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4.7: Key Terms

  • Page ID
    104491
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    amniocentesis
    test that evaluates the amniotic fluid surrounding the fetus
    aneuploidy
    abnormal number of chromosomes
    anovulation
    complete absence of ovulation
    antral follicle
    small ovarian follicle that can be seen and counted on transvaginal ultrasound
    autosomal dominant
    type of inheritance that occurs when only one copy of the dominant allele is needed to express the trait
    autosomal recessive
    type of inheritance that requires the presence of both recessive alleles for the trait to be expressed
    autosome
    body chromosome
    azoospermia
    complete absence of sperm cells
    chromosome
    contains thousands of genes, which make up the basic unit of heredity and are composed of proteins and DNA
    cryopreservation
    freezing of embryos after in vitro fertilization for later use
    diploid
    cell containing two sets of chromosomes, such as the body cells
    fallopian tube
    small tube that allows the passage of the egg from the ovary to the uterus
    fertility
    person’s ability to become pregnant
    fertilization
    penetration of an ovum by a single sperm cell
    gamete intrafallopian transfer (GIFT)
    procedure that includes ovulation induction and laparoscopic egg retrieval (performed through an incision in the abdomen instead of transvaginally), the mixing of retrieved eggs and sperm provided by the male partner, and the transfer of those gametes immediately into the fallopian tube for fertilization to occur inside the body
    gonadotoxin
    chemical or substance that can affect the production of sperm or ova
    haploid
    cell containing one set of chromosomes, such as the gametes
    hysterosalpingography
    infusion of radioactive dye through a small catheter in the cervix and into the uterus and fallopian tubes.
    in vitro fertilization (IVF)
    intense process that involves the stimulation of superovulation, the removal of eggs through surgical aspiration, fertilization in the lab, and transfer of resulting embryos back to the female patient
    infertility
    inability to become pregnant after 1 year of regular sexual intercourse without using any form of birth control
    intrauterine insemination (IUI)
    medical procedure performed by medical providers or specially trained nurses, in which specially washed sperm cells are injected through a catheter into the uterus
    karyotype
    simple blood test where the sample is treated with a special stain that allows the chromosomes to be visualized, sorted into their 23 matching pairs so that they can be identified and evaluated
    laparoscopy
    minimally invasive surgical procedure that allows direct observation of the uterus and other pelvic structures
    meiotic
    occurring by the process of meiosis, when a parent cell divides to produce two daughter cells, each with only one set of chromosomes
    mitotic
    occurring by the process of mitosis, when a single parent cell divides to produce two daughter cells with the full set of parental chromosomes
    multifactorial inheritance
    controlled by multiple genes
    newborn screen
    capillary blood test that occurs after birth; mandated by U.S. law but is run by each state and recommends testing for 31 core disorders and an additional secondary 26 disorders
    nondisjunction
    abnormal separation of chromosomes (or lack of separation) during mitosis or meiosis that results in an extra chromosome, or set of chromosomes, found in one daughter cell, with the other daughter cell missing chromosomes
    oligoovulation
    pattern of irregular ovulation
    oligospermia
    low sperm count
    ovarian reserve
    number of immature eggs that remain in the ovary
    ovulation
    release of a mature egg
    polyploidy
    abnormal number of chromosome sets
    prenatal screening
    series of tests that occur during pregnancy to determine the risk that the fetus has an aneuploidy, neural tube defect, or other abnormality suggestive of a genetic disorder
    primary infertility
    lack of fertility in a person who has never been pregnant
    primary ovarian insufficiency (POI)
    ovarian failure before the age of 40
    secondary infertility
    lack of fertility in a person who has previously carried and delivered a pregnancy
    semen analysis
    simple test that evaluates the quantity and quality of sperm in a sample
    sonohysterogram
    in-office procedure that can be performed to evaluate the uterine lining and cavity
    spermatogenesis
    production of mature sperm cells
    superovulation
    development and maturation of several egg follicles
    third party reproduction
    use of a third party, usually a sperm donor, an egg donor, or a gestational carrier, in conjunction with an IVF cycle
    unifactorial inheritance
    controlled by single genes
    varicocele
    mass of varicose veins in the spermatic cord
    vertical transmission
    tendency of disorders to run in families across multiple generations
    X-linked
    type of inheritance in which genes carried on the X chromosome are passed down to the next generation
    zygote
    diploid cell that results from the joining of an egg and sperm
    zygote intrafallopian transfer (ZIFT)
    procedure that starts as a traditional GIFT, but fertilization is allowed to occur in the laboratory; once the fertilized eggs have formed zygotes, they are transferred back into the fallopian tubes

    This page titled 4.7: Key Terms is shared under a CC BY 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by OpenStax via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform.

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