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Abbreviations and Symbols, Medical Terminology

Quiz yourself by thinking what should be in each of the black spaces below before clicking on it to display the answer.
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Term
Definition
AB   abortion  
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ABO   any of the four blood groups A, B, AB, and O comprising the ABO system  
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AED   Automated external defibrillator – portable device that helps diagnose and treat cardiac arrhythmias through electrical pulses.  
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AI   Adequate Intake – recommended average daily intake level of vitamins, nutrients, proteins, carbs, etc  
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amb   Ambulatory – able to walk, moveable  
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amt   amount  
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ant   anterior  
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AROM   Artificial Rupture of Membranes  
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BID   bis in die – twice a day  
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BM   Bowel Movement or Bone Marrow  
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BP, B/P   Blood Pressure  
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BS   blood sugar; bowel sounds; breath sounds  
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BSE   breast self-examination  
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BUN   blood urea nitrogen – a test of kidney function  
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BW   birth weight  
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C (degrees)   Celsius  
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c (with line above)   with (cum)  
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CA   cancer, carcinoma; cardiac arrest; chronologic age  
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cath   catheter or catheterization  
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CBC   complete blood count  
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cm   Centimeter (1/100 of a meter)  
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CMV   Cytomegalovirus – very common virus, 80% of people have been exposed.However, a fetus can become ill when a pregnant mother contracts it for the first time.  
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CNS   central nervous system  
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c/o   complains of  
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CP   cerebral palsy; chest pain  
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CPD   cephalopelvic disproportion – pelvis not large enough or correct shape to vaginally birth a baby. Can be from genetics or disease, like Rickets. Relatively rare – thought to be over diagnosed  
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CPR   cardiopulmonary resuscitation  
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C/S   Cesarean section – surgical removal of the baby  
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C&S   culture and sensitivity (testing)  
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Cx   cervix  
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D/C   discharge; discontinue  
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D & C   dilation and curettage (of the uterine lining)  
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del   delivery  
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DIC   disseminated intravascular coagulation – serious disease in which the blood over-clots – can form blood clots that float through the veins and block bodily functions  
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DM   diabetes mellitus  
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DNR   do not resuscitate  
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DOB   date of birth  
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DRE   digital rectal examination  
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EBL   estimated blood loss  
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EDC   estimated date of confinement - term describing the estimated delivery date for a pregnant woman  
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EENT   eyes, ears, nose, and throat  
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ENT   ears, nose, and throat  
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F (degrees)   Fahrenheit  
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FH   family history  
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FHR or FHT   fetal heart rate or fetal heart tones  
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FOB   father of baby  
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FSH   Follicle-stimulating hormone – secreted by the pituitary gland  
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G   Gravida – a pregnant woman  
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G/P/A/L   Gravida / Term / Preterm / Abortions / Living - Way to determine how many pregnancies and births a mother has had  
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g, gm   gram  
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GB   gallbladder  
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GI   gastrointestinal  
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gt, gtt   drop, drops (from latin gutta)  
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GTT   glucose tolerance test – to check for gestational diabetes  
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GU   genitourinary  
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GYN, gyn   gynecology  
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h, hr   hour  
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Hb, Hgb, hgb   hemoglobin  
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HBV   hepatits B virus  
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HCG, hCG   human chorionic gonadotropin – hormone secreted during pregnancy – this is the hormone pregnancy tests look for  
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HCT, Hct   hematocrit  
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HCV   hepatitis C virus  
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HDL   High-density lipoprotein – the “good cholesterol” - associated with decreased rate of coronary artery disease)  
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HIPAA   Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 – well known because they protect the privacy of medical history  
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HIV   human immunodeficiency virus  
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h/o   history of  
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H2O   water  
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H & P   history and physical examination  
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HPV   human papillomavirus  
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HRT   hormone replacement therapy  
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HSV-1, HSV-2   herpes simplex virus type 1, type 2  
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HTN   Hypertension – high blood pressure  
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Hx   history  
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IM   intramuscular; infectious mononucleosis  
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I & O   intake and output – measurement of patient's fluids  
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IPPB   intermittent positive pressure breathing - breathing treatment where increased breathing pressures are delivered via ventilator  
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IV   intravenous  
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IUD   intrauterine device (contraceptive)  
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IUFD   intrauterine fetal demise  
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IUGR   intrauterine growth restricted  
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L, l   left; liter; lower  
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LDL   Low-density lipoprotein – the “bad cholesterol” - high levels associated with heart disease  
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lg   large  
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LGA   large for gestational age (relating to a baby)  
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L/min   liters per minute  
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LMP   last menstrual period  
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LLQ   left lower quadrant (of the abdomen)  
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LUQ   left upper quadrant (of the abdomen)  
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LR   lactated ringers  
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Lt   left; long-term; less than  
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L & D   labor and delivery  
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L&W   living and well  
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mg   Milligram (1/1000 gram)  
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Mg   magnesium  
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mL   Milliliter (1/1000 liter)  
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mm   Millimeter (1/1000 meter)  
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mm Hg   millimeters of mercury – units for measurement of blood pressure  
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N/A   not available  
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NB   newborn  
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N/C   no complaint  
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neg   negative  
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NICU   Neonatal Intensive Care Unit  
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NKA   no known allergies  
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NPO   nothing by mouth (nil per os)  
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NS   nervous system  
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NSAID   Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug  
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NSVD   normal spontaneous vaginal delivery  
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N & V, N/V, N+V   nausea and vomiting  
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O2   oxygen  
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OB   obstetrics  
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OCs/OCP   Oral contraceptives; oral contraceptive pill  
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OTC   over the counter (drugs)  
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p   after; following  
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P   PULSE – also phosphorus; plan; posterior; pressure; pupil  
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P, para 1, 2, 3, etc.   A woman who has produced one, two, three, etc offspring; unipara, bipara, tripara..  
