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A clinic who’s who: the professionals in testing & treatment

Specialists at the fertility clinic

Your team of specialists is dedicated to helping you realise your dream of becoming pregnant. During treatment you may engage with many different professionals. Each contributes a different kind of expertise.

Position	Responsibilities
Physicians, including: Gynaecologists, Urologists / Andrologists, Reproductive endocrinologists	Examine patients Begin and monitor hormonal therapy Monitor follicular and steroid development Retrieve eggs and transfer embryos to the uterus
Anaesthetist	Administers anaesthesia for egg retrieval
Embryologist/Biologist	Assesses egg cells for maturity and viability Assesses semen quality and prepare sperm and eggs for fertilization Monitor development of embryos following fertilization and select embryos for transfer
Nurses	Conduct patient reception and initial interviews Assists with all procedures Provide patient education Counsel patients
Psychological support staff (may include psychologists, trained counsellors and/or social workers)	Screen patients for their psychological strength to undergo procedures Offer support and counselling throughout procedures
Secretarial staff	Schedule appointments Handle patient consent forms Track records and research reports
Office manager	Co-ordinates marketing and community activities Hires office personnel Purchases supplies Schedules staff, etc.

Urologist

A medical specialist dealing with the treatment of the urinary tract and urogenital system.

Uterus

A pear-shaped organ also known as the womb that supports the developing foetus throughout pregnancy. The uterus consists of: the cervical opening, the cervix and the uterine cavity. The two fallopian tubes open into the uterus.

Ultrasound

A medical imaging technique used instead of X-rays to view the reproductive organs and monitor the development of follicles.

Scrotum

The pouch of skin below the penis, which holds the testicles or testes.

Semen

The fluid released by the penis during orgasm, which helps transport sperm manufactured in the testicles.

Seminal vesicles

Two pouches located behind the male bladder, which produce part of the seminal fluid used to transport and nourish sperm.

Sperm or spermatozoa

The gamete or reproductive cell that that carries the male’s genetic information to the female‘s egg.

Sperm count

The number of sperm contained in an ejaculate. Also called sperm concentration and given as the number of sperm per millilitre. Also see Azoospermia and Oligospermia.

Sperm motility

The percentage of all moving sperm in a semen sample.

Sterility

An irreversible condition that prevents conception.

Subfertility

A condition affecting couples who have already conceived, or have had an abortion, or have produced a first child but are now experiencing difficulty in adding to their family. Also see infertility or primary infertility.

Fallopian tube

A funnel-shaped passage through which sperm are guided towards the egg, and fertilized eggs are conveyed to the uterine cavity.

Fertilization

The moment of conception when the genetic material contained in the sperm and egg combine to create an embryo. Fertilization usually occurs inside the fallopian tube. It may also occur in vitro during a clinical process. See also In Vitro Fertilization.

Fertility treatment

Any procedure used to enhance fertility or to help couples achieve pregnancy.

Fertility psychologist

A health specialist with professional qualifications in psychology and counselling relating to fertility issues.

Fibroid tumour

A benign (that is, not malignant or life-threatening) tumour made up of fibrous tissue that may form in the uterine wall. Fibroid tumours may be present without any symptoms, or may cause abnormal menstrual patterns or infertility.

Follicle

A fluid-filled sac in the ovary, which contains the egg released during ovulation. Each month a new egg matures and travels to the fallopian tube.

Follicle Stimulating Hormone

A hormone released by the pituitary gland in both sexes. In women, FSH stimulates the growth of the ovarian follicle necessary for egg production. In men, FSH stimulates and supports sperm production. Elevated FSH levels are associated with gonadotrophin failure in both men and women.

Freezing

(See Cryopreservation)

Ectopic pregnancy

A pregnancy in which the embryo implants outside the uterus and cannot be sustained.

Ejaculate

The seminal fluid discharged upon male orgasm, which helps transport sperm.

Egg retrieval

A procedure used to obtain eggs from ovarian follicles for use in In Vitro Fertilization. Retrieval may be performed during a laparoscopy procedure or via the vagina using a blunt syringe and with the aid of an ultrasound to locate the follicle in the ovary.

Embryo

The early stages of foetal growth from conception to the eighth week of pregnancy.

Embryo transfer

The process whereby an embryo is transferred into the uterus after the egg has been fertilized outside the body during a laboratory procedure.

Embryologist

A specialist involved in the various aspects of assisted reproduction laboratory procedures related to sperm, oocytes and embryos.

Endocrinologist

A medical specialist concerned with the study of hormones and infertility, having first trained as an obstetrician/gynaecologist.

Endometrial biopsy

The removal of a sample of the lining of the uterus for examination.

Endometriosis

A condition whereby cells that normally line the uterine cavity grow outside the womb, for example in the fallopian tubes, ovaries, or even the bladder or intestines. The cause is largely unknown. Scarring from endometriosis may cause conception difficulties.

Endometrium

The lining of the uterus, which is shed during the menstrual cycle. If conception takes place, the embryo implants itself into the rich vascular membrane, which nourishes the developing foetus.

Epididymis

A tightly coiled tube located above the testicles or testes, where sperm mature for fertilization.

Amenorrhoea

The absence of a menstrual period in a woman of reproductive age. Physiological states of amenorrhoea are seen during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Outside the reproductive years, there is an absence of menses during childhood and after menopause. See also premature menopause.

Andrologist

A medical specialist who deals with male health, particularly relating to the problems of the male reproductive system and urological problems unique to men.

Artificial Insemination (AI)

Procedure whereby sperm are deposited via the vagina into the cervix or uterus using a catheter. The technique is used to transfer donor sperm or to overcome problems with sexual performance, the interaction between sperm and mucus, or the quality of sperm.

Assisted hatching

A procedure whereby a small hole is drilled in the protective membrane of the embryo using a laser device or a dilute acidic solution to assist hatching and aid implantation.

Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART)

A variety of procedures used to bring about conception without sexual intercourse, including In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF), Gamete Intra-Fallopian Transfer (GIFT) or Zygote Intra-Fallopian Transfer (ZIFT), Intracyto-plasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI), Microsurgical Epididymal Sperm Aspiration (MESA) and Testicular Sperm Extraction (TESE).

Autoimmune disease

A disease where the body attacks its own cells due to an overactive immune response.

Azoospermia

A complete absence of sperm in the semen. See also Oligospermia.