A.R.T.
Assisted Reproductive Technology (see definition below).

A.S.R.M.
American Society for Reproductive Medicine: a professional medical organization of health care professionals interested in reproductive medicine.

Abortion
The premature termination of a pregnancy; may be induced or spontaneous (miscarriage).

Adhesion
A union of adjacent organs by scar tissue.

Amenorrhea
Absence of menstruation.

Amniocentesis
The aspiration of amniotic fluid from the uterus, usually performed at three to three and one-half months of pregnancy, to test the fetus for genetic abnormalities.

Androgens
Male sex hormones.

Andrologist
A specialist who treats sperm problems.

Anovulation
The absence of ovulation.

Antibody
A protective agent produced by the body’s immune system in response to a foreign substance.

Antigen
Any substance that induces the formation of an antibody.

Antisperm antibodies
Antibodies that can attach to sperm and inhibit movement of sperm or fertilization.

Artificial Insemination
The process in which sperm is placed into the female reproductive tract for the purpose of producing a pregnancy.

Aspiration
The application of light suction to the ovarian follicle during the egg retrieval procedure to remove the eggs for use in in vitro fertilization (IVF).

Assisted hatching
A type of micromanipulation procedure designed to improve implantation, whereby the embryologist makes a chemical opening on the zona pellucida of an embruo to allow the cleaved embryo to exit prior to implantation.

Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART)
Treatments and procedures involving the handling of human eggs and sperm for the purposes of establishing a pregnancy. Types of ART include IVF, ICSI, assisted hatching, embryo cryopreservation, frozen embryo transfer and oocyte donation.

Asymptomatic
Without any symptoms.

Autoantibodies
Antibodies formed against one’s own tissues.

Autoimmunity
An immune reaction against one’s own tissues.

Azoospermia
Absence of sperm.