| Amenorrhea |
The absence of the menstrual period. |
| Androgens |
Male sex hormones (like testosterone) that cause development of
male characteristics and sex organs. |
| Anovulation |
The absence of ovulation. |
| Artificial
Insemination |
Artificially putting semen in the woman's vagina, uterus or
fallopian tube to aid fertilization. |
| Basal Body Temperature
Method |
A method of taking your basal body temperature (in the morning
before movement, eating, etc.) and recording it on a chart in hopes to predict or determine when ovulation occurs. Read more about
it here. |
| Blastocyst |
The small mass of cells that results from several days of cell
division by the fertilized egg. Not yet an embryo. |
| Breakthrough
Bleeding |
A term used to describe bleeding that happens between periods.
Usually describing bleeding that is heavier than spotting. |
| Cervical
Crypts |
The tiny cave-like areas of the cervix where sperm can live
while waiting for ovulation. |
| Cervical
Fluid |
See cervical mucus. |
| Cervical
Mucus |
A fluid that is secreted by the cervix when estrogen is ripening
eggs just before ovulation. This mucus nourishes the sperm and helps it travel. Slippery mucus generally moves down to the vaginal
opening. Many women monitor their cervical mucus to determine their most fertile time of the month. |
| Cervix |
The opening to the uterus. |
| Cilia |
Tiny hair-like projections lining both the vas deferens in the
male and the fallopian tubes in the female. The cilia help push the egg along in the fallopian tube. |
| Clomid |
A very common drug used to stimulate ovulation. It acts on the
pituitary, stimulating it to make FSH. |
| Corpus
Luteum |
The mass of cells that form from the follicle once the egg has
been released from the ovary. The corpus luteum produces progesterone. |
| Cyst |
A mass filled with either fluid or soft material. When on the
ovary, can cause ovulation problems and can be dangerous if ruptures. |
| Depo-Provera |
Synthetic progesterone given as a shot four times a year to
prevent pregnancy. This hormonal birth control "puts the ovaries to sleep." |
| DES
(Diethylstilbestrol) |
A very strong synthetic estrogen given to millions of women
between 1938-1971. It was thought to prevent miscarriages, but is now linked to infertility and other health problems in the women
who took it and the babies they carried. |
| Dilation & Curettage (D
& C) |
a procedure where the cervix is manually dilated by the
physician and the curette is used to scrape the uterine lining. A common procedure after miscarriage or during uterine
testing. |
| Dysmenorrhea |
Painful menstrual periods. |
| Ectopic (tubal)
Pregnancy |
A pregnancy occurring outside of the uterus--usually in the
fallopian tube, but can occur in the abdominal cavity. |
| Ejaculation |
The expulsion of semen from the penis. |
| Embryo |
What the baby is called from conception until the eighth week of
pregnancy. |
| Endocrine
Gland |
A gland that secretes hormones into the
bloodstream. |
| Endometriosis |
A condition where the endometrium or other uterine tissue grows
outside of the uterus, such as on the ovaries, fallopian tubes or along the abdominal wall. |
| Endometrium |
The uterine lining. |
| Epididymis |
The tiny coiled tubal that matures and carries sperm to the vas
deferens. Located at the edge of the testis. |
| Erectile
Dysfunction |
Lacking the ability to have an erection. Commonly known as
impotence. |
| Estrogen |
Female sex hormones (also produced in men-in small amounts)
produced in the ovaries. |
| Fallopian
Tube |
The tube extending from the uterus to the ovary. Where most
conceptions take place. |
| Fetus |
The name given to an unborn baby after the eighth
week. |
| Fibroids |
Benign tumors located in or around the uterus. Can cause
miscarriages, but not always. |
| Fimbriae |
The finger-like projections at the end of the fallopian tube.
