Question | Answer |
abortion | termination of the pregnancy before the fetus reaches the age of viability 20 wks |
adenexal | adjacent |
amenorrhea | absence or cessation of the menstrual period. amen. occurs normally before puberty, during pregnancy, & after menopause |
atypical | deviation from the normal |
braxton hicks contractions | intermittent & irregular painless uterine contractions that occur throughout pregnancy. they occur more frequently toward the end of pregnancy & are sometimes mistaken for true labor pains |
cerix | lower narrow end of the uterus that opens into the vagina |
colposcopy | exam of the cervix using a colposcope |
cytology | science that deals with the study of cells, including their origin, structure, function, & pathology |
dilation | stretching of the external os from an opening a few milli. wide to an opening large enough to allow the passage of an infant |
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 & is lined with stratified squamous epithelium |
effacement | thinning & 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. effacement occurs late in pregnancy, during labor, or both |
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 feta head or the presenting part into the pelvic inlet |
EDD | projected birth of the infant |
external os | opening of the cervical canal of the uterus into the vagina |
fetal heart rate | number of times per min the fetal heart beats |
fetal heart tones | sounds of the heartbeat of the fetus heard through the mothers abdominal wall |
fetus | child in 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 the intrauterine development from conception to birth; the period of pregnancy. average pregnancy last about 280 days, or 40 weeks, from the date of conceptions to childbirth |
gestational age | age of the fetus between conception & birth |
gravidity | total number of pregnancies a woman has had regardless of duration, including a current pregnancy |
gynecology | branch of medicine that deals with the disease of reproductive organs of women |
infant | child from birth to 12 months |
internal os | internal opening of the cervical canal into the uterus |
lochia | discharge from the uterus after delivery that consists of blood, tissue, white blood cells, & some bacteria |
menopause | the permanent cessation of of menstruation, which usually occurs between the ages of 45 & 55 |
menorrhagia | excessive bleeding during a menstrual period, in the number of days or the amt of blood or both. |
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 preg. to the point of fetal viability, 20 wks |
obsterics | branch of medicine concerned with the care of woman during preg., childbirth, & 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 & increased periods of amenorrhea |
perineum | external region between the vaginal orifice & the anus in a female & between the scrotum & the anus in a male |
position | relation of the presenting part of the fetus to the maternal pelvis |
postpartum | occurring after childbirth |
preeclampsia | major complication of preg., the cause of which is unknown, characterized by increasing hypertension, albuminuria, & edema |
prenatal | before birth |
presentation | indication of the part of the fetus that is closest to the cervix & is delivered first |
preterm birth | delivery occurring between 20 & 37 wks of gestation regardless of whether the child was born alive or stillborn |
primigravida | woman who is preg., for the first time |
primipara | a woman who has carried a preg. 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 wks after delivery, in which the uterus & 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 & 20 wks of gestation & are felt consistently therafter |
risk factor | anything that increases an individuals chances of developing a disease. |
term birth | delivery occurring after 37 wks of gestation regardless of whether the infant was born alive orstillborn |
toxemia | a condition that can occur in pregnant women that includes preeclampsia & eclampsia |
trimester | three months, or one third, of the gestational period of preg. |
vulva | region of the external female genital organs |