AI

The placement of sperm or semen within the vagina or cervix of a woman by artificial means.

Conception

Traditionally, used to refer to "the act of becoming pregnant" without further particularity. In this Paper, we use this term to refer to the fertilization of an ovum by a sperm.

Cryopreservation

In this Report, the freezing of reproductive tissue for storage purposes.

Ectopic Pregnancy

Implantation of the fertilized ovum outside the cavity of the uterus.

Embryo

Strictly, the term "embryo" refers to that period of development between the fourth and eighth weeks after fertilization has occurred. However, in the debate surrounding IVF it has been used to describe the fertilized ovum.

Fallopian Tube

Uterine tube through which an ovum released from the ovary is conveyed to the uterus, and where conception normally takes place.

Fertilization

The process which begins when a single sperm passes through the outer coat of the ovum. This process is not instantaneous, but can take 22 to 30 hours to complete.

Foetus

The developing human life from the end of the eighth week after fertilization to the moment of birth.

Follicle

A small sac within the ovary which contains the developing ovum.

Gamete

An ovum or a sperm.

Gamete Intra-Fallopian Transfer (GIFT)

Medical procedure of placing ova and sperm in the Fallopian tubes of a woman to bring about fertilisation.

Gynaecology

A branch of medicine dealing with the female reproductive tract.

In Vitro Fertilization

Human fertilization outside the body, and includes recently developed techniques for transferring fertilized eggs and early embryos to the fallopian tubes instead of the uterus, such as zygote intra fallopian transfer (ZIFT), pro-nuclear stage ovum transfer (PROST), tubal embryo stage transfer (TEST) and fallopian embryo transfer (FET).

Ovary

One of the paired reproductive glands in the female, containing the ova.

Ovum

The female sex cell produced in the ovary (plural, ova).

Semen

Fluid secretion containing sperm that is emitted during ejaculation.

Sperm

The male gamete(s) produced in the testicle. Strictly, spermatozoon (singular) and spermatozoa (plural).

Uterus

The womb, a hollow muscular organ in which the fertilized ovum may implant and develop into a foetus.