The fimbriae pick up the egg after it is released from the ovary. |
| Follicle |
The capsule of cells surrounding the egg in the
ovary. |
| Follicle Stimulating Hormone
(FSH) |
The hormone that stimulates follicle development in women and
sperm production in men. |
| Follicular
Phase |
The first phase of the menstrual cycle. This is the time when
the egg is ripening for ovulation. |
| Human Chorionic Gonadotropin
(hCG) |
The hormone produced by the placenta. This is the hormone
pregnancy tests look for. |
| Hyperstimulation of
Ovaries (or OHSS) |
A condition that sometimes happens when a woman undergoes
fertility treatments where the ovaries are artificially stimulated to produce eggs. Relatively rare. |
| Hypothalamus |
A part of the brain that regulates certain functions, including
sex hormone production. |
| ICSI (Intracytoplasmic
Sperm Injection) |
A procedure where sperm is injected into the egg in under a
microscope to achieve fertilization. |
| Implantation |
When the egg burrows into the uterine lining. |
| IUD |
A plastic or metal device that is inserted into the uterus to
prevent pregnancy. Associated with PID (pelvic inflammatory disease). |
| IUI (Intrauterine
Insemination) |
A procedure where sperm are inserted through the cervix and into
the uterus through a tiny catheter. |
| In-vitro Fertilization
(IVF) |
A process where the woman's eggs and a man's sperm are
retrieved and placed together in a petri-dish. After fertilization occurs, the pre-embryos are deposited into the woman's
uterus. |
| The Luteal
Phase |
The third part of the menstrual cycle. During this time,
ovulation has taken place and progesterone is released by the corpus luteum. |
| Luteinizing Hormone
(LH) |
The hormone that triggers ovulation. It is released from the
pituitary gland. |
| Menarche |
A woman's first menstruation. |
| Menorrhagia |
Heavy, prolonged menstrual bleeding. |
| Menses |
Another name for menstruation. |
| Menstruation |
The The shedding of the blood-rich uterine
lining. |
| Mini-Pill |
Birth control pill that only contains a synthetic progesterone,
instead of the estrogen-progesterone combination found in other birth control pills. Commonly prescribed to nursing
women. |
| Miscarriage |
A pregnancy that terminates on its own. Also known as
"spontaneous abortion." |
| Mittelschmerz |
Cramping or pain near the ovary site at the time of
ovulation. |
| Mucus
(cervical) |
The substance that changes consistency as ovulation approaches
and after ovulation. This mucus is crucial to fertilization because it helps sperm reach the uterus when a woman is
fertile. |
| Ovaries |
The two sex lands in the woman that produce hormones and ova
(eggs). |
| Oviduct |
Another term for fallopian tube. |
| Ovulation |
The release of an egg from the ovaries. |
| Ovum |
Another word for egg. |
| Peak
Day |
When charting cervical mucus, the last day of fertile mucus is
considered your "peak day of fertility." |
| Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
(PID) |
Infection of the reproductive organs, such as the fallopian
tubes. |
| Pergonal |
A drug that matures eggs in the ovaries and prepares the
follicles for ovulation. |
| Pheromones |
Chemical substances that are secreted outside the body. These
substances help with fertility communication between two animals. |
| Pituitary
Gland |
The gland responsible for secreting several reproductive
hormones. Located in the brain. |
| Polycystic
Ovaries |
A seemingly hormonal disorder that frequently causes
infertility. Small cysts formed on the ovaries is one of the most common symptoms. |
| Premenstrual Syndrome
(PMS) |
A combination of symptoms just before the menstrual period.
Occurs in many women and can bring on both physical and psychological symptoms. |
| Progesterone |
The female sex hormone responsible for creating a nourishing
environment in the uterine lining after ovulation. |
| Prostaglandins |
Chemicals that stimulate the muscles of the
uterus. |
| Prostate |
The male gland that secretes the majority of the seminal fluid.
Located below the bladder. |
| Provera |
A drug used to cause a woman to menstruate. |
| Reproductive
Endocrinologist |
A specialist who helps couples with infertility
problems. |
| Scrotum |
The pouch of skin that holds the testes. |
| Semen |
The fluid that is released from the penis during ejaculation.
Some of the fluid is sperm. |
| Spotting |
Light bleeding at anytime except
menstruation. |
| Teratogenic |
Producing defects or malformations in the
fetus. |
| Testes |
The male sex glands that produce sperm and hormones. Located in
the scrotum. |
| Testicle |
A testis. (singular for testes). |
| Testosterone |
A male hormone secreted by the testes. |
| Tubal
Ligation |
A sterilization procedure where the fallopian tubes are cut or
burned shut to ensure sperm do not meet and egg. |
| Uterus |
Also known as the "womb," this is where a baby grows
during gestation. |
| Vagina |
Female organ that receives a man's penis. Also known as the
birth canal because this is where the baby emmerges during birth. |
| Vas
Deferens |
The tube in a man that carries sperm to the urethra. This is the
tube that is cut during a vasectomy. |
| Vasectomy |
Sterilization procedure where the vas deferens is cut or burned
to prevent sperm from traveling to the urethra. |
| Zygote |
The fertilized egg before it is an embryo. |
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