Question | Answer |
abortion | termination of the pregnancy before the fetus reached the age of viability(20 weeks). |
adnexal | adjacent |
amenorrhea | absence or cessation of the menstrual period. Amenorrhea occurs normally before puberty, during pregnancy, and after menopause |
atypical | deviation from the normal |
braxton hicks contractions | intermittent and irregular painless uterine contractions that occur throughout pregnancy. They occur more frequently toward the end of pregnancy and are sometimes mistaken for true labor pains |
cervix | lower narrow end of the uterus that opens into the vagina |
colposcopy | examination of the cervix using a colposcope(lighted instrument with a magnifying lens) |
cytology | science that deals with the study of cells, including their origin, structure, function, and pathology |
Dialation(of the cervix) | stretching of the external os from an opening a few mm wide to an opening large enough to allow the passage of an infant (approx. 10cm) |
dysmenorrhea | pain associated with the menstrual period |
dyspareunia | pain in the vagina or pelvis experienced by a woman during sexual intercourse |
dysplasia | growth of abnormal cells. dysplasia is a precancerous condition that may or may not develop into cancer |
ectocervix | part of the cervix that projects into the vagina and is lined with stratified squamous epithelium |
EDD | expected date of delivery, or due date |
effacement | thinning and shortening of the cervical canal from its normal length of 1 to 2 cm to a structure with paper-thin edges in which there is no canal at all |
embryo | child in utero from the time of conception to the beginning of the first trimester |
endocervix | mucous membrane lining the cervical canal |
engagement | entrance of the fetal head or the presenting part into the pelvic inlet |
expected date of delivery | projected birth date of the infant |
external os | opening of the cervical canal of the uterus into the vagina |
fetal heart rate | number of times per minute the fetal heart beats |
fetal heart tones | sounds of the heartbeat of the fetus heard through the mothers abdominal wall |
fetus | child in the utero from the third month after conception to birth; during the first 2 months of development, it is called an embryo |
fundus | dome-shaped upper portion of the uterus between the fallopian tubes |
gestation | period of intrauterine development from conception to birth; the period of pregnancy. the average pregnancy last about 280 days, or 40 weeks, from the date of conception to childbirth |
gestational age | age of the fetus between conception and birth |
gravidity | total number of pregnancies a woman had regardless of duration, including a current pregnancy |
gynecology | branch of medicine that deals with the diseases of reproductive organs of women |
infant | child from birth to 12 months of age |
internal os | internal opening of the cervical canal into the uterus |
locia | discharge from the uterus after delivery that consists of blood, tissue, WBC, and some bacteria |
menopause | permanent cessation of menstruation, which usually occurs between the ages of 45 and 55 |
menorrhagia | excessive bleeding during a menstrual period, in the number of days or the amount of blood or both. also called dysfunctional uterine bleeding (DUB) |
metrorrhagia | bleeding between menstrual periods |
multigravida | woman who has been pregnant more than once |
multipara | woman who has completed two or more pregnancies to the age of fetal viability regardless of whether they ended in live infants or stillbirths |
nullipara | woman who has not carried a pregnancy to the point of fetal viability (20 weeks of gestation) |
obstetrics | branch of medicine concerned with the care of the woman during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartal period |
parity | condition of having borne offspring regardless of the outcome |
perimenopause | before the onset of menopause, the phase during which the woman with regular periods changes to irregular cycles and increased periods of amenorrhea |
perineum | external region between the vagina orifice and the anus in a female and between the scrotum and the anus of a male |
position | relation of the presenting part of the fetus to the maternal pelvis |
postpartum | occurring after childbirth |
preeclampsia | major complication of pregnancy, the cause of which is unknown, characterized by increasing hypertension, albuminuria, and edema |
prenatal | before birth |
presentation | indication of the part of the fetus that is closest to the Cx and is delivered first. |
preterm birth | delivery occurring between 20 and 37 weeks of gestation regardless of whether the child was born alive or stillborn |
primigravida | woman who is pregnant for the first time |
primipara | woman who has carried a pregnancy to fetal viability for the first time, regardless of whether the infant was stillborn or alive at birth |
puerperium | period of time, usually 4 to 6 weeks after delivery, in which the uterus and the body systems are returning to normal |
quickening | first movements of the fetus in utero as felt by the mother, which usually occurs between 16 and 20 weeks of gestation and is felt consistently thereafter |
risk factor | anything that increases an individuals chance of developing a disease. Some risk factors can be avoided, but others cannot |
term birth | delivery occurring after 37 weeks of gestation regardless of whether the infant was born alive or stillborn |
toxemia | condition that can occur in pregnant women that includes preeclampsia and eclampsia. if preeclampsia goes undiagnosed or is not satisfactorily controlled, it could develop into eclampsia, characterized by convulsions and coma |
trimester | three months, or one third, of the gestational period of pregnancy |
vulva | region of the external female genital organs |