Acrosome reaction

What is the acrosome reaction? The acrosome reaction is a critical step in fertilization in which a sperm releases enzymes...

Amenorrhea

Amenorrhea means the absence of menstrual periods. It is not a disease itself, but a sign that something is affecting...

Anastrozole therapy

Anastrozole therapy is the use of the medication anastrozole to lower estrogen levels by blocking the enzyme aromatase, which converts...

Androgen deficiency

Androgen deficiency: definition, meaning, and why it matters Androgen deficiency means the body does not have enough androgens—primarily testosterone, but...

Andrology

Andrology is the medical specialty focused on male reproductive health and male sexual health. It covers issues involving fertility, sperm...

Annovulatory

Annovulatory means ovulation is not happening. In plain English, an annovulatory cycle is a menstrual cycle in which an ovary...

Anovulation

Anovulation means an egg is not released from the ovary during a menstrual cycle. It is a common cause of...

Antisperm Antibodies

Antisperm antibodies are immune proteins that mistakenly target sperm. In men, they can attach to the sperm head, midpiece, or...

Antisperm Antibody Testing

Antisperm antibody testing is a fertility test used to check whether the immune system is producing antibodies that attach to...

Antral Follicles

Antral follicles are small, fluid-filled sacs inside the ovaries that contain immature eggs. They are visible on ultrasound and are...

Artificial Insemination

Artificial insemination is a fertility treatment in which sperm is placed into the female reproductive tract without sexual intercourse, with...

Aspermia

Aspermia is the absence of semen during ejaculation. In plain English, a man may feel orgasm and attempt to ejaculate,...

Assisted Hatching

Assisted hatching is an embryology technique used during in vitro fertilization (IVF) in which a small opening is made in,...

Assisted Reproduction Technology

Assisted Reproduction Technology, usually shortened to ART, refers to medical treatments that help people conceive by handling eggs, sperm, or...

Asthenozoospermia

Asthenozoospermia means reduced sperm motility, or sperm that do not swim as well as they should. In plain English, it’s...

Azoospermia

Azoospermia: definition (what it means) Azoospermia means there are no sperm cells seen in the ejaculate on a semen analysis....

Basal Body Temperature

Basal body temperature (BBT) is your body’s lowest resting temperature, usually measured first thing in the morning before getting out...

Blastocyst Transfer

Blastocyst transfer is a step in in vitro fertilization (IVF) where an embryo that has developed for about five to...

COMET Assay Sperm

The COMET assay sperm test is a laboratory method used to measure sperm DNA damage at the level of individual...

Cervical Mucous

Cervical mucous is the fluid produced by glands in and around the cervix. Its texture, amount, and stretchiness change throughout...

Clomid therapy

Clomid therapy: what it is and why it matters Clomid therapy usually refers to treatment with clomiphene citrate, a prescription...

Cryopreservation

Cryopreservation: definition, fertility use, and what it means Cryopreservation is the process of freezing and storing living cells, tissues, or...

Cycle Day

Cycle day is a way of counting days within a menstrual cycle, with Cycle Day 1 defined as the first...

Diminished Ovarian Reserve

Diminished ovarian reserve means the ovaries have fewer eggs than expected for a person’s age, and sometimes lower egg quality...

Donor Conception

Donor conception is the process of becoming pregnant or building a family using donated sperm, eggs, embryos, or a gestational...

Donor Insemination

Donor insemination is a fertility treatment in which sperm from a donor is placed into the reproductive tract to help...

Donor sperm

Donor sperm: definition and why it matters Donor sperm is sperm provided by someone other than the intended parent or...

Dysmenorrhea

Dysmenorrhea means painful menstrual cramps. It is one of the most common gynecologic symptoms, and while it does not affect...

Egg Donation

Egg donation is a fertility treatment in which eggs from one person are retrieved, fertilized in a lab, and transferred...

Egg Freezing

Egg freezing, also called oocyte cryopreservation, is a fertility preservation process in which a woman’s eggs are collected from the...

Egg Retrieval

Egg retrieval is a minor surgical procedure used in in vitro fertilization (IVF) to collect mature eggs from the ovaries...

