Glossary

  1. A
  2. B
  3. C
  4. D
  5. E
  6. F
  7. G
  8. H
  9. I
  10. J
  11. K
  12. L
  13. M
  14. N
  15. O
  16. P
  17. Q
  18. R
  19. S
  20. T
  21. U
  22. V
  23. W
  24. X
  25. Y
  26. Z

L

Laparoscopy: Examination of the pelvic or other abdominal organs with a fibreoptic telescope inserted surgically below the navel.  During laparoscopy, suction applied to the needle can be used in the recovery of eggs from follicles in the ovary. 


Lavage: The removal of a fertilised egg or cleavage stage embryo from the womb before implantation by washing out the uterine cavity. 

Licence: A legal document stipulating terms and conditions for which a centre may carry out a licensable fertility treatment at a specified premise. 

Live birth rate: The number of live births achieved from every 100 treatment cycles commenced.  

 Live birth event: Birth event of at least one baby that shows any sign of life.

Lost To Follow-Up: Where patients cannot be contacted by clinics to find out the final outcome of the treatment they received (for example a live birth or miscarriage, etc). then these are reported as LTFU. Typically it is where a patient has moved home within the pregnancy without informing the clinic or overseas patients which can be difficult to trace.

Luteinising Hormone (LH): Hormone released by the pituitary gland in response to Gonadotrophin Releasing Hormone (GnRH) production. Essential for development of eggs and sperm.

Back to top



Page last updated: 18 July 2012