FSH, LH

	implantation
	the embedding of the fertilized ovum in the lining of the uterus

	LH (luteinizing hormone)
	a hormone produced and released by the pituitary gland. In the female it is responsible for ovulation and the maintenance of the corpus luteum. In the make it stimulates testosterone production and is important in the production of sperm cells

	menstrual cycle
	the time from the first day of menstruation to the first day of the next menstruation

	monophasic
	a one-level BBT record, which shows no rise in temperature during the menstrual cycle and is an indication of an ovulation

	oligo-ovulation
	infrequent ovulation, usually less than six ovulatory cycles per year

	oligozoospermia
	abnormally low number of sperm in the ejaculate of the male

	oocyte
	the egg, produced in the ovaries

	ovarian failure
	inability of the ovary to respond to any gonadotropic hormone stimulation. Implies the complete lack of oocytes. Usually due to menopause.

	ovary (ies)
	the female sex organs with both a reproductive function (releasing eggs) and a hormone function (producing estrogen and progesterone).

	ovulation
	the release of an egg from the ovary

	PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome)
	a clinical syndrome compromised of irregular menstrual cycles, ovulatory dysfunction, elevated male hormone levels and multiple cysts in the ovaries due to arrested follicle growth. This is caused by an imbalance in the amount of LH and FSH released during the ovulatory cycle

	PID (pelvic inflammatory disease)
	inflammatory disease of the pelvis, often caused by infection, which can result in adhesion (scar tissue) formation and subsequent infertility

	progesterone
	a hormone produced by the corpus luteum of the ovary during the second half of an ovulatory cycle

	retrograde ejaculation
	discharge of sperm backward into the bladder rather than forward through the penis

	salpingoplasty
	surgery to correct blocked fallopian tubes

	semen
	the sperm and seminal secretions ejaculated during orgasm

	sperm antibodies
	specific proteins that can be found in some men and some women that tend to destroy sperm action by immobilizing the sperm or making them clump together

	sperm washing
	technique that separates the sperm from the seminal fluid

	testicular biopsy
	small surgical excision of testicular tissue to determine the ability of the cells to produce normal sperm or to diagnose possible neoplasms

	testosterone
	a male hormone, produced by the testes.

	tubal patency
	unobstructed and open fallopian tubes

	umbilicus
	commonly known as the navel or belly button

	varicocele
	a varicose vein around the vas deferens and the testes. This may contribute to male infertility

	zygote
	egg that has been fertilized but has not yet divided