The second trimester includes the second 15 weeks of pregnancy (weeks 14 to 28). The fetus looks noticeably more human. Prenatal Development The fetus grows dramatically during the second trimester and by the end of the trimester is 13 inches long. He or she has developed tooth buds and reflexes, such as sucking and swallowing. […]

sonography Electronic monitoring; also called ultrasound. I ultrasound The use of ultrasonic waves to monitor a devel oping fetus; also called sonography. The first trimester includes the first 13 weeks of pregnancy (1 to 13 weeks). It is the trimester in which the most important embryonic development takes place. When a woman becomes pregnant, her […]

Other options for infertility involve the freezing of embryos and sperm for later fertiliza­tion. This can be beneficial for men and women who are diagnosed with illnesses (such as cancer) whose treatment might interfere with their ability to manufacture healthy sperm or ova (recall Lance Armstrong’s story in Chapter 5, Sex in Real Life, “Testicular […]

For women who have healthy ova but cannot sustain a pregnancy to term, surrogate parenting is an option. The couple’s sperm and ovum are combined, and the zygote is implanted in another woman, called a gestational carrier. One gestational carrier relates her experiences: It’s wonderful being a carrier. It’s not easy, but it’s wonderful. You […]

Some women may not be able to produce healthy ova due to ovarian failure or age — related infertility. For these women, oocyte (egg) and embryo donation have been suc­cessful. Live birth rates for oocyte and embryo donation range from 25% to 35% (Sauer et al., 1995). An embryo transplant involves artificial insemination of a […]

Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) was first introduced in 1992, with the first suc­cessful baby delivered in 1996 (Li et al., 1997). In 2005, ICSI was the most common form of infertility treatment used in Australia (Persson, 2005). This technology involves injecting a single sperm into the center of an ovum under a microscope. It was […]

Although gamete intra-Fallopian tube transfer (GIFT) is similar to IVF in that ova and sperm are mixed in an artificial environment, the main difference is that with GIFT both the ova and sperm are placed in the Fallopian tube prior to fertilization. Fertilization is al­lowed to occur naturally in the Fallopian tube, rather than in […]

y life is not according to plan. I expected that after college, I would get a good job, find a great guy, fall in love, get married, and have 3 kids while establishing a reward­ing career—all before the age of 30. In the real world, I have a successful career that I truly enjoy; I’ve […]

Cervical, vaginal, or endometrial abnormalities that prevent conception may be cor­rected surgically (Ruiz-Velasco et al., 1997). Scar tissue, cysts, tumors, or adhesions, as well as blockages inside the Fallopian tubes, may be surgically removed. The use of di­agnostic techniques such as laparoscopy (la-puh-RAH-ske-pee) and hysteroscopy (hiss-stare-oh-OSK-coe-pee) are also common. In men, surgery may be required […]