Egg Sharing

Egg sharing is a fertility arrangement in which a woman undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) agrees to donate some of...

Ejaculatory Duct Testing

Ejaculatory duct testing refers to the evaluation used to look for blockage, narrowing, cysts, calcifications, or other problems affecting the...

Electro-Ejaculation

Electro-ejaculation is a medical procedure used to collect semen by stimulating the nerves involved in ejaculation with a controlled electrical...

Embryo Quality

Embryo quality refers to how an embryo looks and develops in the lab during fertility treatment, especially in IVF. It...

Embryo fertilization

What is embryo fertilization? Embryo fertilization is the process in which a sperm cell fuses with an egg cell to...

Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals

Endocrine disrupting chemicals are substances that can interfere with the body’s hormone system. They matter because hormones help regulate sperm...

Endometrium

The endometrium is the inner lining of the uterus. It thickens and sheds in response to hormones during the menstrual...

Epididymal function

Epididymal function: what it is and why it matters Epididymal function refers to the work performed by the epididymis, a...

Epididymitis

Epididymitis is inflammation of the epididymis, the tightly coiled tube at the back of each testicle that stores and transports...

Estradiol levels

Estradiol levels: what they mean for men’s health and fertility Estradiol levels refer to the amount of estradiol, a form...

FISH Sperm Testing

FISH sperm testing is a specialized lab test that looks at the chromosomes inside sperm using fluorescent probes. In male...

FSH levels

FSH levels refers to the amount of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) in the blood. FSH is made by the pituitary gland...

Fallopian Tubes

Fallopian tubes are two narrow tubes in the female reproductive system that connect the ovaries to the uterus. They play...

Fertility MOT

A fertility MOT is a reproductive health check designed to assess factors that may affect the chances of conception. In...

Fertility Preservation

Fertility preservation is the process of protecting or storing eggs, sperm, embryos, or reproductive tissue so a person can try...

Fertility medication male

What is fertility medication for men? Fertility medication for men refers to prescribed drugs used to improve the chances of...

Fertility preservation

What is fertility preservation? Fertility preservation means taking steps to protect or save the ability to have a biological child...

Fertilization rate

Fertilization rate is the percentage of eggs that become fertilized after sperm and egg are combined, most often during IVF...

Follicle Tracking

Follicle tracking is a series of ultrasound scans, and sometimes hormone tests, used to follow the growth of ovarian follicles...

Free testosterone

Free testosterone is the small fraction of testosterone in the bloodstream that is not tightly bound to proteins, especially sex...

Fresh Embryo Transfer

Fresh embryo transfer is an in vitro fertilization (IVF) step in which an embryo created during the same treatment cycle...

Frozen Embryo

A frozen embryo is an embryo created through in vitro fertilization (IVF) that has been preserved at very low temperatures...

Frozen Embryo Transfer

Frozen embryo transfer, often shortened to FET, is a type of in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment in which an embryo...

Gamete

A gamete is a reproductive cell that carries half the usual number of chromosomes needed to create an embryo. In...

Gamete Intrafallopian Transfer

Gamete intrafallopian transfer, usually shortened to GIFT, is a fertility treatment in which eggs and sperm are placed directly into...

Genetic Infertility Screening

Genetic infertility screening is the use of genetic tests to look for inherited or chromosomal factors that may contribute to...

Genetic screening

Genetic screening: definition, uses, and what it means for fertility Genetic screening is the use of genetic tests to look...

Gestational Carrier

A gestational carrier is a person who carries and gives birth to a baby for intended parent or parents, but...

Gestational Sac

A gestational sac is the first structure usually seen on an early pregnancy ultrasound. It is a small fluid-filled sac...

Gonadotropin therapy

Gonadotropin therapy is a hormone-based treatment that uses medications such as human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) to...

High Magnification Sperm

High magnification sperm usually refers to sperm being examined under very high optical magnification, most often during a specialized fertility...

High Magnification Sperm

High magnification sperm usually refers to sperm being examined under very high optical magnification, most often during a specialized fertility...

Histone Retention Sperm

Histone retention sperm refers to sperm cells that keep more histone proteins than expected during sperm development. Normally, as sperm...

