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Alpha-Fetoprotein (AFP) A plasma protein produced by the fetal liver, yolk sac and other parts of the body. Amniotic fluid AFP is used in prenatal diagnosis of neural tube anomaly.   Amnion The innermost membrane enclosing the developing foetus and the fluid in which the foetus is bathed.   Assisted hatching Artificial thinning or creating an opening in the zona pellucida.   Corpus luteum A special gland that forms on the surface of the ovary at the site of ovulation and produces progesterone during the second half of the cycle. It is necessary to prepare the uterine lining for implantation by the fertilized egg.   Cryopreservation Freezing living cells (embryos, sperm, eggs). Cytoplasm The granular portion in the centre of each egg.   Embryo The term used to describe the early stages of cell division.   Endometriosis The presence of endometrial tissue (the normal uterine lining) in abnormal locations, such as the fallopian tubes, ovaries and peritoneal cavity, often causing pelvic pain, painful menstruation or infertility.   Endometrium The mucus membrane lining the uterus.   Epididymis A coiled tubular structure in the male which receives sperm from the testes. The sperm is stored, nourished and matured for a period of several months, then conducted into the vas deferens.   Estrogen The primary female hormone produced mainly by the ovaries from puberty to menopause.   Fallopian tubes Tubes which lead from the uterus and end in finger-like projections called fimbriae near the ovaries. Fertilization takes place in the fallopian tubes.   Follicle The structure in the ovary that nurtures the ripening egg and from which the egg is released to the fallopian tube.   Follicle stimulation hormone (FSH) Hormone released by the pituitary gland which stimulates both the growth of ovarian follicles in women and sperm production in men, used as an indicator of egg production.   GnRH A hormone released from the hypothalamus that signals to the pituitary gland when to release the gonadotropins LH and FSH.   Gonads The glands that produce the reproductive organs (ovaries in the female and testes in the male).   Gametes A term to refer to human eggs and sperm.   Gonadotropins A class of hormones that play a key role in the regulation of female and male reproduction. Gonadotropins include follicle stimulation hormone (FSH), luetenizing hormone (LH) and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). FSH and LH are both secreted by the pituitary gland. In the female, they stimulate growth and maturation of ovarian follicles and trigger ovulation; in the male, they stimulate the production of sperm (spermatogenesis). HCG is a hormone secreted by the placenta during pregnancy that helps to support the endometrium (uterine lining).   Human menopausal gonadotropins (HMG) A term used to designate FSH and LH extracted from the urine of post-menopausal women and prepared to be used in the treatment of infertility.   Hypothalamus The region of the brain just above the pituitary that controls hormone production and release by the gland.   Implantation The embedding of the fertilized ovum in the lining of the uterus.   In vitro fertilization (IVF) Assisted reproduction technique involving stimulation of ovulation to obtain several oocytes (eggs) with drugs, such as gonadotropins. Eggs are then removed using an ultrasound guided needle and immediately mixed with the partner's sperm or with donor sperm. To enable cell division, the fertilized eggs are then placed in a protected environment for 24 to 48 hours. The embryos obtained are subsequently replaced into the patient's uterus, where they may implant. In vitro maturation (IVM) Immature oocytes (eggs) are retrieved from the ovary and matured in vitro, in the laboratory, until the oocytes (eggs) are mature. Once they are mature, IVF or ICSI is then performed. Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) The technique of using microinjection to inject one sperm into the cytoplasm of the egg. Laparoscopy The direct visualization of the reproductive organs by a fibre optic scope inserted through a small abdominal incision. Laparoscopy is a part of the basic infertility investigation and is often used when tubal damage or endometriosis is suspected.   Luetenizing hormone (LH) A hormone released by the pituitary gland which triggers the release of an egg by the mature ovarian follicle. In the male, LH stimulates the production of testosterone by the testes. Testosterone is important for sperm development (spermatogenesis).   Oocyte Human egg.   Ovaries The female sex glands with both a reproductive function (releasing eggs) and a hormone function (producing estrogen and progesterone). Ovulation induction (OI) Drug therapy to stimulate growth and release of eggs from the ovaries. This may be used to treat an underlying ovulatory problem or to augment the ovulatory process.   Ovum The egg cell produced in the ovaries each month.   Pituitary gland A gland located at the base of the brain, below the hypothalamus, which controls almost every endocrine gland in the body and therefore controls human growth, development and reproduction.   Progesterone A hormone produced and released by the corpus luteum of the ovary during the second half of an ovulatory cycle. It is necessary for the preparation of the lining of the uterus for the implantation of the fertilized egg. It is also produced by the placenta during pregnancy..   Scrotum A sac of skin and thin muscle which holds the testes and is found below the penis. Semen The sperm and seminal secretions ejaculated during orgasm. Spermatogenesis The production of sperm.   Testes The male sex glands that have both a reproductive function (producing sperm cells) and a hormone function (producing testosterone).   Varicocele A varicose vein around the vas deferens in the testes. May be a cause of male infertility.   Vas deferens A thick walled tubular structure running from each testis into the ejaculatory duct. These structures carry sperm from the epididymis to the penis.   Vas deferens A thick walled tubular structure running from each testis into the ejaculatory duct. These structures carry sperm from the epididymis to the penis.   Zygote Fertilized ovum.

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