Definitions
2.  In these Regulations —
“assisted reproduction cycle”, in relation to a patient, means the patient’s menstrual cycle —
(a)that is a stimulated cycle; or
(b)any menstrual cycle other than a stimulated cycle, in which any oocyte was collected or attempted to be collected from, or any oocyte or embryo was transferred into, the body of the patient;
“assisted reproduction procedure” means any of the following:
(a)the collection of oocytes from a woman, other than by way of surgical excision of the woman’s ovarian tissue;
(b)the fertilisation of an oocyte for the subsequent distribution (including transfer into the body of a woman) of the embryo;
(c)the transfer of any oocyte or embryo into the body of a woman;
(d)any removal of cells from an embryo for the purpose of testing the embryo;
“assisted reproduction service”, “embryo”, “oocyte” and “reproductive cell” have the meanings given by paragraph 2 of the First Schedule to the Act;
“calendar day” includes Saturday, Sunday and every public holiday;
“donor”, in relation to any reproductive cell or embryo, means the individual from whose body the reproductive cell is collected, or from whose reproductive cells the embryo is created, but excludes a patient or a patient’s husband;
“donor embryo” means an embryo that is created from a donor oocyte and donor sperm;
[S 851/2023 wef 18/12/2023]
“elective oocyte storage”, in relation to a patient, means —
(a)the administration of gonadotropins to the patient for the collection of oocytes from the patient;
(b)the collection of oocytes from the patient; and
(c)the storage of the oocytes collected from the patient,
where none of the collected oocytes are fertilised before the storage of the oocytes;
“embryology laboratory” means any place equipped to carry out any of the following:
(a)culture medium preparation and quality control testing in relation to preparation of reproductive cells or embryos for cryopreservation, maturation, fertilisation, treatment or distribution;
(b)examination of follicular aspirates with oocyte identification;
(c)oocyte quality and maturing grading;
(d)sperm analysis in relation to sperm selection for IVF or ICSI and sperm washing and capacitation;
(e)insemination of oocytes via IVF or ICSI;
(f)determination of fertilisation;
(g)embryo culture and embryo quality and maturation grading;
(h)preparation of embryos for embryo transfer (either uterine or tubal);
(i)reproductive cell or embryo cryopreservation or storage;
(j)micromanipulation of reproductive cells or embryos;
“embryology procedure” means any of the following procedures:
(a)the examination of follicular aspirates;
(b)oocyte classification;
(c)sperm preparation for subsequent use in an assisted reproduction procedure or distribution;
(d)oocyte insemination (whether by IVF or ICSI);
(e)documentation of fertilisation;
(f)preparation of embryos for transfer;
“essential life‑saving measure” means any basic emergency procedure that may be carried out on a person for the purpose of resuscitating the person;
“General Regulations” means the Healthcare Services (General) Regulations 2021 (G.N. No. S 1035/2021);
“ICSI” means intracytoplasmic sperm injection;
“IVF” means in vitro fertilisation;
“licensee” means a person who holds a licence to provide an assisted reproduction service;
“patient”, in relation to a licensee, means any woman who receives an assisted reproduction service from the licensee;
“pre‑implantation genetic testing” means the biopsy of any cell from a blastocyst created by IVF or ICSI;
“qualified assisted reproduction practitioner” means a medical practitioner who fulfils the criteria mentioned in regulation 11(1);
“qualified embryologist” means a person who fulfils the criteria mentioned in regulation 11(2);
“recipient”, in relation to a reproductive cell or an embryo that is transferred, means the woman into whose body the reproductive cell or embryo is transferred;
“relevant assisted reproduction service” means an assisted reproduction service —
(a)licensed under the Act; or
(b)in a medical clinic or an acute hospital that was licensed under the repealed Act and was approved under that Act to provide assisted reproduction services;
[S 851/2023 wef 18/12/2023]
“restricted procedure”, in relation to a patient, means any of the following assisted reproduction procedures:
(a)the fertilisation of the oocytes collected from the patient with the sperm of any man by IVF or ICSI;
(b)the transfer of any oocyte or embryo into the body of the patient;
“sperm” means live human sperm and includes the cells of the male germ line at any stage of maturity;
“stimulated cycle”, in relation to a patient, means the patient’s menstrual cycle in which —
(a)gonadotropins have been administered to the patient during the menstrual cycle; and
(b)one or more oocytes are collected or attempted to be collected from the patient,
whether or not any oocyte or embryo is transferred into the body of the patient.