A-Z of Pregnancy Terms (A to H)
AAbortion: Termination or end of pregnancy. Giving birth to an embryo or fetus before it can live outside the womb, usually defined as before 20 weeks of gestation. Abortion may be spontaneous, often called a miscarriage, or induced as in a medical or therapeutic abortion performed to terminate a pregnancy.Alphafetoprotein (AFP): Substance produced by the unborn baby as it grows inside the uterus. Large amounts of AFP are found in the amniotic fluid. Larger-than normal amounts are found in the maternal bloodstream if neural-tube defects are present in the fetus.Amino acids: Substances that act as building blocks in the developing embryo and fetus.Amniocentesis: Removal of amniotic fluid from the amniotic sac. Fluid is tested for some genetic defects.Amnion: Membrane around the fetus. It surrounds the amniotic cavity.Amniotic fluid: Liquid surrounding the baby inside the amniotic sac.Amniotic sac: Sac that surrounds baby inside the uterus. It contains the baby, the placenta and the amniotic fluid.Anemia: Any condition in which the number of red blood cells is less than normal. Term usually applies to the concentration of the oxygen-transporting material in the blood, which is the red blood cell.Anencephaly: Defective development of the brain combined with the absence of the bones normally surrounding the brain.Angioma: Tumor, usually benign, or swelling composed of lymph and blood vessels.Anovulatory: Lack of or cessation of ovulation.Areola: Pigmented or colored ring surrounding the nipple of the breast.Arrhythmia: Irregular or missed heartbeat. Aspiration: Swallowing or sucking a foreign body or fluid, such as vomit, into an airway.Atonic uterus: Flaccid; relaxed; lack of tone.Autoantibodies: Antibodies that attack parts of your body or your own tissues.BBack labour: Pain of labour felt in lower back.Bilirubin: Breakdown product of pigment formed in the liver from hemoglobin during the destruction of red blood cells.Biophysical profile: Method of evaluating a fetus before birth.Biopsy: Removal of a small piece of tissue for microscopic study.Blastomere: One of the cells egg divides into after it has been fertilized.Bloody show: Small amount of vaginal bleeding late in pregnancy; often precedes labour.Braxton-Hicks contractions: Irregular, painless tightening of uterus during pregnancy.Breech presentation: Abnormal position of the fetus. Buttocks or legs come into the birth canal ahead of the head.C Cataract, congenital: Cloudiness of the eye lens present at birth.Cesarean section (delivery): Delivery of a baby through an abdominal incision rather than through the vagina.Chadwick’s sign: Dark-blue or purple discoloration of the mucosa of the vagina and cervix during pregnancy.Chloasma: Extensive brown patches of irregular shape and size on the face or other parts of the body.Choriocarcinoma: Highly malignant cancer that grows in the uterus during pregnancy or at the site of an ectopic pregnancy.Chorion: Outermost fetal membrane found around the amnion.Chorionic villus sampling: Diagnostic test done early in pregnancy. A biopsy of tissue is taken from inside the uterus through the cervical opening to determine abnormalities of pregnancy.Colostrum: Thin, yellow fluid, which is the first milk to come from the breast. Most often seen toward the end of pregnancy. It is different in content from milk produced later during nursing.Congenital problem: Problem present at birth.Conization of the cervix: Surgical procedure performed on premalignant and malignant conditions of the cervix. A large biopsy of the cervix is taken in the shape of a cone.Conjoined twins: Twins connected at the body; they may share vital organs. Also called Siamese twins.Constipation: Bowel movements are infrequent or incomplete.Contraction stress test: Response of fetus to uterine contractions to evaluate fetal well-being.Corpus luteum: Area in the ovary where the egg is released at ovulation. A cyst may form in this area after ovulation. Called a corpus luteum cyst.Crown-to-rump length: Measurement from the top of the baby’s head to the buttocks of the baby.Cystitis: Inflammation of the bladder.Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection: Group of viruses from the herpesvirus family.D D&C (dilatation and curettage): Surgical procedure in which the cervix is dilated and the lining of the uterus is scraped.Developmental delay: Condition in which the development of the baby or child is slower than normal.Diastasis recti: Separation of abdominal muscles.Dizygotic twins: Twins derived from two different eggs. Often called fraternal twins.Dysplasia: Abnormal, precancerous changes in the cells of the cervix.Dysuria: Difficulty or pain urinating.E EDC (estimated date of confinement): Anticipated due date for delivery of the baby. Calculated from the first day of the last Period.Eclampsia: Convulsions and coma in a woman with pre-eclampsia. Not related to epilepsy.Ectodermal germ layer: layer in the developing embryo that gives rise to developing structures in the fetus. These include skin, teeth and glands of the mouth, the nervous system and the pituitary gland.Ectopic pregnancy: Pregnancy that occurs outside the uterine cavity.Effacement: Thinning of