Home Insemination

Home insemination is a non-clinic method of trying to achieve pregnancy by placing semen into the vagina without sexual intercourse....

Home Insemination

Home insemination is a way of trying to conceive without intercourse by placing semen into the vagina using a syringe...

Home Pregnancy Test

A home pregnancy test is an over-the-counter urine test that checks for human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), a hormone the body...

Hormonal Fertility Panel

A hormonal fertility panel is a group of blood tests used to evaluate hormones that influence sperm production, testosterone status,...

Hormone imbalance

Hormone imbalance means the body is making too much, too little, or the wrong pattern of one or more hormones....

Hormone panel

A hormone panel is a group of blood tests that measures key hormones involved in metabolism, energy, sexual function, fertility,...

Hormone therapy male

What Is Hormone Therapy Male? Hormone therapy male usually refers to medical treatment used to correct, replace, block, or adjust...

Hyperactivated Sperm Movement

Hyperactivated sperm movement is a specific, high-energy pattern of sperm swimming that helps sperm break away from the cells surrounding...

Hypogonadotropic Hypogonadism

Hypogonadotropic hypogonadism is a condition in which the brain does not send strong enough hormone signals to the testes, leading...

Hypospadias

Hypospadias is a birth difference in which the opening of the urethra is located on the underside of the penis...

Hysterosalpingogram

A hysterosalpingogram, often shortened to HSG, is an imaging test used to examine the inside of the uterus and whether...

Hysteroscopy

Hysteroscopy is a procedure that lets a clinician look directly inside the uterus using a thin, lighted instrument called a...

ICSI procedure

The ICSI procedure stands for intracytoplasmic sperm injection, an assisted reproductive technique used during IVF in which a single sperm...

IVF male factor

What is IVF male factor? IVF male factor refers to using in vitro fertilization (IVF), often with intracytoplasmic sperm injection...

Implantation Bleeding

Implantation bleeding is light vaginal spotting or bleeding that can happen in early pregnancy when a fertilized egg attaches to...

Inhibin B Testing

Inhibin B testing is a blood test that measures the hormone inhibin B, a marker made primarily by Sertoli cells...

Intracervical Sperm Injection

Intracervical sperm injection is a fertility procedure in which prepared semen or sperm is placed into or near the cervix...

Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection

Intracytoplasmic sperm injection, usually called ICSI, is a specialized laboratory technique used during in vitro fertilization (IVF) in which a...

Intratubal Insemination

Intratubal insemination is a fertility procedure in which prepared sperm are placed closer to the fallopian tubes than in standard...

Intrauterine Insemination

Intrauterine insemination, or IUI, is a fertility treatment in which prepared sperm are placed directly into the uterus around the...

Karyotype testing

Karyotype testing is a laboratory test that looks at a person’s chromosomes—the packages of DNA inside cells—to check whether the...

Klinefelter Syndrome Testing

Klinefelter syndrome testing refers to the medical evaluation used to identify or confirm Klinefelter syndrome, a genetic condition in which...

LH Surge

An LH surge is a rapid rise in luteinizing hormone, a reproductive hormone made by the pituitary gland. In people...

LH levels

LH levels: what they are and why they matter LH levels refer to the amount of luteinizing hormone (LH) in...

Last Menstrual Period

Last menstrual period (LMP) is the first day of a person’s most recent menstrual period. It is a basic but...

Leukocytospermia

Leukocytospermia: meaning, causes, fertility impact, and treatment Leukocytospermia means there are too many white blood cells in semen. It is...

Low Sperm Count

Low sperm count means there are fewer sperm in the semen than expected, which can reduce the chances of pregnancy...

Luteinising Hormone

Luteinising hormone, often shortened to LH, is a hormone made by the pituitary gland that helps regulate the reproductive system....

MAR test

The MAR test, short for mixed antiglobulin reaction test, is a lab test used to check whether sperm are coated...

Magnetic Sperm Sorting

Magnetic sperm sorting is a laboratory technique used in fertility treatment to help separate sperm that show signs of apoptosis,...

Male Fertility Window

The male fertility window refers to the time period when a man is capable of contributing sperm that can fertilize...

