Fertility Glossary

# A

AF

Aunt Flo, period, menstruation

AH

Assisted Hatching

AMH

Anti-mullerian Hormone

ANA

Anti-nuclear Antibodies

Aneuploid

Abnormal number of chromosomes in a cell, e.g. an aneuploid embryo is not viable for transfer

APA

Anti-phospholipid Antibodies

AR

Acrosome Reaction Test

ART

Assisted Reproductive Technology

ASA

Anti-sperm Antibodies

ASRM

American Society for Reproductive Medicine

Asthenozoospermia

Low motility below the normal range

Azo

Azoospermia (no sperm found in semen)

# B

BBT

Basal Body Temperature

BCP

Birth Control Pills

Beta

beta hCG (pregnancy test hormone)

BFN

Big Fat Negative, a negative pregnancy test

BFP

Big Fat Positive, positive pregnancy test

Biochemical

AKA chemical pregnancy; beta HCG was positive indicating pregnancy but dropped by the next beta hCG blood pregnancy test, before formation of gestational sac

BMI

Body Mass Index

B/W

Blood work, Blood Tests

# b

bhCG

beta hCG (human Chorionic Gonadotropin)

# C

CAH

Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia

CB

Cycle Buddy

CBAVD

Congenital Bilateral Absence of the vas deferens, a type of obstructed azoospermia causing male infertility

CD

Cycle Day, you'll often hear Cycle Day 1 which is marked by first day of period with full flow. Typically the day a patient calls their fertility office to schedule the start of a new treatment cycle.

CDC

Center for Disease Control

CMV

Cytomegalovirus

COH

Controlled Ovarian Hyperstimulation - Stimulation process using medications in a treatment cycle

Comet

DNA fragmentation test in which the results look like a comet tail.

CVS

Chronic Villae Sampling

# D

D&C

Dilation and Curettage

DE

Donor egg

DER

Donor egg retrieval

DNA Fragmentation

Breakages in a cell's DNA, DNA damage

DOR

Diminished ovarian reserve

Dx

Diagnosis

# d

dp3dt

Days Post-3 Day Transfer

dp5dt

Days Post-5 Day Transfer

dp6dt

Days Post-6 Day Transfer

# E

E2

Estradiol (estrogen levels)

Embabies

Term of endearment for embryos; from the words embryo baby

Endo

Endometriosis

EPT

Early Pregnancy Test

ER

Egg Retrieval

ERA

Endometrial Receptivity Assay

ESHRE

European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology

ET

Embryo Transfer

# F

FACOG

Fellow of The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists

FET

Frozen embryo transfer

FHB

Fetal Heartbeat

FOT

Frozen Oocyte Thaw

FSH

Follicle Stimulating Hormone

# G

GC

Gestational Carrier

Globozoospermia

Sperm that lacks and acrosome, often with a globe-shaped head

GnRH

Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone

Gyno

Gynecologist

# h

hCG

Human Chorionic Gonadotropin

hMG

Human Menopausal Gonadotropin

# H

HSC

Hysteroscopy

HSG

Hysterosalpingogram

Hx

History

Hyperspermia

High semen volume above the normal range

# I

ICI

Intracervical Insemination - sperm sample is deposited in the cervix as opposed to the uterus which is done in an IUI. ICI is often done for religious purposes.

ICSI

Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection - a method of fertilization used in IVF where the sperm is injected into an egg by an embryologist. Often used when there is a diagnosis of male factor infertility or the need for PGT.

IF

Infertility

IM

Intramuscular - indicates the injection site for medication, typically required for Progesterone in Oil injections

IP

Intended Parent

IUD

Intrauterine Device - a type of birth control that is inserted into the uterus

IUGR

Intrauterine Growth Restriction

IUI

Intrauterine Insemination, sometimes referred to as artificial insemination

IVF

In vitro fertilization

IVIG

Intravenous Immunoglobulin Therapy

IVM

In vitro maturation - eggs that are immature when retrieved which are incubated for an extra 24 hours to allow time to mature and attempt fertilization or freezing

# L

LAP

Laparoscopy - a surgical procedure used to evaluate the pelvis and diagnose any endometriosis, fallopian tube patency, and pelvic adhesions

LH

Luteinizing Hormone - the LH surge indicates that ovulation will occur roughly 24 to 36 hours later

# M

MC

Miscarriage

MESA

Microsurgical epididymal sperm aspiration - a surgical procedure to collect sperm for IVF in men that have obstructive azoospermia

MF

Male Factor

MFI

Male Factor Infertility

# m

micro-TESE

Microsurgical testicular sperm extraction - a microsurgical procedure to retrieve sperm from the testes in males with non-obstructed azoospermia, microTESEs are often coordinated to coincide with the egg retrieval for IVF

# N

NOA

Non-obstructive azoospermia

NP

Nurse Practitioner

NP

Non-progressive - Used to describe sperm motility, reports the percentage of sperm that are moving/shaking in place and cannot move forward

