|
Terminology |
Explanation |
|
Parental Responsibility |
Informs people who has Parental Responsibility for a
child. |
|
Parental Responsibility Order: |
This is the order made either with or without the
surrogate's permission |
|
Parental Order |
A
regulation allowing parental rights and obligations
to be transferred from a surrogate to the Intended
Parents. |
|
Partial Zonal Dissection (PZD) |
In
conjunction with IVF, a small hole is made in the
gelatinous coating of the egg using a small glass
needle to assist sperm in reaching the outer egg
membrane. A clinic may also use donor sperm or eggs.
|
|
Peak mucus day |
The last day when highly fertile mucus
characteristics are either seen or felt. It
coincides closely with ovulation. |
|
Pelvic inflammatory disease |
Infection involving inflammation of female
reproductive organs, particularly the fallopian
tubes and ovaries. Pelvic infection resulting in
tubal damage may be a cause of infertility |
|
Penis |
The external male reproductive organ through which
seminal fluid and urine can pass |
|
Percutaneous Epididymal Sperm Aspiration (PESA) |
A
sperm recovery technique whereby a fine needle is
passed through the skin of the scrotum and into the
epididymal region of the testes and sperm are
withdrawn using gentle suction. Or, retrieving sperm
directly from the coiled tubing outside the
testicles that store sperm (epididymis) using a
needle. |
|
Period |
See menstruation |
|
Peritoneal cavity |
The cavity of the abdomen where the fallopian tubes
and the uterus are situated |
|
Pituitary |
Gland in the brain which produces many hormones
including Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) and
Luteinizing Hormone (LH). |
|
Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome |
Condition where many small cysts form on the ovary
and hormonal imbalances result which can cause
infertility. Treatment is in the form of drugs or
surgery. |
|
Polymerase Chain Reaction: |
A
process used in DNA analysis. |
|
Polygenic or multifactorial conditions |
The interaction of several genes and the environment |
|
Pregnancy |
The condition of nurturing the embryo or fetus
within the woman's body, lasting from conception to
birth. The normal duration is 265 days from
conception to birth, or the more usual calculation
of 280 days (40 weeks) from the first day of the
last menstrual period |
|
Pregnancy Rate |
The number of pregnancies achieved from every 100
treatment cycles commenced. |
|
Pregnancy test |
An
early-morning urine sample is tested for the
presence of human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG), the
pregnancy hormone. |
|
Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD) |
In
conjunction with IVF, where a recognised
practitioner removes one or two cells from an
embryo, for those cells to be tested for specific
genetic disorders/characteristics before embryo
transfer takes place. |
|
Preimplantation Genetic Screening for Aneuploidy
(PGS) |
In
conjunction with IVF, where a recognised
practitioner removes one or two cells from an
embryo, for those cells to be tested to ensure they
contain the correct number of chromosomes (known as
euploidy) and not more or less than usual (known as
aneuploidy). Normal embryos (euploidy) will be
selected before embryo transfer takes place |
|
Primitive streak |
Thickening in surface of embryos which results in
the first clearly recognisable stage in embryonic
development. |
|
Prenatal |
before birth. |
|
Prenatal Death |
The death of a baby either in the uterus after 24
weeks pregnancy (stillbirth). |
|
Profasi |
Drug used in assisted conception to mature follicles
and cause ovulation to occur. It consists of
purified Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin |
|
Progesterone |
Hormone produced by the ovary and by the corpus
luteum after ovulation which encourages the growth
of the lining of the womb. |
|
Pro-nucleus |
A
small round structure(s) seen within the egg after
fertilisation which contain the haploid sets of
chromosomes (genetic material of each gamete)
surrounded by a membrane. A normal fertilised egg
should contain two pro-nuclei, one from the egg and
one from the sperm. |
|
Prostate Gland |
A
gland which secretes an alkali solution upon
ejaculation which makes up a major part of the
ejaculate. |
|
Puregon |
A
commonly used fertility drug which consists of
highly purified FSH and is used to stimulate the
production of more than one follicle |
|
Prenatal Diagnosis (PND) |
Amniocentesis |
|
Primitive Streak |
This develops in an embryo by day 14 when the cells
which form the foetus separate from those which form
the placenta and umbilical cord |
|
Progesterone |
A
hormone produced mainly by the corpus luteum in the
ovary following ovulation |
