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GLOSSARY

The International Glossary on Infertility and Fertility Care

The following glossary was developed in 2017 by a global panel of more than 100 multidisciplinary experts, professional organisations, and patient representatives to provide consensus agreement on 283 items and definitions. Published in Fertility and Sterility (FNS) and Human Reproduction (HR).
A printable version of the 2017 Glossary and more information on the methodology, and a list of previous compiled glossaries can be found here.

Blastomere symmetry

The extent to which all blastomeres are even in size and shape.

Bleeding after oocyte aspiration

Significant bleeding, internal or external, after oocyte aspiration retrieval requiring hospitalization for blood transfusion, surgical intervention, clinical observation or other medical procedure.

Canceled ART cycle

An ART cycle in which ovarian stimulation or monitoring has been initiated with the intention to treat, but which did not proceed to follicular aspiration or in the case of a thawed or warmed embryo did not proceed to embryo transfer.

Childlessness

A condition in which a person, voluntarily or involuntarily, is not a legal or societally-recognized parent to a child, or has had all children die.

Chimerism

Presence in a single individual of two or more cell lines, each derived from different individuals.

Cleavage stage embryos

Embryos beginning with the 2-cell stage and up to, but not including, the morula stage.

Clinical fertility

The capacity to establish a clinical pregnancy.

Clinical pregnancy

A pregnancy diagnosed by ultrasonographic visualization of one or more gestational sacs or definitive clinical signs of pregnancy. In addition to intra-uterine pregnancy, it includes a clinically documented ectopic pregnancy.

Clinical pregnancy rate

The number of clinical pregnancies expressed per 100 initiated cycles, aspiration cycles or embryo transfer cycles. When clinical pregnancy rates are recorded, the denominator (initiated, aspirated or embryo transfer cycles) must be specified.

Clinical pregnancy with fetal heart beat

A pregnancy diagnosed by ultrasonographic or clinical documentation of at least one fetus with a discernible heartbeat.

Compaction

The process during which tight junctions form between juxtaposed blastomeres resulting in a solid mass of cells with indistinguishable cell membranes.

Complex aneuploidies

Two or more aneuploidies involving different chromosomes in the embryo. When autosomes are involved, this condition is not compatible with human life.

Congenital anomalies

Structural or functional disorders that occur during intra-uterine life and can be identified prenatally, at birth or later in life. Congenital anomalies can be caused by single gene defects, chromosomal disorders, multifactorial inheritance, environmental teratogens and micronutrient deficiencies. The time of identification should be reported.

Congenital anomaly birth rate

The number of births exhibiting signs of congenital anomalies per 10,000 births. The time of identification should have been reported.

Congenital bilateral absence of the vasa deferentia (CBAVD)

The absence, at birth, of both duct systems (vas deferentia) that connect the testes to the urethra and may be associated with cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CTFR) gene mutation. Although the testes usually develop and function normally, men present with azoospermia.

Conventional in vitro insemination

The co-incubation of oocytes with sperm in vitro with the goal of resulting in extracorporeal fertilization.

Corona radiata cells

The innermost cells of the cumulus oophorus.

Cross border reproductive care

The provision of reproductive health services in a different jurisdiction or outside of a recognized national border within which the person or persons legally reside.

Cryopreservation

The process of slow freezing or vitrification to preserve biological material (e.g. gametes, zygotes, cleavage-stage embryos, blastocysts or gonadal tissue) at extreme low temperature.

Cryptorchidism

Testis not in scrotal position within the neonatal period and, up to but not limited to, 1 year post birth. If the testis has not descended into the scrotum, this condition can cause primary testicular failure and increased risk of testicular cancer development.
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