Infertility Terms & Definitions
Salpingectomy: Surgical removal of the fallopian tubes.
Salpingitis: An inflammation or infection of one or both fallopian tubes.
Salpingitis Isthmica Nodosa: An abnormal condition of the fallopian tube where it attaches to the uterus, characterized by nodules.
Salpingolysis: Surgical removal of adhesions that restrict the movement and function of reproductive organs.
Salpingo-oophorectomy: Surgical removal of the fallopian tubes and ovaries.
Salpingostomy: A surgical incision made in a fallopian tube. This may be done to remove an ectopic pregnancy or to recreate an opening in an obstructed tube.
Salpingotomy: A surgical incision made in the fallopian tube. This may be done to remove an ectopic pregnancy or to recreate an opening in an obstruicted tube.
SCORIF: See Stimulated Cycle Oocyte Retrieval In (office) Fertilization.
Scrotum: The sac of skin and thin muscle surrounding the man's testicles, epididymis, and vas deferens.
Secondary Infertility (SI): The inability of a couple to achieve a pregnancy after having previously conceived. This strict medical definition includes couples for whom the pregnancy did not go to term. The common vernacular, however, refers to a couple which has one biological child (or more) but is unable to conceive another.
Secondary Sex Characteristics: The physical qualities that distinguish man and woman, such as beard, large breasts, and deep voice. Formed under the stimulation of the sex hormones (testosterone or estrogen), these characteristics also identify those people who have gone through puberty (sexual maturity).
Semen (Seminal Fluid): The fluid that is secreted from the testicles, seminal vesicles, prostate gland, and several other glands in the male reproductive tract during ejaculation. The semen provides nourishment and protection for the sperm and a medium in which the sperm can travel to the woman's vagina. Semen may also refer to the entire ejaculate, including the sperm.
Semen Analysis (SA): A laboratory test used to assess semen quality: sperm quantity, concentration, morphology (form), and motility. In addition, it measures semen (fluid) volume and whether or not white blood cells are present, indicating an infection.
Semen Viscosity: The liquid flow or consistency of the semen.
Seminal Vesicles: Pair of pouchlike glands at the base of the bladder that produce much of the semen volume, including fructose (sugar) for nourishing the sperm and a chemical that causes the semen to coagulate on entering the vagina.
Seminiferous Tubules: The network of tubes in the testicles in which the sperm are formed, mature and move toward the epididymis.
Septate Uterus: A uterine abnormality in which the uterus is divided into two halves by a wall of tissue (septum). Women with a septate uterus have an increased chance of early pregnancy loss.
Septum: A dividing wall within a body cavity, such as a wall dividing the uterus in half.
Serophene: Brand name for clomiphene citrate. (See Clomid)
Sertoli (Nurse) Cells: Testicular cells responsible for providing nurishment to the spermatids (immature sperm). Secretes inhibin, a feedback hormone, which regulates FSH production by the pituitary gland. When stimulated by FSH, the Sertoli cell initiates spermatogenesis.
Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD): An infectious disease transmitted during sex.
Sheehan's Syndrome: A condition caused by profuse hemorrhage at the time of delivery. The severe blood loss shocks the pituitary gland, which dies and becomes nonfunctional.
Short Luteal Phase: See Luteal Phase Defect.
SI: See Secondary Infertility.
SLE: See Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.
Slow Responder: A woman who takes longer than average (10 days) to produce mature follicles on injectable fertility medications.
Sonogram (Ultrasound): Use of high-frequency sound waves for creating an image of internal body parts without the use of X-ray. Can be used to detect and count follicle growth, disappearance and abnormalities in many fertility treatments. Also used to detect and monitor pregnancy.
Sonohystogram: An ultrasound/sonogram in which saline is injected into the uterus. It is used to check for abnormalities. It has some similarity to a hysterosalpingogram in purpose, but does not require iodine dye injection or radiation.
SPA: See Sperm Penetration Assay.
Sperm: The microscopic cell that carries the male's genetic information to the female's egg; the male reproductive cell; the male gamete.
Sperm Agglutination: Sperm clumping caused by antibody reactions or by infection.
Sperm Bank: A place where sperm is collected and frozen to be used at a later time by a couple or to be donated for use in Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ARTs).
Sperm Penetration Assay: A method used to measure the ability of sperm to fertilize using hamster eggs.
Spermatic Cord: The cord suspending the testes. It is composed of veins, arteries, lymphatics, nerves and the vas deferens.
