| In Vitro Fertilization (IVF): a method of assisted reproduction that involves removing an egg from the ovary, combining it with sperm in a petri dish and, if fertilized, replacing the resulting embryo back into the woman's uterus.
Laparoscopy: a diagnostic procedure in which a surgeon inserts a laparoscope through a small incision below the naval; he/she then views the exterior surfaces of a woman's reproductive organs and abdominal cavity.
Oocyte Retrieval: a procedure to collect the eggs contained within the ovarian follicles. A needle is inserted into the follicle, the fluid and egg are aspirated into the needle, and then placed into a culture medium-filled dish.
Ovarian Failure: the inability of the ovary to respond to any gonadotropic hormone stimulation, usually due to the absence of follicular tissue on a genetic basis or the postmenopausal condition (absence of oocytes). |