Male Reproductive Cells

Male reproductive cells are sperm cells, also called spermatozoa. They are the specialized sex cells made in the testes that...

Menorrhagia

Menorrhagia means abnormally heavy or prolonged menstrual bleeding. It is a gynecologic term, not a male fertility diagnosis, but many...

Mesa

MESA, short for microsurgical epididymal sperm aspiration, is a surgical sperm retrieval procedure used in male fertility care. It is...

Micro-TESE

Micro-TESE stands for microsurgical testicular sperm extraction. It is a surgical procedure used to look for and retrieve sperm directly...

Microfluidic Sperm Selection

Microfluidic sperm selection is a lab method used in fertility treatment to isolate a smaller group of sperm that are...

Microsurgical Tubal Reanastomosis

Microsurgical tubal reanastomosis is a fertility surgery used to reconnect fallopian tube segments after a prior tubal ligation, often called...

Midpiece Sperm Abnormalities

Midpiece sperm abnormalities are structural defects in the middle section of a sperm cell—the segment that connects the head to...

Midpiece Sperm Abnormalities

Midpiece sperm abnormalities are structural defects in the middle section of a sperm cell—the segment that connects the head to...

Miscarriage

Miscarriage is the loss of a pregnancy before 20 weeks. It is common, often emotionally devastating, and medically important for...

Mitochondrial Sperm Support

Mitochondrial sperm support refers to the cellular energy support that helps sperm move, mature, and function properly. In men’s fertility,...

Necrospermia

Necrospermia is a semen analysis finding in which a high proportion of sperm are dead or non-viable in the ejaculate....

Necrozoospermia

Necrozoospermia: meaning, symptoms, causes, diagnosis, and fertility treatment Necrozoospermia is a semen abnormality in which a high proportion of sperm...

Non-Obstructive Azoospermia

Non-obstructive azoospermia means there is no measurable sperm in the semen because the testicles are making very little sperm or...

Nuclear Vacuolization Sperm

Nuclear vacuolization sperm refers to sperm cells that show small clear spaces, called vacuoles, within the sperm head nucleus when...

Nuclear Vacuolization Sperm

Nuclear vacuolization sperm refers to sperm cells that show small clear spaces, called vacuoles, within the sperm head nucleus when...

Obstructive Azoospermia

Obstructive azoospermia is a form of male infertility in which semen contains no sperm because a blockage prevents sperm from...

Oligospermia

Oligospermia means a lower-than-normal sperm concentration in semen. In plain English, it means a man’s ejaculate contains fewer sperm than...

Oocyte Retrieval

Oocyte retrieval is the procedure used to collect eggs from the ovaries, usually as part of in vitro fertilization (IVF)...

Orchitis

Orchitis is inflammation of one or both testicles, most often caused by an infection. It can cause testicular pain, swelling,...

Ovarian Cysts

Ovarian cysts are fluid-filled sacs or pockets that develop in or on an ovary. They are common, often harmless, and...

Ovarian Drilling

Ovarian drilling is a minimally invasive surgical treatment sometimes used for women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) who are not...

Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome

Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS) is a potentially serious complication of fertility treatment in which the ovaries become enlarged and fluid...

Ovarian Stimulation

Ovarian stimulation is a fertility treatment process that uses medication to encourage the ovaries to mature and release multiple eggs...

Ovarian Tissue Freezing

Ovarian tissue freezing is a fertility preservation procedure in which part or all of an ovary is surgically removed, processed,...

Ovulation Induction

Ovulation induction is a fertility treatment that uses medication to help the ovaries develop and release an egg. It is...

Ovulation Predictor Kit

An ovulation predictor kit is a home fertility test used to identify the most fertile days in a menstrual cycle...

Oxidative stress sperm

Oxidative stress sperm: what it means Oxidative stress in sperm refers to an imbalance between harmful molecules called reactive oxygen...

PESA

PESA stands for percutaneous epididymal sperm aspiration, a minor sperm retrieval procedure used in male fertility care. It is most...

Pelvic Adhesions

Pelvic adhesions are bands of scar-like tissue that form inside the pelvis and can cause organs or tissues to stick...

