| Impaired Glucose Tolerance (IGT) |
| Blood glucose (sugar) levels higher than normal but not high enough to be called diabetes. People with IGT may or may not develop diabetes. Other names (no longer used) for IGT are "borderline," "sub-clinical," "chemical," or "latent" diabetes. |
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| Implantation (Embryo) |
| The embedding of the embryo into tissue so it can establish contact with the mother's blood supply for nourishment. Implantation usually occurs in the lining of the uterus; however, in an ectopic pregnancy it may occur elsewhere in the body. |
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| Infertility |
| The inability to conceive after a year of unprotected intercourse or the inability to carry a pregnancy to term. |
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| Inhibin-F (Folliculostatin) |
| A female feedback hormone made in the ovary to regulate FSH production by the pituitary gland. |
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| Inositol |
| A supplement necessary for the formation of lecithin; aids in the breakdown of fats; helps reduce blood cholesterol; helps prevent thinning hair. |
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| Insulin |
| A natural hormone made by the pancreas that controls the level of the sugar glucose in the blood. Insulin permits cells to use glucose for energy. Cells cannot utilize glucose without insulin. |
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| Insulin Antagonist |
| Something that opposes or fights the action of insulin. Insulin lowers the level of glucose (sugar) in the blood, whereas glucagon raises it; therefore, glucagon is an antagonist of insulin. |
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| Insulin Binding |
| When insulin attaches itself to something else. This can occur in two ways. First, when a cell needs energy, insulin can bind with the outer part of the cell. The cell then can bring glucose (sugar) inside and use it for energy. With the help of insulin, the cell can do its work very well and very quickly. |
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| Insulin Receptors |
| Areas on the outer part of a cell that allow the cell to join or bind with insulin that is in the blood. When the cell and insulin bind together, the cell can take glucose (sugar) from the blood and use it for energy. |
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| Insulin Resistance |
| Many people produce enough insulin, but their bodies do not respond to the action of insulin, whereby the normal response of the body to a given amount of insulin in transporting glucose (sugar) into cells is diminished. This may happen because the person is overweight and has too many fat cells, which do not respond well to insulin. Also, as people age, their body cells lose some of the ability to respond to insulin. Insulin resistance is also linked to high blood pressure and high levels of fat in the blood. Insulin resistance is present for many years before the actual onset of type 2 diabetes and leads to it. |
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| International Units (IU) |
| An internationally accepted amount of a substance. This type of measure is used for the fat-soluble vitamins (such as vitamins A, D and E) and certain hormones, enzymes, and biologicals (such as vaccines). |
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| Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) |
| A micromanipulation procedure where a single sperm is injected into the egg to enable fertilization with very low sperm counts or with non-motile sperm. |
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| Intramuscular Injection (IM) |
| Injection into the muscle of the backside. Method to administer human menopausal gonadotropins and hCG. |
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| Intrauterine insemination (IUI) |
| Office procedure where concentrated sperm is placed into the uterus with a small flexible catheter. Indicated for infertile couples with abnormal semen analyses, or in conjunction with ovulation induction. |
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| Intrauterine Artificial Insemination Homologous (IAIH) |
| Artificial insemination where the husband's sperm is injected directly into the uterus to avoid cervical mucus problems or to maximize the potential for poor semen. See also Artificial Insemination. In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF): Literally means "in glass." Fertilization takes place outside the body in a small glass dish. Known to be the most effective form of infertility therapy. |
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| IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) |
| A hair removal technique. See Flashlamps. |
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| Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) |
| Is a functional disease in which the intestine (bowel) functions abnormally. Theories of the cause of IBS include abnormal input from intestinal sensory nerves, abnormal processing of input from the sensory nerves, and abnormal stimulation of the intestines by the motor nerves. The primary symptoms of IBS are constipation, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. |
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| Islets of Langerhans |
| Special groups of cells in the pancreas. They make and secrete hormones that help the body break down and use food. Named after Paul Langerhans, the German scientist who discovered them in 1869, these cells sit in clusters in the pancreas. There are five types of cells in an islet: beta cells, which make insulin; alpha cells, which make glucagon; delta cells, which make somatostaton; and PP cells and D1 cells, about which little is known. |
