Obstetrics and Neonatology Review

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms, combining forms, prefixes, suffixes, and disease/disorder terms from the lecture notes on Obstetrics and Neonatology.

Neonatology

The branch of medicine that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of disorders of the newborn.

Obstetrics

The branch of medicine that deals with childbirth and the care of the mother before, during, and after birth.

gamete

Mature germ cell, either sperm (male) or ovum (female).

fertilization

Beginning of pregnancy, when the sperm enters the ovum. Fertilization normally occurs in the fallopian tubes. (also called conception)

zygote

Cell formed by the union of the sperm and the ovum.

embryo

Unborn offspring in the stage of development from implantation of the zygote to the end of the eighth week of pregnancy. This period is characterized by rapid growth of the embryo.

fetus

Unborn offspring from the beginning of the ninth week of pregnancy until birth.

gestation

Development of a new individual from conception to birth (also called pregnancy).

gestation period

Duration of pregnancy; normally 38 to 42 weeks (starting from the first day of the last menstrual period), which can be divided into three equal periods, called trimesters.

implantation

Embedding of the zygote in the uterine lining. The process normally begins about 7 days after fertilization and continues for several days.

placenta

Temporary organ attached to the uterine wall that forms during pregnancy and provides oxygen and nutrients to the fetus. Typically, the placenta detaches from the endometrium after delivery and is commonly referred to as afterbirth.

amniotic sac

Membranous bag that surrounds the fetus before delivery (also called amnionic sac, fetal membrane, and commonly referred to as bag of waters).

chorion

Outermost layer of the amniotic sac.

amnion

Innermost layer of the amniotic sac.

amniotic fluid

Fluid within the amniotic sac, which surrounds the fetus (also called amnionic fluid).

umbilicus

Navel (belly button); marks the site of attachment of the umbilical cord to the fetus.

striae gravidarum

"Stretch marks" occurring on the abdomen, breast, buttocks, and thighs from weakening of elastic tissues.

linea nigra

Dark medial line extending from the pubis upward.

chloasma

Hyperpigmentation of blotchy brown macules usually evenly distributed over the cheeks and forehead.

amni/o

Combining form meaning amnion, amniotic fluid.

amnion/o

Combining form meaning amnion, amniotic fluid.

chori/o

Combining form meaning chorion.

fet/o

Combining form meaning fetus, unborn offspring.

gravid/o

Combining form meaning pregnancy.

lact/o

Combining form meaning milk.

nat/o

Combining form meaning birth.

omphal/o

Combining form meaning umbilicus, navel.

par/o

Combining form meaning bear, give birth to, labor, childbirth.

part/o

Combining form meaning bear, give birth to, labor, childbirth.

puerper/o

Combining form meaning childbirth (puerper is made up of two Latin word roots: puer, meaning child, and per, meaning through).

amnionitis

Inflammation of the amnion.

chorioamnionitis

Inflammation of the chorion and amnion.

choriocarcinoma

Cancerous tumor of the chorion.

dystocia

Difficult labor (obstructed or prolonged; causes may be from maternal factors, such as ineffective uterine contractions and abnormal pelvic shape, or from fetal causes, such as large size and abnormal birth presentation).

hysterorrhexis

Rupture of the uterus.

oligohydramnios

Scanty amnion water (less than the normal amount of amniotic fluid; 500 mL or less).

polyhydramnios

Much amnion water (more than the normal amount of amniotic fluid; 2000 mL or more) (also called hydramnios).

pseudocyesis

False pregnancy (belief one is pregnant, often with physical symptoms such as a swollen abdomen, though a fetus is not present; contributing factors may be psychological, hormonal, or related to underlying pathology, such as a uterine tumor).

carcin/o

Combining form meaning cancer.

cephal/o

Combining form meaning head.

episi/o

Combining form meaning vulva.

esophag/o

Combining form meaning esophagus (tube leading from the throat to the stomach).

hydr/o

Combining form meaning water.

hyster/o

Combining form meaning uterus.

olig/o

Combining form meaning scanty, few.

pelv/i

Combining form meaning pelvis, pelvic cavity.

prim/i

Combining form meaning first.

pseud/o

Combining form meaning false.

pylor/o

Combining form meaning pylorus, pyloric sphincter (portion of the stomach that connects to the small intestine).

son/o

Combining form meaning sound.

terat/o

Combining form meaning malformations (literally monster; refers to malformations or abnormal development in obstetrics).

trache/o

Combining form meaning trachea.

ante-

Prefix meaning before.

dys-

Prefix meaning painful, abnormal, difficult, labored.

intra-

Prefix meaning within.

micro-

Prefix meaning small.

multi-

Prefix meaning many.

neo-

Prefix meaning new.

nulli-

Prefix meaning none.

poly-

Prefix meaning many, much.

post-

Prefix meaning after.

pre-

Prefix meaning before.

-a

Noun suffix, no meaning.

-al

Suffix meaning pertaining to.

-amnios

Suffix meaning amnion, amniotic fluid.

-cele

Suffix meaning hernia, protrusion.

-centesis

Suffix meaning surgical puncture to aspirate fluid (with a sterile needle).

-cyesis

Suffix meaning pregnancy.

-e

Noun suffix, no meaning.

-gen

Suffix meaning substance or agent that produces or causes.

-genic

Suffix meaning producing, originating, causing.

-graphy

Suffix meaning process of recording, radiographic imaging.

-ic

Suffix meaning pertaining to.

-itis

Suffix meaning inflammation.

-logist

Suffix meaning one who studies and treats (specialist, physician).

-logy

Suffix meaning study of.

-malacia

Suffix meaning softening.

-oma

Suffix meaning tumor, swelling.

-rrhea

Suffix meaning flow, discharge.

-rrhexis

Suffix meaning rupture.

-tocia

Suffix meaning birth, labor.

-tomy

Suffix meaning cut into, incision.

-um

Noun suffix, no meaning.

-us

Noun suffix, no meaning.

laryngomalacia

Softening of the larynx (causes inhalation stridor in infants).

microcephalus

(Fetus with a very) small head.

omphalitis

Inflammation of the umbilicus.

omphalocele

Hernia at the umbilicus (a part of the intestine protrudes through the abdominal wall at birth).

pyloric stenosis

Narrowing pertaining to the pyloric sphincter (Congenital pyloric stenosis occurs in 1 of every 200 newborns. Stenosis comes from the Greek word meaning to narrow).

tracheoesophageal fistula

Abnormal passageway pertaining to the trachea and esophagus (between the trachea and esophagus).