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, usually called PCOS, is a common hormone and metabolic condition that affects people with ovaries during their...

Postcoital Test

The postcoital test is a fertility test that looks at cervical mucus after intercourse to see how sperm are moving...

Posthumous Conception

Posthumous conception is the creation of a pregnancy after one genetic parent has died, usually using previously stored sperm, eggs,...

Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis

Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis, often shortened to PGD, is a laboratory testing method used during in vitro fertilization (IVF) to check...

Premature Ovarian Failure

Premature ovarian failure, more commonly called primary ovarian insufficiency (POI), is a condition in which the ovaries stop working normally...

Primary Infertility

Primary infertility means a couple has not achieved pregnancy after 12 months of regular, unprotected sex and has never had...

Progressive motility

Progressive motility is a semen analysis measurement that describes how well sperm move forward in a purposeful direction. In plain...

Prolactin levels

What are prolactin levels? Prolactin levels refer to the amount of the hormone prolactin circulating in your blood. Prolactin is...

Protamine Deficiency Sperm

Protamine deficiency sperm refers to sperm cells that do not package their DNA properly because they contain too little protamine...

Reactive oxygen species

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are highly reactive oxygen-containing molecules produced naturally in the body. In small amounts, they help with...

Reciprocal IVF

Reciprocal IVF is a family-building treatment in which one partner provides the eggs and the other partner carries the pregnancy....

Recurrent Pregnancy Loss

Recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) means having multiple miscarriages, usually before 20 weeks of pregnancy. Definitions vary slightly, but major medical...

Reproductive Endocrinologist

A reproductive endocrinologist is a physician with advanced training in fertility, hormones, and reproductive medicine. These specialists are best known...

Round Spermatid Nucleus

The round spermatid nucleus is the nucleus found inside a round spermatid, an immature male germ cell that appears during...

SHBG levels

SHBG levels refer to the amount of sex hormone-binding globulin in the blood. SHBG is a protein made mainly by...

Scrotal Doppler Ultrasound

A scrotal Doppler ultrasound is a noninvasive imaging test used to examine the testicles, epididymis, spermatic cord, and blood flow...

Secondary Infertility

Secondary infertility means having difficulty getting pregnant or causing a pregnancy after previously having a child without fertility treatment. It...

Semen Fructose Levels

Semen fructose levels refer to the amount of fructose, a natural sugar, present in semen. This marker matters because fructose...

Semen Leukocyte Analysis

Semen leukocyte analysis is a lab assessment that measures the number of white blood cells in semen. It matters because...

Semen Liquefaction Time

Semen liquefaction time is the amount of time it takes semen to change from a thick, gel-like fluid into a...

Semen Microbiome Analysis

Semen microbiome analysis is the study of the bacteria and other microorganisms found in semen, usually using advanced genetic testing...

Semen PH Testing

Semen pH testing measures how acidic or alkaline semen is, usually as part of a standard semen analysis. It matters...

Semen Smear

A semen smear is a laboratory slide prepared from semen and examined under a microscope to look at cells and...

Semen Viscosity Analysis

Semen viscosity analysis is the part of a semen analysis that looks at how thick or fluid semen is after...

Semen Volume

Semen volume is a topic that many men think about but few openly discuss. Whether you're trying to conceive, monitoring...

Semen Zinc Levels

Semen zinc levels refer to the amount of zinc present in seminal fluid, the liquid portion of semen that helps...

Semen culture

Semen culture: what it is, why it matters, and when it’s used Semen culture is a lab test that checks...

Seminal Plasma Analysis

Seminal plasma analysis is the laboratory evaluation of the fluid portion of semen after sperm cells are removed or measured...

Seminiferous Tubules

Seminiferous tubules are tiny, tightly coiled tubes inside the testes where sperm are made. They are central to male fertility...

Seminogram

A seminogram is a laboratory test that evaluates semen and sperm quality. It is also commonly called a semen analysis....

Shooting Blanks

“Shooting blanks” is a common slang term people use when talking about male infertility, low semen volume, dry orgasm, or...

Smoking sperm quality

Smoking sperm quality: what it means Smoking sperm quality refers to the effect that cigarette smoking, vaping nicotine, and other...

