Category: Mini Wiki
Simple explanations of IVF and fertility terms, written in plain language.
This section is not a full medical guide.
It is here to help confusing words make sense, one concept at a time.
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What is Fertilisation
What it means Fertilisation is when an egg and a sperm come together and combine to form the very first cell of an embryo. This is the moment where a new development begins. Before this, the egg and sperm are separate. After this, they become one. When it’s used This happens after egg retrieval in
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What is Blastocyst
What it means A blastocyst is an embryo that has developed for about five to six days after the egg and sperm come together. At this stage, it has grown from a single cell into a small group of cells with a more defined structure. This is often the stage where the embryo is considered
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What is Implantation
What it means Implantation is when the embryo attaches itself to the lining of the uterus and begins to settle there. This is the step where a pregnancy actually starts. Before this, even after transfer, the embryo is simply placed inside but not yet connected. When it’s used It’s talked about after embryo transfer, during
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What is Transfer
What it means Transfer is the step in IVF where an embryo is placed into the uterus. This happens after the embryo has been created and grown in the lab. It’s a simple procedure, but it carries a lot of emotional weight because this is the moment where the body takes over again. When it’s
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What is Egg Retrieval
What it means Egg retrieval is the step in IVF where eggs are collected from the ovaries. These eggs are then used for fertilisation outside the body. It’s one of the early key steps that makes the rest of the IVF process possible. When it’s used This happens after the ovaries have been stimulated to
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What is Embryo
What it means An embryo is the very early stage of a pregnancy. It forms when an egg and sperm join together and start dividing into more cells. At this point, it’s still very small and just beginning to develop. When it’s used You’ll hear this term a lot in IVF, especially after fertilisation has
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What is IVF
What it means IVF stands for in vitro fertilisation. It’s a way of helping a pregnancy start by bringing the egg and sperm together outside the body, usually in a lab, before placing the fertilised embryo back into the uterus. When it’s used It’s usually talked about when someone is having trouble getting pregnant naturally,