Spermatogenesis: Sperm production in the seminiferous tubules.
Sperm Count: The number of sperm present in ejaculate. Also called sperm concentration or sperm density and given as the number of sperm per milliliter.
Sperm Density: The number of sperm per milliliter or cc. Sperm may be measured by its motility, morphology, count and viability.
Sperm Maturation: A process during which the sperm grow and gain their ability to swim. Sperm take about ninety days to reach maturity.
Sperm Morphology: A semen analysis factor that indicates the number or percentage of sperm in the sample that appear to have been formed normally. Abnormal morphology includes sperm with kinked, doubled, or coiled tails. The higher the percentage of misshapen sperm, the less likely fertilization can take place.
Sperm Motility: The ability of sperm to swim. Poor motility means the sperm have a difficult time swimming toward their goal -- the egg.
Sperm Penetration: The ability of the sperm to penetrate the egg so it can deposit the genetic material during fertilization.
Sperm Penetration Assay (SPA): A test of the ability of sperm to penetrate a hamster egg that has been stripped of the Zona Pellucida (outer membrane). Also called a Hamster Test.
Sperm Viability: Refers to whether or not the sperm is alive.
Sperm Washing: A laboratory technique for separating sperm from semen, and separating motile sperm from non-motile sperm, for use in assisted reproduction.
Spermatocyte: Sperm cell that is immature.
Spermatogenesis: Production of sperm within the seminiferous tubules.
Spermatozoa: The male reproductive cell or gamete. Also called sperm.
Spinnbarkeit: Test to determine the stretchability of cervical mucus; the stringy quality that occurs at midcycle under the influence of estrogen. See also Postcoital Test.
Split Ejaculate: The method of collecting a semen specimen so that the first half of the ejaculate, which is rich in sperm, is caught in one container and the rest, which is mostly seminal fluid, in a second container.
Spontaneous Miscarriage/Spontaneous Abortion: An unplanned end to a pregnancy during the first 20 weeks. See Abortion.
STD: See Sexually Transmitted Disease.
Stein-Leventhal Syndrome: Also called Polycystic Ovarian Disease (PCO). A cause of infertility caused by an over abundance of androgens, small cysts on the ovaries and lack of ovulation. Symptoms may include obesity or weight gain, acne, excessive hair growth and amenorrhea. PCO may also occur without outward symptoms.
Sterility: An irreversible condition that prevents conception.
Sterilization: A surgical procedure designed to cause infertility, such as a tubal ligation or vasectomy.
Stillbirth: The death of a fetus between the twentieth week of gestation and birth.
Stimulated Cycle Oocyte Retrieval In (office) Fertilization (SCORIF): The woman's ovaries are stimulated with medications such as hMG or pure FSH. The eggs are removed by ultrasound aspiration from the ovaries. This procedure is done in the doctor's office. The eggs are mixed with sperm and placed in a small plastic dish and left in the incubator for 2 days. The fertilized eggs are then transferred to the uterus through a small plastic catheter.
Subzonal Insertion (SUZI): A predecessor to ICSI where the zona pellucida is punctured and sperm inserted into the area between the zona and the egg. Having more than one sperm enter the egg is a potential problem with this procedure.
Superovulation: Using fertility medications to stimulate the growth of multiple follicles for ovulation. Also known as Controlled Ovarian Hyperstimulation (COH).
Surrogate Mother: A woman who agrees to become impregnated and carry a baby for another couple. She agrees to give the baby to the couple shortly after birth. This can be done using the sperm of the male and the egg of the female or with the egg of the surrogate. It may also be performed using both donor sperm and eggs from another party.
SUZI: See Sub-zonal Insertion.
Synarel: A synthetic hormone used to treat endometriosis or for regulation before or during a controlled ovarian hyperstimulation cylce.
Synthetic: Made through artificial means
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE): An inflammatory connective tissue disease of unknown cause that occurs chiefly in women, is characterized by fever, skin rash, and arthritis, often by acute anemia, by small hemorrhages in the skin and mucous membrane, by inflammation of the pericardium, and in serious cases by involvement of the kidneys and central nervous system. If needed for arthritic symptoms or by women with the lupus anticoagulant, daily doses of aspirin and the steroid prednisone seem to reduce overall risk of pregnancy complications. Pregnancy complications in women with lupus can include blood clotting problems and a high risk of preterm delivery.