Sonohysterogram

A sonohysterogram is a specialized ultrasound test used to look closely at the inside of the uterus. It is also...

Sperm Acrosomal Integrity

Sperm acrosomal integrity refers to whether the acrosome—the cap-like structure covering the front of the sperm head—is intact and functioning...

Sperm Aneuploidy Testing

Sperm aneuploidy testing is a specialized lab test that looks for sperm carrying an abnormal number of chromosomes. In plain...

Sperm Apoptosis Markers

Sperm apoptosis markers are laboratory signs that show whether sperm cells are undergoing, or have undergone, a form of programmed...

Sperm Binding Ability

Sperm binding ability refers to how well sperm can attach to structures they need to interact with on the way...

Sperm Calcium Signaling

Sperm calcium signaling is the tightly controlled movement of calcium ions inside sperm cells that helps switch key functions on...

Sperm Capacitation Signaling

Sperm capacitation signaling is the set of biochemical changes that sperm must go through after ejaculation to become capable of...

Sperm Chromatin Assay

A sperm chromatin assay is a lab test used to evaluate the quality and stability of DNA packaging inside sperm....

Sperm Chromatin Packaging

Sperm chromatin packaging is the process by which a sperm cell tightly compacts and protects its DNA so it can...

Sperm DNA integrity

Sperm DNA integrity refers to how intact and stable the genetic material inside a sperm cell is. In plain English,...

Sperm Donor

A sperm donor is a man who provides sperm so another person or couple can try to conceive through fertility...

Sperm Epigenetic Changes

Sperm epigenetic changes are chemical and structural marks carried by sperm that can influence how genes are switched on or...

Sperm Functional Competence

Sperm functional competence describes how well sperm can actually perform the biological tasks required to fertilize an egg. In plain...

Sperm Head Vacuoles

Sperm head vacuoles are small clear spaces or cavity-like areas seen within the head of a sperm cell, usually identified...

Sperm Head Vacuoles

Sperm head vacuoles are small clear spaces or cavity-like areas seen within the head of a sperm cell, usually identified...

Sperm Ion Channels

Sperm ion channels are tiny protein pores in the sperm cell membrane that control the movement of charged particles such...

Sperm Lipid Peroxidation

Sperm lipid peroxidation is oxidative damage to the fatty outer membrane of sperm cells. In plain English, it happens when...

Sperm Membrane Fluidity

Sperm membrane fluidity describes how flexible and dynamic the outer membrane of a sperm cell is. That flexibility matters because...

Sperm MicroRNA Expression

Sperm microRNA expression refers to the pattern and level of tiny gene-regulating molecules called microRNAs that are present in sperm...

Sperm Nuclear Maturity

Sperm nuclear maturity refers to how completely a sperm cell’s genetic material has finished packaging and condensing during development. In...

Sperm Oocyte Activation

Sperm oocyte activation is the series of biological events that happens after a sperm successfully fuses with a mature egg...

Sperm Oxidative Phosphorylation

Sperm oxidative phosphorylation is the process sperm cells use inside their mitochondria to make ATP, the energy currency that helps...

Sperm Penetration Assay

A sperm penetration assay is a specialized fertility test that looks at how well sperm can move through and penetrate...

Sperm RNA Payload

Sperm RNA payload refers to the collection of RNA molecules carried inside mature sperm. These RNAs do not change the...

Sperm Selection

Sperm selection is the process of identifying and choosing sperm with the best chance of helping fertilization happen successfully. In...

Sperm Sorting Technologies

Sperm sorting technologies are lab methods used to separate or select sperm based on certain characteristics, most commonly whether the...

Sperm Structural Defects

Sperm structural defects are abnormalities in the shape or internal parts of sperm cells. In male fertility, these defects matter...

Sperm Tail Defects

Sperm tail defects are structural abnormalities in the tail, or flagellum, of a sperm cell. Because the tail powers forward...

Sperm Washing

Sperm washing is a laboratory technique used to separate healthy, motile sperm from seminal fluid, debris, dead sperm, white blood...

Sperm antibodies

Sperm antibodies: definition, meaning, and why they matter Sperm antibodies, also called antisperm antibodies (ASA), are immune system proteins that...

