The terminology of women’s infertility gets a little confusing, so let’s start with a brief review. PCOS stands for polycystic ovarian disease. PCOS is the leading cause of infertility in women.

The abbreviation hCG stands for human chorionic gonadotrophin. This is the hormone secreted in the womb during the early weeks of pregnancy to encourage the thickening of the uterus and the growth of new blood vessels to carry oxygen and nutrients and to carry away waste products from the growing embryo. It also encourages cells in the rapidly growing embryo to differentiate into distinct tissues. (more…)