by Devon Mason on March 10, 2010
If you are dealing with the stress of trying to conceive after being diagnosed with infertility, it might help to understand some of the most frequently used terms that are used for infertility itself and fertility treatments.
Here are some more of the most common terms used when talking about fertility treatments and issues:
Donor Embryo: This refers to an embryo that has been donated by a couple who have undergone an Assisted Reproductive Technology treatment and had extra embryos, and are willing to share. All parental rights are relinquished by the couple whop donates the embryos.
Ectopic Pregnancy: This is a pregnancy in which the fertilized egg implants itself in a location outside of the uterus, most often in the fallopian tube, the ovary, or sometimes the abdominal cavity.
Egg: An egg is a female reproductive cell, which may also be called an oocyte or ovum.
Egg Retrieval: This procedure may also be called oocyte retrieval, and refers to a procedure that is done to collect the eggs contained in the ovarian follicles.
Egg Transfer: May also be referred to as oocyte transfer, it is a procedure that transfers retrieved eggs into a woman’s fallopian tubes through laparoscopy, and is used only in GIFT.
Embryo: An embryo is a fertilized egg that has undergone or more divisions.
Embryo Transfer: This is the procedure that involves placing an embryo into a woman’s uterus. The embryo is placed into the uterus via the cervix, and the procedure takes place after in vitro fertilization. During the process of Zygote Intrafallopian Transfer, or ZIFT, the embryos are placed in a woman’s fallopian tube.
Endometriosis: This term refers to a medical condition that involves the presence of tissue similar to the uterine lining found outside the uterus. Endometriosis can affect fertilization of the egg, as well as embryo implantation.
Fertilization: Fertilization is what occurs when the sperm penetrates the egg, and the genetic materials of both are combined to develop into an embryo.
Having a better understanding of the medical terms you will hear when dealing with issues of infertility may help to reduce a little of your stress.
Tagged as:
Fertility,
get pregnant,
in vitro fertilization,
infertility
by Sara Wright on March 9, 2010
If you are trying to get pregnant and are dealing with infertility, you might find some of the medical jargon and frequently used terms more than a little bewildering.
Here are some of the more commonly used terms with brief, easy to understand definitions:
ART: Assisted Reproductive Technology. This refers to basically any procedure that involves taking eggs from a woman’s ovaries and combining them with male sperm.
ART Cycle: This process involves an ART procedure, ovarian stimulation, and/or frozen embryos that have been thawed for transfer into a woman’s body. The process starts when a woman begins taking fertility drugs, or her ovaries are monitored for follicle production.
Canceled cycle: This refers to an ART cycle in which there was ovarian stimulation, but it was stopped before the eggs were harvested. In the case of frozen embryo cycles, it would be a canceled cycle if it was stopped before embryos were transferred. The reasons for a canceled cycle might be undeveloped eggs, if the patient became ill, or if the patient wants to stop the treatment.
Combination cycle: This is an Assisted Reproductive Technology cycle that utilizes more than one procedure. For example, combination cycles usually combine IVF with GIFT or ZIFT.
Concentration of motile sperm: This term refers to a measurement of the sperm that can quickly swim to fertilize an egg. According to the World health organization, there should be at least 10 million motile sperm per milliliter of semen.
Cryopreservation: This is the process of freezing extra embryos from a couple’s ART cycle for possible use in the future.
Diminished ovarian reserve: This refers to a female condition which means the ability of the ovary to produce eggs is diminished, or lessened. The reasons for diminished ovarian reserve might be congenital, medical, surgical causes or a woman’s age—generally women over the age of 40.
Donor egg cycle: This means that an embryo has been created from the egg of one woman, who is the donor, and subsequently transferred to another woman who is unable to use her own eggs, the recipient.
It might help to lessen the frustration and stress of infertility if you are knowledgeable about the frequently used terms.
Tagged as:
fertility drugs,
get pregnant,
infertility,
Trying To Conceive
by Whitney Rhodes on March 7, 2010
We’re all probably aware that there are early pregnancy tests for women that can be done at home, but did you know that there are at-home sperm tests, also?
Yes! It’s true!
Now there are tests that can be performed in the privacy of your own home that check both the motility and sperm count.
Pros:
The convenience is nice, of course, and producing a semen sample at home has got to be less stressful than in a doctor’s office or clinic.
The cost will certainly be less expensive for a home sperm test than that done at a doctor’s office or fertility clinic.
You can get results instantly if you use one of the kits that come complete with a microscope.
Cons:
Honestly, this is probably a case of a little knowledge being a dangerous thing. If you are trying to conceive and having problems, you would almost certainly be well advised to go to a doctor or clinic that specializes in reproductive health to get sperm testing done.
According to fertility specialist doctors, a man actually needs three separate tests—each test after 3 consecutive days of sexual abstinence. These tests should be eight weeks apart.
Now, as for getting your own microscope to do the home sperm test, how qualified is the average person to correctly use and interpret what he or she sees under a microscope?
Unless you have specialized training of some kind in the lab, working with lab equipment, chances are that you will not be up to the task of suddenly being able to put a slide under a microscope with the foggiest idea what you are looking at.
So, while the convenience and privacy of at-home sperm testing is attractive, not to mention the cheaper cost, overall it doesn’t seem like a good idea to try and self test something of such critical importance.
Perhaps if one of the home sperm tests was used in conjunction with professional diagnostics, it could be a good thing.
But, relying on a home test to furnish the last word about the quantity and quality of sperm when a couple wants to conceive is probably unwise.
