The journey to getting pregnant isn’t always an easy one. Couples or individuals who suffer from infertility can be devastated by their inability to have a child and will go to great lengths to have a baby. Entering the world of fertility treatments can be daunting with what seems to be a whole new language to learn. A fertility specialist can explain to you most of the terms associated with fertility treatments, but it’s always a good idea to do some research on your own so you can get a basic understanding of the words used. Below is a list of a few of the most common fertility terms.

Agglutination: A condition when the sperm clump together

Amenorrhea: A word that describes when a woman doesn’t have a period (menstruation)

Anovulation: The term used to describe when a woman doesn’t ovulate or ovulates inconsistently and rarely

Antisperm Antibody Test: This procedure tests the surface of a sperm to see if it has antibodies that interfere with the sperm’s ability to move, penetrate the cervical mucus and ultimately fertilize an egg.

Artificial Insemination: The process of inserting sperm directly into the woman either via her cervix, ovaries, fallopian tubes or uterus.

Assisted Reproduction Technology (ART): The general term for a variety of infertility procedures.

Azoospermia: When a man has semen but no sperm in the semen.

Basal Body Temperature (BBT): The body temperature of a woman that indicates if she’s ovulating. It’s taken every day, usually in the morning before other activities begin. There’s a slight spike in temperature during ovulation

Blastocyst: A stage of an egg about five days after it has been fertilized.

Cervical Mucus: Mucus produced by the cervix. It changes in amount and consistency as ovulation approaches and can be an indicator of a woman’s more fertile time.

Ectopic Pregnancy: A pregnancy where the embryo implants outside the uterus.

Endometriosis: A condition when the tissue from the lining of the uterus grows outside the uterus. It can cover the internal organs of a woman and can be very painful.

Luteinizing Hormone: This is the hormone that triggers ovulation

Luteal Phase: The second half of the menstrual cycle.

Male Factor Infertility: When a couple’s infertility is caused by problems with the man’s reproductive organs or sperm. It’s also used to describe when a man’s fertility problems contribute to existing fertility problems in a woman.

Morphology: The shape and size of sperm.

Retrograde Ejaculation: When semen enters a man’s bladder during ejaculation instead of leaving the penis.

Superovulation: Involves the stimulation of the ovaries with hormones so that multiple eggs are released instead of one.

Varicocele: A condition where a varicose vein in the scrotum interferes with the quality and production of sperm.

Zygote: An early stage in the development of a fertilized egg.

This is just a sampling of the words you might come across when you visit a fertility clinic. It is nowhere near a comprehensive list in regards to the various types of fertility treatments available. It is, however, a place to start. If you are based in Denver, you may visit - Infertility Clinics In Denver.