Glossary of medical terms
Abort
Miscarriage
Androgens
Male hormones
Antibody
Protein molecule of the body’s immune system which recognises, marks and disposes of foreign bodies
Basal temperature
Body temperature after waking up but before getting up
Biopsy
Retrieval of tissue (see TESE)
Blastocysts
Embryo which is already highly developed
Chlamydia
Type of bacteria affecting the sexual organs
Chromosomes
Carriers of one’s genetic disposition
Corpus luteum
Yellow body, which develops after ovulation from the remains of the follicle and forms the female sexual hormone progesterone
Cryopreservation
Keeping of eggs and/or semen at temperatures far below zero (liquid nitrogen)
Cyst
Cavity filled with fluid
Diode laser
Computer-visually directed laser beam opening the egg membrane with extreme precision
Down regulation
Reduction of FSH and LH secretion of the hypo physis through GnRH analoga
Embryo
Egg after fusion of the cell nucleus with the semen until the third month of pregnancy
Embryo transfer
Transfer of an egg into the uterus after fertilisation outside the body
Endometriosis
Growth of the mucous membrane of the uterus outside the uterus
Endometrium
Mucous membrane of the uterus
Fallopian tube
Tube conducting the egg from the ovary to the uterus
Foetus
Term for the embryo from the fourth month of pregnancy onwards
Follicle
Ovarian vesicle that contains the eggs during growth and maturation
Follicle production
Retrieval of mature eggs from the ovaries
Follitrophin
Extremely pure, biotechnologically produced FSH
FSH
Follicle-stimulating hormone advancing the growth and development of the eggs
GnRH
Gonadotrophin-releasing hormone; released by the hypophysis triggering the secretion of FSH and LH
GnRH agonist
Synthetic hormone that continuously binds and desensitises the GnRH receptors. Therefore, after the hypophysis has been emptied once, the secretion of FSH and LH is suppressed.
GnRH antagonist
Synthetic hormone that blocks the GnRH receptors, thus suppressing the secretion of FSH and LH
hCG
Human choriongonadotrophin, which main tains the yellow body and is used in medically assisted fertilisation to trigger ovulation
Hypophysis
Gland secreting the fertility hormones FSH and LH
Hypothalamus
Midbrain; main control centre of the menstrual cycle
Immune system
Organs, cells and protein bodies forming the body’s defences
Implantation
Insertion of a fertilised egg into the uterus
Insemination
Insertion of semen into the vagina or uterus with technical means
In vitro fertilisation
Method of medically assisted fertilisation where mature eggs from the woman’s ovaries are mixed with sperms from the partner, hatched and implanted into the uterus after fertilisation
Intracytoplasmatic sperm injection (ICSI)
Method of medically assisted fertilisation where a sperm is directly injected into a mature egg
Laparoscopy
Visual examination of the abdomen
Laser-assisted Hatching
Opening of the egg membrane (zona pellucida) with a laser beam. Hatching aid for the developing embryo in leaving the egg membrane
LH
Luteinising hormone leading to ovulation in the middle of the menstrual cycle
Masturbation
Stimulation of an orgasm. In the treatment of childlessness this is how the man’s semen is obtained.
Menotrophin
FSH and LH, which is produced from the urine of menopausal women
MESA
Microsurgical epididymal sperm aspiration; retrieval of sperms from the epididymis
Microinjection
See intracytoplasmatic sperm injection (ICSI)
Oestrogens
Female sexual hormones which lead to the formation of the mucous membrane of the uterus and the liquefaction of the mucous membrane of the neck of the uterus
Ovulation
The egg leaving the follicle in the ovary moving into the fallopian tube
Placenta
The placenta feeds the foetus and produce hormones that maintain the pregnancy.
PN scoring (pronucleus scoring)
After fertilisation the chromosomes are concentrated in the pronuclei. These concentrations can be made visible. The distribution pattern provides information on the embryo’s ability to implant itself.
Polar body
Polar bodies contain complete copies of the egg’s chromosomes. The first polar body contains two copies of the chromosomes, and the second polar body one copy of the chromosomes.
Polar body diagnosis
Examination of the polar bodies to determine the correct number of chromosomes
Progesterone
Yellow body hormone; prepares the mucous membrane of the uterus for the implantation of an embryo and maintains a pregnancy
Prolactin
Hormone of the hypophysis responsible for the production of milk after birth. An elevated prolactin level may be the cause of infertility.
Pronucleus stage (PN)
Stage of the fertilised egg before the fusion of maternal and paternal chromosomes
Spermiogram
Determination of the number, mobility and shape of the sperms in order to make inferences on the man’s fertility
Sterilisation
Severing of the fallopian tube in women or the seminal duct in men (vasectomy) to prevent pregnancy
Testicular sperm extraction; retrieval
Testosterone
Male sexual hormone promoting the formation and maturation of sperms
TSH
Thyroidal hormone
Varicocele
Varicose vein in the testicle
Vasectomy
See sterilisation
Zona pellucida
Egg membrane surrounding the developing embryo