Basal body temperature (BBT). The body temperature at rest. It is taken orally each morning immediately upon awakening and recorded on a BBT chart. The readings are studied to help identify ovulation, which usually occurs at approximately the same time as the rise in BBT.
Cervix. The narrow, lower part of the uterus that opens into the vagina. The cervical canal runs through the cervix and connects the vagina with the uterine cavity. The cervix produces mucus through which sperm must swim before entering the uterine cavity and then the fallopian tubes.
Corpus luteum. A mature follicle that has collapsed after releasing its egg at ovulation. The corpus luteum secretes progesterone and estrogen during the second half of a normal menstrual cycle. The secreted progesterone prepares the lining of the uterus (endometrium) to support a pregnancy.
Egg Donation. The process of fertilizing eggs from a donor with the male partner’s sperm in a laboratory dish and transferring the resulting embryos to the female partner’s uterus. The female partner will not be biologically related to the child, although she will be the birth mother on record. The male partner will be biologically related to the child.
Embryo Donation. The process of utilizing embryos donated from another couple. Eggs from another woman have already been fertilized
of the uterus and degree of openness (patency) of the fallopian tubes. transferred to the uterus.
Endometriosis. A condition where endometrial-like tissue (the tissue that lines the uterus) develops outside of the uterine cavity in abnormal locations such as the ovaries, fallopian tubes, and abdominal cavity. This 17 tissue can grow with hormonal stimulation and cause pain, inflammation, and scar tissue. It may also be associated with infertility. Estradiol. The predominant estrogen (hormone) produced by the follicles on the ovary. Fallopian Tubes. A pair of hollow tubes attached one on each side of the uterus through which the egg travels from the ovary to the uterus. Fertilization with the man’s sperm usually occurs in the fallopian tube. The fallopian tube is the most common site of ectopic pregnancy. Fibroids. Benign (non-cancerous) tumors of the uterine muscle wall that can cause abnormal uterine bleeding, pelvic pain, and interfere with pregnancy. Follicle. A fluid-filled sac located just beneath the surface of the ovary, containing an egg (oocyte) and cells that produce hormones. The sac increases in size and volume during the first half of the menstrual cycle and at ovulation, the follicle matures and ruptures, releasing the egg. As the follicle matures, it can be visualized by ultrasound. Follicle Stimulating hormone (FSH). In women, FSH is the pituitary hormone responsible for stimulating follicular cells in the ovary to grow, stimulating egg development and the production of the female hormone estrogen. In the male, FSH is the pituitary hormone which travels through the bloodstream to the testes and helps stimulate them to manufacture sperm. FSH can also be given as a medication. Hysteroscopy. A procedure in which a lighted scope (hysteroscope) is inserted through the cervix into the uterus to enable the physician to view the inside of the uterus to diagnose and treat problems within the uterine cavity. Hydrosalpinx. A term used to describe a fallopian tube which is swollen or dilated and often filled with fluid. This fluid usually results from a previous infection of the fallopian tube. A hydrosalpinx may be detected by ultrasound, HSG, or by laparoscopy. Hysterosalpingogram (HSG). An x-ray procedure in which a special media (dye) is injected into the uterus to demonstrate the inner contour of the uterus and degree of openness (patency) of the fallopian tubes. Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). A micromanipulation technique used in conjunction with IVF that involves injecting a sperm directly into an egg in order to facilitate fertilization. The fertilized egg is then transferred to the uterus.