Glossary   Bioadhesive gel: Crinone 8% is a bioadhesive gel that attaches to the lining of the vagina and permits progesterone absorption through the vaginal walls.   Biopsy: The removal of tissue, cells, or fluids from the body for examination.   Cervix: The lower portion of the uterus that provides an opening between the uterus and the vagina.   Clomiphene citrate: A drug used to stimulate ovulation.

 

Embryo: A developing human in the womb. The term embryo is used from implantation through 8 weeks gestation. After 8 weeks, the developing human is considered a fetus.

 

Embryo transfer: A procedure used during in vitro fertilization in which an egg that has been fertilized outside of the womb is placed into the uterus.

 

Endometrium: The inner lining of the uterus.

 

Estrogen: A hormone produced by the ovaries that ensures the growth of the follicle (the sac containing the egg that is released at ovulation). Estrogen also aids in the development of the endometrium. Some women may require estrogen supplementation or replacement therapy.

 

Fallopian tubes: The tubes through which an egg travels from the ovary to the uterus after ovulation. Fertilization normally occurs in the fallopian tube.

 

Implantation: The process of attachment of a fertilized egg to the endometrium.

 

Intrauterine insemination (IUI): A common method of artificial insemination. An IUI involves the insertion of washed sperm directly into the uterus, which places the sperm closer to the egg for fertilization.

 

In vitro fertilization: Fertilization of an egg by sperm that occurs outside of the body. The fertilized egg is then placed into a woman’s uterus for implantation.

 

Menstrual cycle: The monthly cycle that generally lasts for 28 days. The cycle begins on the first day of a woman’s period, and ovulation generally occurs around day 14. Not all cycles are 28 days. Regular menstrual cycles can range from 23 to 35 days.

 

Ovaries: A pair of female reproductive organs that develop and release eggs each month during the menstrual cycle. Some hormones, like estrogen and progesterone, are released from the ovaries at certain times during the menstrual cycle and pregnancy.

 

Ovulation: The release of a mature egg from the ovary.

 

Ovulation induction: Medical treatment used to encourage ovulation.

 

Placenta: The organ that develops during pregnancy that transports nutrients to the fetus and waste away from the fetus. The placenta is attached to the uterus and is connected to the fetus by the umbilical cord.

 

Progesterone: A hormone that plays 2 important roles in pregnancy: 1) thickens the endometrium to prepare for implantation of a fertilized egg, and 2) supports pregnancy through birth.

 

Progesterone deficiency/inadequacy: An imbalance caused by 1 of 2 factors: 1) the ovaries produce little to no progesterone, 2) the endometrium does not respond to normal levels of progesterone.

 

Progesterone replacement: Treatment with progesterone in women who do not produce progesterone.

 

Progesterone supplementation: Treatment with progesterone in women who produce low levels of progesterone.

 

Uterus: The muscular organ in which a fertilized egg implants and matures through pregnancy. During menstruation, the uterus sheds the inner lining.

 

Vagina: A muscular canal between the uterus and the outside of the body. Also known as the birth canal.