In plain words
Fertility care has a language of its own. These are clear, jargon-free definitions of the terms you'll come across — so nothing gets lost in translation.
- AMH
- A blood test that roughly estimates how many eggs you have left.
- AFC
- An ultrasound count of resting follicles that helps estimate ovarian reserve.
- Azoospermia
- When there is no measurable sperm in the semen.
- Beta hCG
- The blood test that confirms and tracks early pregnancy after IVF.
- Blastocyst
- An embryo grown to about day five, often used for transfer.
- Chemical pregnancy
- A very early miscarriage before the pregnancy is visible on a scan.
- Ectopic pregnancy
- A pregnancy that implants outside the uterus, usually in a tube.
- Egg retrieval
- A short procedure to collect eggs from the ovaries, usually under sedation.
- Embryo transfer
- Placing an embryo into the uterus using a thin, soft catheter.
- Endometriosis
- A condition where tissue like the womb lining grows outside the uterus.
- Endometrium
- The lining of the uterus, where an embryo implants.
- FET
- Transferring a previously frozen embryo, thawed for use in a later cycle.
- Follicle
- A fluid-filled sac in the ovary that holds an egg.
- Gonadotropins
- Injectable hormones used to stimulate the ovaries during IVF.
- HSG
- An X-ray test that checks whether the fallopian tubes are open.
- Hydrosalpinx
- A fallopian tube that is blocked and filled with fluid.
- ICSI
- A lab technique where a single sperm is injected directly into an egg.
- Implantation failure
- When a transferred embryo does not attach and no pregnancy starts.
- IUI
- Prepared sperm placed directly into the uterus around ovulation.
- IVF
- Eggs collected and fertilised in a lab, with an embryo placed in the uterus.
- Myomectomy
- Surgery to remove fibroids while keeping the uterus.
- OHSS
- An over-response to IVF stimulation causing swollen, painful ovaries.
- Ovarian reserve
- The pool of eggs you have remaining, estimated by AMH and antral follicle count.
- Ovarian stimulation
- Hormone injections that encourage several eggs to grow for an IVF cycle.
- PGT-A
- An optional genetic test of an embryo's chromosomes before transfer.
- Progesterone
- A hormone given after transfer to support the uterine lining.
- Trigger shot
- A single injection that matures the eggs, given about 36 hours before retrieval.
- TSH
- A blood test that checks how well the thyroid is working.
- Two-week wait
- The roughly 14 days between transfer and the pregnancy test.
- Varicocele
- Enlarged veins in the scrotum that can affect sperm.