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Pap, Pap smear   papanicolaou smear – preparation of cells from the cervix and vagina for microscopic examination  
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PCN   penicillin  
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peds   pediatrics  
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pg   picogram; Prostaglandin  
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pH   hydrogen ion concentration – measurement of acidity or alkalinity of a solution  
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PID   pelvic inflammatory disease  
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PKU   Phenylketonuria – disease due to lack of an enzyme in infants  
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PRN   “Pro re nata” - as required; when necessary  
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PMH   past medical history  
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pos   positive  
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PP   after meals (postprandial); after birth (postpartum)  
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PROM   premature rupture of membranes – when water breaks before contractions/before full term  
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pt   patient  
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q   every (quaque)  
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R, r   respiration; right; rectal (as in temp)  
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RBC, rbc   red blood cell (count)  
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RDS   respiratory distress syndrome  
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Rh   Blood group system – Rhesus (factor) – used to describe a D antigen in the blood, for blood transfusions  
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Rh-   negative D antigen in the blood  
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RLQ   right lower quadrant (of the abdomen)  
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R/O, r/o   rule out  
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ROA   right occiput anterior or right occipitoanterior  
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Rt   Right, also - related to  
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RUQ   right upper quadrant (of the abdomen)  
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Rx   treatment; therapy; prescription (recipe)  
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s (with line above)   without (sin)  
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S1, S2   first sacral vertebra, second sacral vertebra  
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SAB   staphylococcal bacteremia; spontaneous abortion (miscarriage)  
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sec   second  
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SGA   small for gestational age  
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SIDS   sudden infant death syndrome  
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sm   small; submucosal?  
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SOAP   Subjective data, objective data, assessment, plan = symptoms perceived by patient, exam finding, evaluation of condition, goals for treatment  
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SOB   shortness of breath  
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SROM   spontaneous rupture of membranes  
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SS, S/S, S&S   signs & symptoms  
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stat   immediately (statim)  
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STI (STD)   sexually transmitted infection  
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strep   streptococci (bacteria)  
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sub-Q   subcutaneous (under the skin)  
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Sx   signs and symptoms  
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Sz   seizure  
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T   temperature; time  
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T1, T2   first thoracic vertebra, second thoracic vertebra  
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TAB   therapeutic abortion  
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TB   tuberculosis  
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TAH   total abdominal hysterectomy  
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TENS   transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulator  
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TFT   thyroid function test  
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TKO   to keep (vein) open for IV therapy  
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TM   tympanic membrane  
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TSH   Thyroid-stimulating hormone (secreted by pituitary)  
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TTN   transient tachypnea of the newborn  
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Tx   treatment  
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UA, U/A   urinalysis  
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UK, unk   unknown  
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umb   umbilical or umbilicus  
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U/O   urine output  
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URI   upper respiratory infection  
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US, u/s   ultrasound (imaging examination)  
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UTI   urinary tract infection  
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VBAC   vaginal birth after cesarean  
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VE   vaginal examination  
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VDRL   venereal disease research laboratory (a test for syphilis)  
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VS, V/S, vs   vital signs; versus  
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VSS   vital signs stable  
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WBC, wbc   white blood cell (count)  
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WNL   within normal limits  
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wt   weight  
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X   times  
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y, yr   year(s)  
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y/o   year(s) old  
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