cervix.Embryo: Organism in the early stages of development.Embryonic period: First 10 weeks of gestation.Endodermal germ layer: Area of tissue in early development of the embryo that gives rise to other structures. These include the digestive tract, respiratory organs, vagina, bladder and urethra. Also called endoderm or entoderm.Endometrial cycle: Regular development of the mucous membrane lining the inside of the uterus. It begins with the preparation for acceptance of a pregnancy and ends with the shedding of the lining during a menstrual period.Endometrium: Mucous membrane that lines inside of the uterine wall. Enema–Fluid injected into the rectum for the purpose of clearing out the bowel.Engorgement: Congested; filled with fluid.Enzyme: Protein made by cells. It acts as a catalyst to improve or cause chemical changes in other substances.Epidural block: Type of anesthesia. Medication is injected around the spinal cord during labour or other types of surgery.Episiotomy: Surgical incision of the vulva (area behind the vagina, above the rectum). Used during delivery to avoid tearing or laceration of the vaginal opening and rectum.F Face presentation: Baby comes into the birth canal face first.Fallopian tube: Tube that leads from the cavity of the uterus to the area of the ovary. Also called uterine tube.False labour: Tightening of uterus without dilatation of the cervix.Fasting blood sugar: Blood test to evaluate the amount of sugar in the blood following a time period of fasting.Fertilization: Joining of the sperm and egg.Fertilization age: Dating a pregnancy from the time of fertilization. 2 weeks earlier than the gestational age.Fetal anomaly: Fetal malformation or abnormal development.Fetal goiter: Enlargement of the thyroid in the fetus.Fetal-growth retardation (IUGR): Inadequate growth of the fetus during the last stages of pregnancy.Fetal monitor: Device used before or during labour to listen to and record the fetal heartbeat. Can be external monitoring (through maternal abdomen) or internal monitoring (through maternal vagina) of the baby inside the uterus.Fetal period: Time period following the embryonic period (first 10 weeks of gestation) until birth.Fetus: Refers to the unborn baby after 10 weeks of gestation until birth.Forceps: Instrument used to help remove baby from the birth canal during delivery.Frank breech: Baby presenting buttocks first. Legs are flexed and knees extended.G Genetic counseling: Consultation between a couple and a specialist about genetic defects and the possibility of genetic problems in a pregnancy.Genital herpes simplex: Herpes simplex infection involving the genital area. It can be significant during pregnancy because of the danger to a newborn fetus infected with herpes simplex.Genitourinary problems: Defects or problems involving genital organs and the bladder or kidneys.Gestational age: Dating a pregnancy from the first day of the last menstrual period; 2 weeks longer than fertilization age.Gestational diabetes: Occurrence or worsening of diabetes during pregnancy (gestation).Gestational trophoblastic disease (GTN): Abnormal pregnancy with cystic growth of the placenta. Characterized by bleeding during early and middle pregnancy.Glucose-tolerance test: Blood test done to evaluate the body’s response to sugar.Glucosuria: Glucose in the urine.Gonorrhea: Contagious venereal infection, transmitted primarily by intercourse. Caused by the bacteria Neisseria gonorrhea.Grand mal seizure: loss of control of body functions. Seizure activity of a major form.Group-B streptococcal infection: Serious infection occurring in the mother’s vagina and throat.Gyri: Prominent, rounded elevation found on the surface of the brain tissue.H Habitual abortion: Occurrence of three or more spontaneous miscarriages.Heartburn: Discomfort or pain that occurs in the chest. Often occurs after eating.Hematocrit: Determines the proportion of blood cells to plasma. Important in diagnosing anemia.Hemoglobin: Pigment in red blood cell that carries oxygen to body tissues.Hemolytic disease: Destruction of red blood cells.Hemorrhoids: Dilated blood vessels in the rectum or rectal canal.Human chorionic gonadatropin (HCG): Hormone produced in early pregnancy.Measured in a pregnancy test.Human placental lactogen: Hormone of pregnancy produced by the placenta. Found in the bloodstream.Hyaline membrane disease: Respiratory disease of the newborn.Hydramnios: Increased amniotic fluid.Hydrocephalus: Excessive accumulation of fluid around the brain of the baby. Sometimes called water on the brain.Hyperbilirubinemia: Extremely high level of bilirubin in the blood.Hyperemesis gravidarum: Severe nausea, dehydration and vomiting during pregnancy. Occurs most frequently during the first trimester.Hyperglycemia: Increased blood sugar.Hypertension: Pregnancy-induced-High blood pressure that occurs during pregnancy. Defined by an increase in the diastolic and/or systolic blood pressure.Hyperthyroidism: Elevation of the thyroid hormone in the bloodstream.Hypoplasia: Defective or incomplete development or formation of tissue.Hypotension: Low blood pressure.Hypothyroidism: Low or inadequate levels of thyroid hormone in the bloodstream.
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