ART cycle
A process in which 1) an ART procedure is carried out, 2) a woman has ovarian stimulation or monitoring with the intent of having an ART procedure, or 3) in the case of frozen embryos, embryos have been thawed with he intent of transferring them to a woman. A cycle begins when a woman begins taking fertility drugs of having her ovaries monitored.

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Blastocyst Transfer
A technique used in conjunction with in-vitro fertilization whereby the embryo is allowed to grow to the blastocyst stage (typically day 6) and then reimplanted into the woman's uterus. This technique helps to increase pregnancy success rates and reduce the chance for multiples.

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Canceled Cycle
An ART cycle in which ovarian stimulation was carried out but which was stopped before eggs were retrieved or in the case of frozen embryo cycles, before embryos were transferred.

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Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
A government agency within the Department of Health and Human Services responsible for publishing annual U.S. fertility clinic success rates.

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Cryopreservation
A technique for freezing tissue or cells to preserve for use at a later date. In this report, cryopreserved embryos are referred to as frozen embryos.

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Donor embryo
An embryo formed from the egg of a woman who has donated it for transfer to a woman who is unable to conceive with her own eggs (the recipient). The donor relinquishes all parental rights to any resulting offspring.

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Ectopic pregnancy
A pregnancy in which the fertilized egg implants outside of the utuerus-usually in the fallopian tube, the ovary, or the abdominal caviety. Ectopic pregnancy is a dangerous condition that must receive prompt treatment.

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Egg
A female reproductive cell, also called an oocyte or ovum.

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Egg retrieval (also called oocyte retrieval)
A procedure to collect the eggs contained in the ovarian follicales.

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Egg transfer (also called oocyte transfer)
The transfer of retrieved eggs into a woman's fallopian tubes through laparoscopy (see definition). This procedure is used only in gamete intrafallopian transfer (GIFT).

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Embryo
An egg that has been fertilized by a sperm and undergone one or more divisions.

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Embryo transfer
Placement of embryos into a woman's uterus through the cervix after in-vitro fertilization (IVF) or in the case of zygote intrafallopian transfer (ZIFT) into her fallopian tube.

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Endometriosis
The presence of tissue simliar to the uterine lining in locations outside of the uterus, such as the ovaries, fallopian tubes, and abdominal caviety.

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Fertilization
The penetration of the egg by the sperm and the resulting combining of genetic material that develops into an embyo.

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Follicle
A structure in the ovaries that contains developing eggs.

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Fresh eggs, sperm, or embryos
Eggs, sperm, or embryos that have not been frozen. However, fresh embryos may have been conceived using fresh or frozen sperm.

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Gamete
A reproductive cell, either a sperm or egg.

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GIFT (gamete intrafallopian transfer)
An ART procedure that involves removing eggs from a woman's ovary, combining them with sperm, and using a laparoscope to assist in placing the unfertilized eggs and sperm into the woman's fallopian tube through small incisions in her abdomen.

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Gestation
The period of time from conception to birth. A pregnancy with multiple fetuses is referred to as a multiple gestation.

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Gestational carrier
A woman who carries an embryo that was formed from the egg of another woman; the gestational carrier is expected to return the infant to its genetic parents.

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Gestational sac
A fluid filled structure that forms within the uterus early in pregnancy. In a normal pregnancy, a gestational sac contais a developing fetus.

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Induced or therapeutic abortion
A surgical or other medical procedure used to end a pregnancy.

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ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection)
A procedure in which a single sperm is injected directly into the an egg; this procedure is most commonly used to overcome male infertility problems.

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IVF (in-vitro fertilization)
An ART procedure that involves removing eggs form a woman's ovaries and fertilizing them outside her body. The resulting embryos are then transferred into the woman's utuerus through the cervix.

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Laparosopy
A surgical procedure in which a fiber-optic instrument (a laparoscope) is inserted through a small incision in the abdomen to view the inside of the pelvis.

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Live birth
The delivery of one or more babies with any sign of life.

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Male factor
Any cause of infertility due to deficiencies in sperm quantity, function, or motility (ability to move) that make it difficult for a sperm to fertilize an egg under normal conditions.

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Multifetal pregnancy reduction
A procedure used to decrease the number of fetuses a woman carries and improve the chances that the remaining fetuses will survive and develop into healthy infants. Multifetal reductions that occur naturally are referred to as spontaneous multifetal reductions.

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Multiple birth
A pregnancy that results in the birth of more than one baby.

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Oocyte
The female reproductive cell, also called the egg.

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Oocyte Cryopreservation
Commonly known as egg freezing. This is used most often for younger women diagnosed with cancer who want to keep the prospect of biologic parenthood possible prior to undergoing cancer treatment. Mature eggs are harvested under ultrasound guided aspiration and stored for future use.

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Ovarian factor
A cause of infertility due to problems with the egg production by the ovaries.

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Ovarian monitoring
The use of ultrasound and/or blood or urine tests to monitor ovarian follicle development and hormone production.

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Ovarian stimulation
The use of drugs to stimulate the ovaries to develop follicles/eggs.

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Pregnancy (Clinical)
Pregnancy verified by the presence of a gestational sac on ultrasound.

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RESOLVE
A national, nonprofit consumer organization offering education, advocacy, and support to those experiencing infertility. Services include a national Helpline, quarterly newsletter, extensive literature list, member-to-member contact systems, and local support groups through a network of over 50 chapters nationwide.

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Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology (SART)
An affiliate of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine composed clinics and programs that provides ART. SART reports annual fertility clinic data to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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Sperm
The male reproductive cell.

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Spontaneous abortion (miscarriage)
A pregnancy ending in the spontaneous loss of the embryo or fetus before 20 weeks or more of gestation.

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Stillbirth
A fetus or infant delivered without signs of life after 20 weeks of gestation.

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Stimulated cycle
An ART cycle in which a woman receives drugs to stimulate her ovaries to produce more follicles.

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Thawed cycle
A cycle in which previously frozen embryos are thawed for embryo transfer.

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Tubal factor
Structural or functional damage of one or both fallopian tubes that reduces fertility.

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Ultrasound
A noninvasive technique for visualizing the follicles in the ovaries and the gestational sac or fetus in the uterus.

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Unexplained cause of infertility
Infertility for which no cause has been determined despite a comprehensive evaluation.

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Unstimulated cycle
An ART cycle in which the woman does not receive drugs to stimulate her ovaries to produce more follicle. Instead, follicles develop naturally.

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Uterine factor
A disorder in the uterus that reduces fertility.

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Definitions courtesy of Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology