| ABORTION:
loss
of a pregnancy before viability (24 weeks)
ABRUPTIO
PLACENTAE: premature separation of the placenta from the uterus
AEROBIC:
requiring
physical exertion and energy
AGGLUTINATE:
to
cause red blood cells to clump together
ALIMENTARY
CANAL: the digestive system
ALLELE:
one
of two genes, found on a chromosome, that causes specific characteristics,
such as eye color
ALPHA-FETOPROTEIN:
a
substance secreted by the fetus and found in the amniotic fluid and the
mother's blood
AMNIOCENTESIS:
a
procedure that removes a small amount of amniotic fluid with a needle through
the mother's abdomen
AMNION:
a
thin, tough membranous sac that surrounds the embryo and fetus
AMNIOTOMY:
artificial
rupture of membranes
ANALGESIC:
a medication that relieves or reduces pain
ANDROGEN:
a hormone, such as testosterone, that controls and maintains male characteristics
ANEMIA:
a decrease in red blood cells, which carry oxygen in the blood
ANENCEPHALY:
an absence of most or all of the brain
ANESTHESIA:
partial or complete loss of pain, with or without loss of consciousness
ANTERIOR:
the front of the body
ANTIBIOTIC:
a medication that kills or reduces the amount of bacteria
ANTIBODY:
proteins produced by the body that in response to a specific substance,
such as bacteria or antigen, that forms the basis of immunity
ANTICONVULSANT:
a drug that prevents or relieves convulsions
ANTIGEN:
a substance that stimulates the production of an antibody
APGAR
SCORE: a system of assessing the general physical condition
of a newborn
ARREST
OF DESCENT: when a fetus stops descending into the vagina
ARTIFICIAL
INSEMINATION: introduction of semen into the vagina or uterus
without sexual intercourse
ATONY:
lack of muscle tone
AUGMENTATION:
the addition of pitocin to strengthen or increase the number of contractions
BACTERIOSTATIC:
substance that kills bacteria
BASAL
BODY TEMPERATURE: the temperature obtained upon awakening
and before physical activity has begun
BETA-BLOCKER:
a drug used for the treatment of hypertension and heart disease
BILIRUBIN:
a substance produced by the breakdown of red blood cells
BIOPSY:
a sample of tissue removed for diagnostic purposes
BLASTOCYST:
the fertilized egg after a number of cell divisions
BLIGHTED
OVUM: a fertilized egg that produces a placenta but no fetus
BLOOD
PRESSURE: a measurement of the work of the heart and the pressure
of blood against the walls of the blood vessels
BLOOD
TYPE: the specific class of blood based on the presence or
absence of antigens on the red blood cells. The main groups
are A, B, AB, O.
BRAXTON-HICKS
CONTRACTIONS: irregular, intermittent contractions of the
uterus that DO NOT cause dilation and effacement of the cervix
B-STREP:
a type of bacteria
CARPAL
TUNNEL SYNDROME: compression of a nerve going to the hand
that results in pain, tingling and numbness of the fingers
CATHETER:
a hollow, flexible tube inserted to drain the bladder
CEPHALOPELVIC
DISPROPORTION: when the head of the fetus is too large to
fit through the mother's pelvis
CERCLAGE:
stitches placed around the cervix which closes or keeps the cervix closed.
Used to treat cervical incompetence.
CERVICITIS:
inflammation of the cervix
CERVIX:
the neck shaped opening of the uterus
CHLAMYDIA:
a sexually transmitted disease
CHORIOAMNIONITIS:
an inflammation and infection of the membranes that surround the fetus
CHORION:
the outer membrane surrounding the fetus
CHORIONIC
VILLUS SAPLING: a test used to detect birth defects in
which a small amount of placental tissue is removed from the uterus
CHROMOSOME:
the structure that carries the genes or genetic information that confers
characteristics
CILIA:
hairlike projections
CIRCUMCISE:
removal
of the foreskin from the penis
CMV:
cytomegalovirus, a virus that causes birth defects in the fetus if acquired
by the mother during pregnancy
COLIC:
severe abdominal pain usually caused by gas
COLOSTRUM:
the thin, protein-rich fluid that precedes the production of true
milk
CONGENITAL
ABNORMALITY: an abnormality present at birth and acquired
during uterine development. It can be the result of disease,
drugs, or an abnormal gene
CONTRACTION
STRESS TEST (CST): a test of the fetus's response to contractions
CONVULSION:
a seizure
COPIOUS:
large quantity
CORDOCENTESIS:
a test that obtains a blood sample from the umbilical cord while the fetus
is still in-utero
CORPUS
LUTEUM: the mass of cells that form from the ovarian follicle
after release of an egg that produces progesterone
COUVADE
SYNDROME: a phenomena in which men show the symptoms of pregnancy
CROWN-RUMP
LENGTH: measurement from the top of the head to the bottom
of the rump of the fetus
CROWNING:
when the head is seen at the opening of the vagina
CRYOSURGERY:
freezing of the cervix to eliminate abnormal tissue
CYSTIC
FIBROSIS: a hereditary disease that affects the lungs
CYTOMEGALOVIRUS:
see CMV
DES:
a synthetic estrogen once used to prevent miscarriages. It is no
longer used because it caused structural abnormalities
in the sons and daughters of the mothers who took the drug
DIURETIC:
a medication used to treat hypertension that reduces the body's fluid volume
DOPPLER:
a device used to listen to the fetal heartbeat
DOULA:
a woman hired as a post-partum mother's helper
DOWN'S
SYNDROME: a genetic abnormality caused by an extra chromosome
21, which causes mental retardation and other physical abnormalities
DYSMENORRHEA:
painful menstruation
ECLAMPSIA:
a severe form of pre-eclampsia in which coma and convulsions may be present
ECTOPIC
PREGNANCY: implantation and development of a fertilized ovum
outside the uterus
EMBRYO:
the name given to the fertilized egg from implantation through the eighth
week of pregnancy
ENDOMETRIOSIS:
the presence of endometrial tissue outside the uterus
ENDOMETRIUM:
the tissue that lines the uterus
ENGAGEMENT:
the presenting part of the baby descends into the pelvis
ENZYME:
a protein substance that acts as a catalyst
EPIDURAL
ANESTHESIA: anesthesia produced by the injection of local anesthetic
into the epidural space of the spine
EPILEPSY:
a neurological disorder in which seizures occur
EPISIOTOMY:
incision made in the perineum to facilitate delivery
ESSENTIAL
HYPERTENSION: hypertension without apparent cause
ESTROGEN:
a hormone produced by the ovaries that contributes to the monthly preparation
of the uterus for pregnancy, and promotes the development and
maintenance of female sex characteristics
FALLOPIAN
TUBE: the tube on each side of the uterus through which the
egg travels. Fertilization usually occurs here.
FETOSCOPY:
looking at the fetus in-utero with a fiberoptic device
FETUS:
the name given to the baby from the eighth week of pregnancy to delivery
FIBROID:
a non-cancerous, ball-shaped growth of muscle fiber that can occur in the
uterus
FIMBRIA:
the fingerlike projections at the end of the fallopian tubes
FOLIC
ACID: a B vitamin that is essential to grow a healthy fetus
FONTANELLES:
the soft spots on the baby's head
FORCEPS:
tong-like device used to assist in delivery
FORESKIN:
the loose tissue that covers the head of the penis
FORMULA:
a liquid food for babies, containing most of the nutrients found in breast
milk
FUNDUS:
the top of the uterus
GESTATION:
pregnancy
GIFT:
gamete intrafallopian transfer
GLUCOSE:
the principal circulating sugar in the blood and the major energy source
of the body
GONORRHEA:
a sexually transmitted disease
GRAVITY:
a term meaning the number of pregnancies a woman has had
HALOTHANE:
an anesthetic gas
HCG:
see Human chorionic gonadotropin
HEMATOCRIT:
the volume of red blood cells in the blood
HEMOGLOBIN:
the iron-containing pigment in red blood cells that assists in carrying
oxygen throughout the body
HEMOLYTIC
ANEMIA: anemia caused by destruction of red blood cells
HEMOPHILIA:
a hereditary blood coagulation disorder that is manifested almost exclusively
in males
HEMORRHAGE:
excessive loss of blood
HEMORRHOIDS:
dilated or swollen veins in the anus that can be itchy and painful
HEPATITIS:
an inflammation of the liver caused by infection
HERPES:
a viral infection that causes blisters on the skin or mucus membranes
HORMONE:
a substance produced by one tissue and conveyed by the blood to another
tissue to stimulate activity in that tissue
HUMAN
CHORIONIC GONADOTROPIN (HCG): a substance produced by the
placenta that maintains the corpus luteum causing it to produce
progesterone during pregnancy
HYDRONEPHROSIS:
enlargement of the kidney due to obstruction of the bladder or ureters
HYPEREMESIS
GRAVIDARUM: excessive vomiting in pregnancy
HYPERTENSION:
high blood pressure
HYPERGLYCEMIA:
excessive, abnormal amounts of glucose in the blood
HYPOTENSION:
low blood pressure
HYPOXEMIA:
insufficient oxygen in the blood
IMPLANTATION:
nesting of the fertilized egg into the uterine lining
IMPOTENT:
incapable of sexual intercourse
INCISION:
a surgical cut
INDUCTION:
artificial starting of labor
INFERTILITY:
inability to get pregnant
INHERIT:
to receive a characteristic from one's parents by genetic transmission
on the genes of the chromosome
INSULIN:
a substance that controls the body's use of glucose
INTUBATE:
to put a tube in the throat to assist breathing or look at the vocal cords
IN
VITRO FERTILIZATION (IVF): fertilization of the egg outside
the body
INVOLUTION
OF THE UTERUS: a decrease in the size of the uterus to normal
size following childbirth
IONIZING
RADIATION: high energy radiation that may cause damage to
human tissue
JAUNDICE:
a yellow coloring of the skin and whites of the eyes caused by excess bilirubin
in the blood
LACERATION:
a tear
LACTATION:
formation of milk by the breasts
LANUGO:
a covering of soft, fine hair on the newborn
LAPAROSCOPY:
a surgical procedure in which a slender tube is placed through an incision
to examine or perform surgery on tissue inside the abdomen or pelvis
LINEA
NIGRA: a darkened line that appears on the abdomen during
pregnancy
LITHOTOMY
POSITION: a position in which a woman lies on her back with
legs held up by assistance
LOCHIA:
the discharge present after delivery
MACROSOMIA:
excessive size
MANIC-DEPRESSIVE:
a mental disorder characterized by alternating periods of elation and depression
MECONIUM:
the dark green, sticky bowel contents of the baby at birth
MECONIUM
ASPIRATION: the breathing of meconium containing fluid by
the baby at birth
MEDITATION:
the act or process of contemplation
MENOPAUSE:
permanent cessation of monthly egg production and menstruation
MENSTRUATION:
the monthly flow of blood from the uterus if pregnancy does not occur
METABOLISM:
the process by which the body turns food into fuel for energy
MISCARRIAGE:
see abortion
MITRAL
VALVE PROLAPSE: a condition in which the mitral valve of the
heart does not close properly
MITTELSCHMERZ:
the discomfort some women feel at the time ovulation occurs
MOLDING:
the shaping and compression of the presenting part of the baby as it passes
through the vagina during birth
MORNING
SICKNESS: nausea and vomiting during pregnancy
MUCUS:
a sticky substance that acts as a protective, lubricant coating, produced
by glands
MULTIPLE
SCLEROSIS: a chronic degenerative disease of the spinal cord
and brain
MYOMECTOMY:
removal of fibroids from the uterus
NEURAL
TUBE DEFECTS (NTD): an abnormality of the spinal cord or brain
NON-STRESS
TEST (NST): a test of fetal well-being in which the effect
of movement on the heart rate is assessed
NONVIABLE:
incapable of living
OCCIPUT:
the back part of the head
OLIGOHYDRAMNIOS:
abnormally small amount of amniotic fluid
OVARY:
the female reproductive organ that produces the ovum, progesterone and
estrogen
OVULATE:
the release of an egg, or ovum, from the ovary
OVUM:
the egg; female gamete
OXYTOCIN:
a substance produced in the brain that causes contractions of the uterus
for labor, and causes the breasts to release milk
PARITY:
the number of children borne by a woman
PARTURITION:
the process of giving birth
PERINEUM:
the area between the vagina and rectum Illustration
PIGMENTATION:
the coloring of the tissues
PITOCIN:
a synthetic oxytocin
PLACENTA
PREVIA: placental tissue covering the opening of the cervix
POLYHYDRAMNIOS:
excessive amount of amniotic fluid
POST-COITAL
TEST: a physical and microscopic examination completed after
sexual intercourse
POSTERIOR:
facing or located in the rear of the body
POSTPARTUM:
after delivery
PRE-ECLAMPSIA:
an illness of pregnancy characterized by high blood pressure, swelling
or edema, and proteinuria
PRENATAL:
existing or occurring during pregnancy
PROGESTERONE:
a hormone produced by the corpus luteum and placenta that prepares the
uterus for pregnancy, maintains the pregnancy, and promotes development
of the breast
PROSTAGLANDIN:
hormone-like substance
PROTEIN:
a component of living cells necessary for the proper functioning, growth,
and repair of tissue
PROTEINURIA:
the presence of protein in urine
PUBERTY:
the age of development in which an individual becomes capable of sexual
reproduction
RECTO-VAGINAL
FISTULA: an abnormal connection between the vagina and rectum
RESPIRATOR:
a machine that assists breathing
RESPIRATORY
DISTRESS SYNDROME: a respiratory disease of newborns, especially
premature babies
RETINACULUM:
bandlike structure at the wrist
RH
FACTOR: a substance found on the red blood cells of RH positive
individuals
RHOGAM:
a substance that prevents antibodies against RH factor from forming
RUBELLA:
a mild, contagious viral rash capable of producing birth defects in babies
born to mothers infected during pregnancy. Also called German
measles.
SCHIZOPHRENIA:
a mental disorder characterized by withdrawal from reality, illogical patterns
of thinking, delusions, and hallucinations
SEDATIVE:
a drug that calms and may induce sleep
SEIZURE:
a convulsion
SEXUALLY
TRANSMITTED DISEASE: a disease contracted through sexual intercourse.
More
information.
SICKLE
CELL DISEASE: a chronic, usually fatal anemia, occurring almost
exclusively in blacks of African descent
SILASTIC:
a silicone material
SONOGRAM:
an image produced by ultra-sound
SPECULUM:
an instrument inserted into the vagina to view the cervix
SPHINCTER:
a ring of muscle that controls an opening
SPIDER
VEINS: thin veins at the surface of the skin
SPINAL
ANESTHESIA: anesthesia injected into the spinal fluid
STILLBIRTH:
a fetus dead at birth
STRESS:
a state of extreme pressure or strain
SYMPTOM:
a sign or indication of a disorder or disease
SYPHILIS:
a sexually transmitted disease
SUTURE:
a surgical stitch
TAY-SACHS
DISEASE: a hereditary disease that effects children of Eastern
European Jewish parents characterized by mental
retardation, convulsions, blindness and, ultimately, death
TESTES:
the reproductive organ of the male that produces sperm and testosterone
TESTOSTERONE:
hormone produced in the testes responsible for sperm maturation and male
sex characteristics
THALASSEMIA:
an inherited anemia found chiefly among people of Mediterranean descent
THROMBOPHLEBITIS:
blood clot in a vein
TITER:
the concentration of a substance in a solution
TOCOLYTIC:
a medication that stops or slows contractions
TOXEMIA:
see pre-eclampsia
TOXOPLASMOSIS:
a disease carried in cat feces that can be passed to humans and can cause
birth defects in the fetus if the mother contracts the disease
during pregnancy
TRANSFUSE:
to give blood or blood products
TUBERCULOSIS:
an infectious disease characterized by coughing, fever, night sweats, and
weight loss
UMBILICAL
CORD: the cordlike structure connecting the fetus to the placenta
URETHRA:
the canal through which urine is passed out of the body
URIC
ACID: a breakdown product of protein metabolism
URINALYSIS:
test of the urine for bacteria, protein, and glucose
VASCULAR:
containing blood vessels
VAS
DEFERENS: the tube through which semen is carried to the urethra
VERNIX:
the waxy, protective coating covering the skin of the fetus
VERTEX:
the top of the head
YOGA:
a system of exercises practiced to promote control of the mind and body
ZIFT:
zygote intra-fallopian transfer |