Sperm banking

Sperm banking: what it is and why it matters Sperm banking, also called sperm cryopreservation or semen freezing, is the...

Sperm capacitation

Sperm capacitation: what it is and why it matters Sperm capacitation is the final maturation process sperm must go through...

Sperm freezing

Sperm freezing, also called sperm cryopreservation or semen freezing, is the process of collecting, testing, freezing, and storing sperm for...

Sperm function

What is sperm function? Sperm function refers to how well sperm cells do the jobs required for natural conception: survive...

Sperm maturation

What is sperm maturation? Sperm maturation is the step-by-step process that turns newly made sperm cells into sperm that can...

Sperm membrane integrity

Sperm membrane integrity refers to how intact and functional the outer membrane of a sperm cell is. This membrane acts...

Sperm morphology

What is sperm morphology? Sperm morphology refers to the shape and structure of sperm. It is one of the measurements...

Sperm retrieval

What is sperm retrieval? Sperm retrieval is a group of medical procedures used to collect sperm directly from the male...

Sperm transport

Sperm transport: what it means Sperm transport is the process by which sperm move through the male reproductive tract, mix...

Sperm viability

What is sperm viability? Sperm viability refers to the percentage of sperm in a semen sample that are alive. It...

Spermatazoa

Spermatozoa are the mature male reproductive cells—commonly called sperm—that are made in the testes and carried in semen. They matter...

Spermatocele

A spermatocele is a usually benign, fluid-filled cyst that forms near the epididymis, the coiled tube behind the testicle where...

Spermatogenesis

Spermatogenesis: what it is and why it matters Spermatogenesis is the biological process by which the testes make sperm. It...

Spermaxxing

Spermaxxing is an internet slang term for trying to optimize sperm health, semen quality, and male fertility through lifestyle changes,...

Spermmaxxing

Spermmaxxing is a non-medical internet term that generally means trying to improve sperm health, semen quality, fertility potential, or ejaculation...

Superovulation

Superovulation is a fertility treatment approach that uses medication to stimulate the ovaries to mature more than one egg in...

Surgical Sperm Extraction

Surgical sperm extraction is a group of medical procedures used to retrieve sperm directly from the testicle or epididymis when...

Surrogacy

Surrogacy is an arrangement in which one person carries and gives birth to a baby for another individual or couple....

TESE procedure

TESE procedure: what it is, why it’s done, and what to expect TESE procedure stands for testicular sperm extraction. It...

TUNEL Assay Sperm

TUNEL assay sperm refers to a laboratory test used to measure sperm DNA fragmentation, meaning the amount of DNA damage...

Teratospermia

Teratospermia means a semen sample has a higher-than-expected percentage of sperm with abnormal shape, also called abnormal sperm morphology. It...

Teratozoospermia

Teratozoospermia: meaning, fertility impact, and what to do next Teratozoospermia is a semen analysis finding in which a higher-than-expected proportion...

Testicular Biopsy

A testicular biopsy is a procedure in which a doctor removes a very small sample of tissue or sperm-containing material...

Testicular failure

What is testicular failure? Testicular failure means the testicles are not working as they should—especially in their two main jobs:...

Testosterone Estrogen Ratio

The testosterone estrogen ratio describes the balance between testosterone and estrogen in the body. In men, this balance matters more...

Testosterone Replacement Therapy

Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT) is a medical treatment used to restore testosterone levels in men with clinically confirmed low testosterone,...

Testosterone ratio

Testosterone ratio usually refers to the relationship between different testosterone measurements in the body rather than one single lab value....

Thyroid Stimulating Hormone

Thyroid stimulating hormone, usually shortened to TSH, is a hormone made by the pituitary gland that tells the thyroid how...

Total Motile Sperm

Total motile sperm is the estimated number of sperm in an ejaculate that are moving. It combines semen volume, sperm...

Total testosterone

Total testosterone is the amount of testosterone circulating in the blood, including testosterone that is tightly bound to proteins, loosely...

Trying To Conceive

Trying to conceive means actively attempting to achieve pregnancy through timed intercourse or other fertility-focused approaches. In men’s health, the...