 |
ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION - Placement of healthy sperm into the female reproductive tract
ASSISTED HATCHING - Microscopic surgery to facilitate the implantation of the developing embryo
ASSISTED REPRODUCTIVE TECHNOLOGIES (ART) - Various techniques used to manipulate oocytes ("eggs"), sperm, or embryos in order to enhance fertility.
BLASTOCYST TRANSFER - The transfer of the embryo(s) to the uterus at an advanced stage of development
EMBRYO DONATION - Embryos produced from a donating couples' oocytes and sperm
EMBRYOLOGIST - A trained scientist specialising in assisted reproduction and in handling sperm, oocytes and embryos
EMBRYO - The early stage development of the dividing fertilized oocyte
ENDOMETRIOSIS - The spread of normal uterine lining into the pelvis or to other areas outside the uterine cavity. This commonly affects women during their reproductive years. Often, but not always, it is accompanied by severe cramp, pain during intercourse and could possibly cause infertility.
GAMETE INTRAFALLOPIAN TRANSFER (GIFT) - Oocytes are surgically removed from the woman's ovary and inserted along with sperm immediately into the fallopian tube, where fertilisation occurs. This is performed via laparoscopy.
IN VITRO FERTILISATION (IVF) - Oocytes are removed from the woman's ovary usually by ultrasound guidance and incubated with sperm in a test tube. The newly formed embryos are transferred to the woman's uterus.
INTRACYTOPLASMIC SPERM INJECTION (ICSI) – Micro-manipulation technique to treat severe male infertility, in which a single sperm is injected into an oocyte, bypassing the need to penetrate the oocyte. The resulting embryo is then transferred to the uterus.
INTRAUTERINE INSEMINATION (IUI) - Sperm is introduced directly into the woman's uterus to bypass the need to swim through the cervical mucus. Particularly effective for mucus factor, male infertility or unexplained infertility.
LAPAROSCOPY - Surgical insertion of a small telescopic instrument into the abdomen
for direct visual examination of the ovaries, the fallopian tubes and the uterus. (Performed using general anaesthesia). Can be used for the treatment of endometriosis and other pelvic pathology.
MICROMANIPULATION - Surgery performed on oocytes and embryos using microscopic instruments. Two examples are ICSI and assisted hatching. MICROSURGERY - Microscopic reconstruction surgery of the fallopian tubes.
OOCYTE - A female gamete ("egg").
OOCYTE DONATION - Oocytes donated to women whose ovaries fail to produce usable oocytes, or who have a genetic disorder that may be passed to the child.
OVULATION - The release of an oocyte from the ovary, usually occurring around the 14th day of a cycle.
REPRODUCTIVE ENDOCRINOLOGIST - A physician who has received at least two additional years of advanced training in the diagnosis and treatment of infertility and reproductive disorders, after completion of full training in obstetrics and gynaecology. (Certification in reproductive endocrinology is preferred).
PROGRAMME
SPERM DONATION - Considered when the male has no sperm, when the male is a carrier of a known genetic disorder or when a single women wishes to become pregnant. All donor sperm is screened for infections and sexually transmitted diseases including HIV.
SURROGACY - One woman carrying a pregnancy for another woman, either as a gestational carrier (the surrogate receives an embryo created by two other individuals) or a traditional surrogate (the surrogate is inseminated with sperm from the male partner of an infertile couple).
THIRD-PARTY REPRODUCTION - The use of oocytes, sperm, embryos or a uterus of someone other than one's partner.
ULTRASOUND - A picture of internal organs produced by high frequency sound waves which is often used to monitor growth of ovarian follicles, retrieve oocytes, or follow the developing pregnancy
|
|
