Medical terms and definitions associated with IVF and ART procedures

Following are the medical terms and their definitions associated with IVF and other ART procedures, according to the assisted reproductive technology regulation bill issued by the Ministry of Health and family welfare

1. “artificial insemination” means the procedure of artificially transferring semen into the reproductive system of a woman and includes insemination with the husband’s semen or with the donor’s semen
2. “assisted reproductive technology”, means all techniques that attempt to obtain a pregnancy by handling or manipulating the sperm or the oocyte outside the human body and transferring the gamete or the embryo into the reproductive tract of a woman
3. “assisted reproductive technology bank” means an organisation that is set up to supply sperm or semen, oocytes or oocyte donor to the assisted reproductive technology clinics or their patients
4. “assisted reproductive technology clinic” means any premises, equipped with the requisite facilities for carrying out the procedures related to the assisted reproductive technology
5. “biological parent” means the genetic parent
6. “commissioning couple” means an infertile married couple, who approach an assisted reproductive technology clinic or assisted reproductive technology bank for obtaining service’s that the assisted reproductive technology clinic or the assisted reproductive technology bank is authorised to provide
7. “couple” means a relationship between a male person and female person who live together in a shared household through a relationship in the nature of marriage which is legal in India
8. “cryo-preservation” means the freezing and storing of gametes, zygotes and embryos
9. “donor” means the donor of a gamete or gametes but does not include the husband who provides the sperm or the wife who provides the oocyte to be used in the process of assisted reproduction for their own use
10. “egg”, means the female gamete namely the oocyte
11. “sperm” means the male gametes produced in the testicles and contained in semen
12. “embryo”, means the fertilised ovum that has begun cellular division and continued development up to eight weeks
13. “fertilisation”, means the penetration of the ovum by the spermatozoon and fusion of genetic materials resulting in the development of a zygote
14. “foetal reduction”, means reduction in the number of foetuses in the case of multiple pregnancies
15. “foetus”, means the product of conception, starting from completion of embryonic development until birth or abortion
16. “oocyte” and “ovum”, means, the female gamete present in the ovary, and an ovulated oocyte in which the first polar body has been released
17. “patients” means an infertile married couple who comes to any registered assisted reproductive technology clinic and is under treatment for infertility
18. “gamete”, means sperm and oocyte namely the egg
19. “gamete donor”, means a person who provides sperm or oocyte with the objective of enabling an infertile couple to have a child
20. “implantation”, means the attachment and subsequent penetration by the zona-free blastocyst, which starts five to seven days following fertilization
21. “infertility”, means the inability to conceive after at least one year of unprotected coitus or an anatomical or physiological condition that would prevent a couple from having a child
22. “Legitimate” means in accordance or in compliance with the existing/ established law or accepted patterns and standards
23. “Medical Visa” means an official authorization/endorsement in a passport or similar documents issued by Indian High Commission or Indian Embassy permitting entry into and travel within India for treatment of infertility at an Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) Clinic registered under National Registry of ART Clinics
24. “Foreigners Regional Registration Officer/ Foreigners Registration Officer” means an officer having jurisdiction over the area for implementation of the Acts/Rules pertaining to foreigners where the assisted reproductive technology clinic is located
25. “Non Resident Indian (NRI)” means an Indian citizen who is ordinarily residing outside India and holds an Indian Passport
26. “Overseas Citizen of India (OCI)” means a person registered as Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) under section 7A of the Citizenship Act, 1955
27. “People of Indian Origin (PIO)” means a person who or whose any of ancestors was an Indian national and who is presently holding another country’s citizenship/ nationality i.e. he/she is holding foreign passport
28. “Pre-implantation Genetic Diagnosis” includes the technique in which an embryo formed through in-vitro fertilisation is tested for specific disorders prior to the transfer
29. “Record” means documents pertaining to infertile couple, gamete donor, diagnosis/screening, types and steps of treatments/ procedures and their complications, if any and final outcome, written consent’s, agreement’s, No Objection Certificate’s (NOCs), other related documents etc.

 Dr. Anita Mani

Infertility Specialist at Gift IVF Centre

anitadane@gmail.com

www.giftivf.com

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Dr. Anita Mani is a renowned infertility specialist in south India with 15 years experience in ART (Assisted Reproductive Technology). Dr. Anita has successfully set up ART hospitals in Cochin and Bangalore,  along with her spouse  Dr. S Mani. She completed MRCOG, from Royal College of Obstetrician and Gynaecologist  London, DFFP from  ART Warwick university and  worked in UK for 5 years. Dr. Anitha believes in scientific and ethical practice and is currently the director of Gift Gyno IVF centre Cochin and  Bangalore.  Apart from advanced laparoscopic surgeries, she is also an expert in various ART techniques including IVF, IUI, ICSI, donor egg / sperm. Her proficiency is in genetic abnormalities and high risk pregnancies.

courtesy :  assisted reproductive technology regulation bill issued by the Ministry of Health and family welfare