Glossary of terms V to Z
Welcome to the glossary aspect of the site. Here we have included a list of all the terms that have been used in the site with an accompanying definition or explanation.
| V | |
| Vagina | The female organ of sexual intercourse; the birth canal. |
| Vaginitis | Inflammation of the vagina. |
| Vaginismus | Vaginal spasm, inability to relax vaginal muscles before or during intercourse. |
| Varicocele | An abnormality where varicose veins (dilated veins) lie above one or both testicles; they are present in about 15% of men in the general population, and up to 40% of men attending infertility clinics. It usually causes no discomfort, but can cause infertility in some men. This may be due to an abnormally high temperature within the testicles. |
| Vas deferens (sperm duct) | The muscular tube that carries the sperm from the epididymis to the urethra (pleural is vasa defrentia). |
| Vasectomy | The operation to sterilize a man, in which the vasa deferentia are cut and tied back. It is usually performed under a local anesthetic. |
| Vasogram | An X-ray of the vas deferens. |
| Viscosity | Thickening of the semen. |
| W | |
| Washing the sperm | A procedure to remove the seminal fluid from the sperm. |
| Welfare of the child | The social and ethical considerations used when considering the well-being of an individual under the age of 18. |
| X | |
| Y | |
| Z | |
| ZIFT | Zygote Intra-Fallopian Transfer. |
| Zona pellucida | The protective coating surrounding the egg. |
| Zoladex | A long acting GnRh agonist drug used to induce 'down regulation' of the pituitary gland. |
| Zygote | A fertilized egg before cell division begins. |