| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Glossary.
| Terminology | Explanation |
| Secondary Infertility | infertility
in a woman who has had a previous pregnancy |
| Selective reduction | The procedure in which one or more normal foetuses in a multiple pregnancy resulting from assisted conception are destroyed. The procedure may be hazardous to the remaining foetus(es) |
| Seminiferous tubules | Very long and convoluted tubules which make up the bulk of the testicles. It is here that sperm is produced. |
| Seminal fluid or semen | The fluid (often called sperm), ejaculated from the penis at orgasm, which contains the sperm cells. |
| Seminal vesicles | Two sacs that store semen, which open into the top of the male urethra. |
| Sex selection | The sex of an embryo is determined using PGD, in order to avoid sex-linked diseases |
| Sexually transmitted disease (STD | Any infection that is transmitted by sexual contact or intercourse. |
| Sperm | The
gamete (or mature male germ cell) produced by the male, usually through
ejaculation. Millions of sperm are present in each ejaculate and roughly
half of these will carry X chromosomes, the other half carrying Y chromosomes.
A single sperm is called a spermatozoon |
| Sperm count | The number of sperm in an ejaculate. Also called sperm concentration and given as the number of sperm per millilitre. |
| Spermicide | Sperm killing chemicals that are placed in the vagina to prevent conception (usually added to condom lubricants, so it is important not to use these to collect sperm for artificial insemination!). |
| Sperm motility | The ability of sperm to swim. Poor motility means the sperm have a difficult time swimming toward the egg. |
| Sperm sorting | The separation of sperm carrying X chromosomes from those carrying Y chromosomes prior to fertilisation, in order to determine the sex of the offspring. Used for sex selection |
| Spermatid | An immature sperm cell. |
| Stem cell | An early cell type found in the embryo or foetus, able to reproduce indefinitely and having the capacity to develop (differentiate) into a large number of different cell types. |
| Sterilisation | A procedure which renders an individual permanently sterile. |
| Sterility | An irreversible condition that prevents conception |
| Stillbirth | The birth of a dead infant |
| Stimulated Cycle | A treatment cycle in which stimulation drugs are used to produce more eggs than usual in the woman's monthly cycle |
| Stimulation Drugs | Drugs used to stimulate a woman's ovaries to produce more eggs than usual in a monthly cycle; also known as superovulatory drugs |
| Sub Zonal Insemination (SUZI) | A technique whereby one or several sperm are injected directly through the zona pellucida (outer layer) of the oocyte. |
| Superovulation/Stimulation | The medical stimulation of the ovary with hormones to induce the production of multiple egg-containing follicles in a single menstrual cycle |
| Surrogacy | An arrangement where one woman carries a child for another couple either using Traditional (“straight”) or Gestational (“full”, “host”) surrogacy |
| Surrogate Mother | A woman who bears a child for another couple, either using their embryos or the Intended Father’s sperm and her egg. |
| Syphilis | an S.T.D. caused by an organism called Treponema pallidum. It can affect nearly any organ in the body, mimicking many different diseases and unless treated (usually by penicillin), can lead to heart and brain disease. A baby born with this (congenital syphilis) will have a range of health problems and some mild deformities. |
©COTS 2005