# O

OA

Obstructive Azoospermia

OB

Obstetrician - Can also be referred to as an OBGYN (Obstetrician/Gynecologist)

OBGYN

Obstetrician/Gynecologist

OCP

Oral Contraceptive Pills - Also referred to as birth control pills

OHSS

Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome - can occur in some women due to the excess hormones in the body from taking fertility medications for IVF, resulting in excess fluid build-up and swelling of the ovaries

Oligozoospermia

Low sperm concentration in semen characterized by <15 million/mL

OPK

Ovulation Predictor Kit

OR

Operating Room - where egg retrievals take place

OTC

Over the counter

# P

P4

Progesterone

PA

Physician's Assistant

PCOS

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome

PCP

Primary Care Physician

PESA

Percutaneous Epididymal Sperm Aspiration

PGD

Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis - now known as PGT-M

PGS

Preimplantation Genetic Screening - now known as PGT-A

PGT

Preimplantation Genetic Testing - Genetic testing of embryos

PGT-A

Preimplantation Genetic Testing for Aneuploidy - A genetic test of an embryo to assess whether the embryo has the correct number of chromosomes and will result in a pregnancy and live birth

PGT-M

Preimplantation Genetic Testing for Monogenic/single-gene defects - A genetic test of an embryo to assess whether the embryo has a specific genetic disease that can be inherited from a parent that has been identified as a carrier for the disease, such as the BRCA gene

PGT-SR

Preimplantation Genetic Testing for chromosomal Structural Rearrangement - A genetic test of an embryo to assess whether the embryo's genes are located on the correct chromosomes in the correct order, done on embryos where one of the parents is known to have a chromosome rearrangement

PIO

Progesterone in oil

PMS

Pre-menstrual Syndrome

POF

Premature Ovarian Failure

Post-op

Post-operation - post egg retrieval

PT

Pregnancy Test

PUPO

Pregnant Until Proven Otherwise

# R

RE

Reproductive Endocrinologist - A physician that specializes in treating infertility

REI

Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility

RIF

Recurrent Implantation Failure

ROS

Reactive Oxygen Species - free-radicals that can cause cell damage

RPL

Recurrent Pregnancy Loss - two or more pregnancy losses before 20 weeks gestation

Rx

Prescription

# S

SA

Semen Analysis

SAB

Spontaneous Abortion - also known as early pregnancy loss which is a loss of pregnancy in the first trimester

SA Concentration

Semen Analysis Sperm Concentration - Number of sperm per milliliter (unit shown in millions/mL), normal is ≥ 15 million/mL

SA Count

Semen Analysis Count - Total number of sperm in a semen sample (usually measured in millions), normal is ≥ 39 million

SA morphology

Semen Analysis Sperm Morphology - percentage of sperm with normal form (head, neck and tail), normal is ≥ 4%

SA motility

Semen Analysis Sperm Motility - percentage of sperm that are moving in a sample, normal motility ≥ 40%

SA Progressive Motility

Semen Analysis Progressive Motility - Percentage of sperm that are moving in a forward direction, normal is ≥ 32%

SART

Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology

SCD

Sperm Chromatin Dispersion - A test of sperm DNA fragmentation

SCSA

Sperm Chromatin Structure Assay - A test of sperm DNA fragmentation

SHG

Sonohysterogram - also referred to as a saline infusion sonogram (SIS), used to evaluate the uterus to identify an abnormalities

SIS

Saline infusion sonogram - Also know as SHG, a procedure to evaluate the uterus to identify any abnormalities in the uterine lining

SQ

Subcutaneous - injection site for medication, also notated as SubQ

STD

Sexually Transmitted Disease

STI

Sexually Transmitted Infection

Stim

Stimulation protocol - the sequence of fertility medications that are taken during a treatment cycle, typically 10-12 days but varies based on the person

# T

T3

Triiodothyronine - a thyroid hormone

T4

Thyroxine - A thyroid hormone, abnormal levels of T4 can affect fertility

Teratozoospermia

High percentage of sperm with morphological defects, <4% morphologically normal in a sample

TESA

Testicular Sperm Aspiration

TESE

Testicular Sperm Extraction

TIC

Timed Intercourse Cycle - Where a couple tracks ovulation and tries to conceive at home. Ovulation can be tracked at home using ovulation predictor kits or at a clinic with cycle monitoring and can be done with stimulation medication or without medications.

TL

Tubal Ligation - Also referred to as having your 'tubes tied', it is a method of female sterilization where the fallopian tubes are surgically closed/blocked so that eggs cannot be reached by sperm that enters the uterus

TRH

Thyroid Releasing Hormone

TSH

Thyroid Stimulating Hormone

TTC

Trying To Conceive

TUNEL

Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling - Sperm DNA Fragmentation test

TWW

Two-week wait - The time between an embryo transfer and knowing the blood pregnancy test results

Tx

Treatment

# U

U/S

Ultrasound

UTI

Urinary Tract Infection