By Mel Ng
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A visit to a fertility clinic usually involves encountering terminologies that seem Greek and Latin to most of us. A little knowledge and understanding of the terms used goes a long way in appreciating what the physician or the fertility expert recommends.
Some of the terms used to define the male reproductive system are:
- Prostrate gland - this is a gland that supplies part of the fluid that is essential for the transportation of sperms.
- Vas Deferens - is the tubule that carries sperms from the epididymis to the ejaculatory duct of the penis.
- Follicle stimulating hormone - these hormones are pituitary hormones that stimulate the testicles.
Some of the physical conditions that may lead to infertility issues with males are:
- Ctyptorchidism - this is a condition where the testicles do not descend into the scrotal sacs.
- Hypospadias - is a structural abnormality of the penile shaft and can result in an opening of the underside.
- Retrograde ejaculation - this is a clinical condition in which sperms are not ejaculated in a forward direction and actually refluxes into the bladder.
Other terms that males are likely to hear about during a visit to a fertility clinic are:
- Asthenospermia - this is a condition where the movement of the sperms is hampered and this results in poor motility.
- Azoospermia - is a complete absence of sperms.
- Oligoasthenospermia - this refers to a condition where the sperm count is low coupled with poor mobility of the sperms.
- Teratospermia - is mentioned when the shape of the sperms is abnormal.
- Impotence in men - is a condition where an individual is unable to maintain an erection and has a total sperm count of less than 20 million.
Some of the treatment options that exist for males are:
- Etoejaculation - this is a process of electrical stimulation of nerves that control ejaculation and this is used to obtain semen from men with spinal cord injuries.
- Percoll - is a process in which sperms are centrifuged or washed to enable separation from debris and dead or immature sperm
- Testicularlepididymal sperm aspiration- is a surgical procedure where the testicle or epididymis is biopsied for the purposes of obtaining sperm for Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection.
- Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection is a process of injecting sperm into oocyte with micromanipulation technique.
Since the reproductive system of women is vastly different from that of males, the terms used are also different.
- Fallopian tubes - a pair of hollow structures leading from the area of the ovaries to the uterus. Fertilization occurs in the fallopian tubes from where the eggs travels to the uterus and settles there.
- Fimbria - are the end of the fallopian tubes and these help in picking up the egg from the ovary after ovulation.
- Corpus Luteum - an organ responsible for progesterone production in the ovary after ovulation has occurred. This helps in preparing the lining of uterus for implantation.
- Follicle - is a fluid filled structure on the surface of the ovary in which the maturing egg grows. It produces estrogen until release of the egg, after which it becomes the corpus luteum and secretes progesterone.
Some of the common problems that may occur in females are
- Anovulation - lack of ovulation.
- Amenorrhea - absence of menstruation.
- Oligomenorrhea - infrequent menses.
- Endometriosis - where the lining tissue of the uterus comes outside and lodges in the peritoneal cavity.
- Ectopic pregnancy - a pregnancy that occurs outside the uterus, usually in the fallopian tube.
Treatments for infertility in women range from surgical procedures to almost natural ones.
- Artificial insemination - this is a procedure where the prepared sperm is placed in the uterus with the help of a specialized catheter.
- Intrauterine insemination - a process that involves placing the sperm directly into the uterus.
- Blastocyst - is also known as preimplantation embryo and refers to a more developed embryo that implants into the uterine lining about a week after fertilization.
- Laparoscopy - a technique which uses a narrow lighted instrument to visualize the ovaries, uterus and fallopian tubes.
- Salpingostomy - refers to surgical procedure to create an opening at the end of blocked fallopian tube.
- Fimbrioplasty - is a surgical process where the constricted end of a fallopian tube is opened.
- Laparotomy - is a process that involves making an incision through the abdomen to allow direct visualization of the reproductive system.
- In Vitro Fertilization - is the latest technique in which the fertilization is achieved outside the body and then embryo transfer is done into the uterus.
- Gamete Intra fallopian transfer - is a variation of IVF and needs laproscopy wherein the eggs are mixed with sperms outside the body and then placed into the fallopian tube. The fertilization occurs inside the body.
Equipped with this knowledge of fertility related terms, understand and decoding what the experts tell you should not be a tough job, as it normally is.
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