med term obstetrics and neonatology

gamete

mature germ cell, either sperm (male) or ovum (female)

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 (pregnancy)

gestation period

duration of pregnancy; normally 38-42 weeks, which can be divided into 3 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

structure that grows on the all of the uterus during pregnancy and allows for nourishment of the fetus (commonly referred to as afterbirth)

amniotic sac

membranous bag that surrounds the fetus before delivery (also called amnionic sac)

chorion

outermost layer of the fetal membrane

amnion

innermost layer of the fetal membrane

amniotic fluid

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

umbilicus

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

amni/o, amnion/o

amnion, amniotic fluid

chori/o

chorion

fet/i, fet/o

fetus, unborn offspring

gravid/o

pregnancy

lact/o

milk

nat/o

birth

omphal/o

umbilicus, navel

par/o, part/o

bear, give birth to, labor, childbirth

puerper/o

childbirth

carcin/o

cancer

cephal/o

head

episi/o

vulva

esophag/o

esophagus

hyster/o

uterus

prim/i

first

pseud/o

false

pylor/o

pylorus, pyloric sphincter

son/o

sound

terat/o

malformations

trache/o

trachea

ante-

before

intra-

within

neo-

new

nulli-

none

poly-

many, much

post-

after

-amnios

amnion, amniotic fluid

-cele

hernia, protrusion

-centesis

surgical puncture to aspirate fluid (with a sterile needle)

-cyesis

pregnancy

-gen

substance or agent that produces or causes

-genic

producing, originating, causing

-rrhexis

rupture

-stenosis

constriction or narrowing

-tocia

birth, labor

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 (a woman who believes she is pregnant - this may be a psychological condition or related to underlying pathology, such as a uterine tumor)

abortion

termination of pregnancy by the expulsion from the uterus of an embryo or fetus before viability, usually before 20 weeks of gestation. spontaneous abortion is the termination of pregnancy that occurs naturally and is commonly referred to as a miscarriage. induced abortion is the intentional termination of pregnancy by surgical or medical intervention.

abruptio placentae

premature separation of the placenta from the uterine wall

eclampsia

severe complication and progression of preeclampsia characterized by convulsion. potentially a life threatening disorder

ectopic pregnancy

pregnancy occurring outside the uterus, commonly in the fallopian tube

placenta previa

abnormally low implantation of the placenta on the uterine wall completely or partially covering the cervix. dilation of the cervix can cause separation of the placenta from the uterine wall, resulting in bleeding. with severe hemorrhage, a cesarean section is necessary to save the mother and baby’s life.

preeclampsia

abnormal condition encountered during pregnancy or shortly after delivery characterized by high blood pressure and proteinuria but no convulsions. the cause is unknown; if not successfully treated, the condition can progress to eclampsia

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)

tracheoesophageal fistula

abnormal passageway pertaining to the trachea and esophagus (between the trachea and esophagus)

cleft lip or palate

congenital split of the lip or roof of the mouth, one or both deformities may be present (cleft indicates a fissure)

coarctation of the aorta

congenital stenosis (narrowing) that occurs in the arch of the aorta

congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection

herpes-type virus that crosses the placenta. symptoms in newborns may include jaundice, microcephaly, developmental delay and hearing loss; some infants may have no symptoms

congenital heart disease

heart abnormality present at birth

down syndrome

genetic condition caused by a chromosomal abnormality characterized by varying degrees of intellectual, developmental, and physical disorders or defects (there is an extra 21st chromosome; hence, it is also called trisomy 21)

erythroblastosis fetalis

condition of the newborn characterized by hemolysis of the erythrocytes. the condition is usually caused by incompatibility of the infants and mothers blood, occurring when the mothers blood is Rh negative and the infants blood is Rh positive.

esophageal atresia

congenital absence of part of the esophagus. food cannot pass from the babys mouth to the stomach

fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS)

condition caused by excessive alcohol consumption by the mother during pregnancy. various birth defects may be present, including CNS dysfunction and malformations of the skull and face

gastroschisis

congenital fissure of the abdominal wall that is not at the umbilicus. enterocele, protrusion of the intestine is usually present

respiratory distress syndrome (RDS)

respiratory complication in the newborn, especially in premature infants. in premature infants RDS is caused by normal immaturity of the respiratory system resulting in compromised respiration (formerly called hyaline membrane disease)

spina bifida

congenital defect in the vertebral column caused by the failure of the vertebral arch to close. if the meninges protrude through the opening the condition is called meningocele. protrusion of both the meninges and spinal cord is called meningomyelocele

amniotomy

incision into the amnion (rupture of the fetal membrane to induce labor; a special hook is generally used to make the incision)

episiotomy

incision into the vulva (perineum) (sometimes performed during delivery to prevent traumatic tear of the vulva) (also called perineotomy

cervical cerclage

suturing of the cervix closed to prevent dilation and premature delivery

cesarean section

birth of the fetus through an incision in the mothers abdomen and uterus

in vitro fertilization (IVF)

method of fertilizing human ova outside the body and placing the zygote into the uterus; used when infertility is present. infertility management techniques that artificially combine both the ova and the sperm are called assisted reproductive technology (ART)

amniocentesis

surgical puncture to aspirate amniotic fluid (the needle is inserted through the abdominal and uterine walls, using US to guide the needle. it is a prenatal test in which the fluid is used for the assessment of fetal health and maturity to aid in diagnosing fetal abnormalities)

nuchal translucency screening

US test to check the back of the fetal neck for extra fluid or thickening. it is usually performed between 11 and 13 weeks of pregnancy and, when combined with first trimester screening blood tests, may reveal an increased risk for Down Syndrome or other congenital disorders

quad screen

blood test performed during the second trimester measuring four hormone levels that can reveal an increased risk of certain disorders in the developing fetus. it measures the levels of alpha-fetoprotein, human chorionic gonadotropin, unconjugated estriol and inhibin and can indicate the possibility of downs syndrome, trisomy 18, and neural tube defects such as spina bifida. an abnormal quad screen requires a confirming diagnostic test such as US or amniocentesis, and genetic counseling is an important part of the work-up

apgar score

system for rapid neonatal assessment at 1 and 5 minutes after birth. five vital criteria, including heart rate, respiration, muscle tone, response to stimulation, and color, are assessed and scored on a 0-2 scale, with 7-10 considered normal

chorionic villus sampling (CVS)

prenatal test that takes a sample of the area of the blood supply in the placenta either through the abdominal wall or the vagina. it is usually performed between 10-13 weeks of pregnancy and tests for chromosome and other genetic problems. it has a small risk of miscarriage and is thus usually performed only in high-risk pregnancies or when a screening test is positive for an abnormality

amniorrhea

discharge (escape) of amniotic fluid

amniorrhexis

rupture of the amnion

lactorrhea

(spontaneous) discharge of milk

antepartum

before childbirth (reference to the mother)

gravida

pregnant (a woman who is or has been pregnant, regardless of outcome)

gravidopuerperal

pertaining to pregnancy and childbirth (from delivery until reproductive organs return to normal)

intrapartum

within (during) labor and childbirth

lactogenic

producing milk (by stimulation)

multigravida

many pregnancies (a woman who has been pregnant two or more times)

multipara

many births (a woman who has given birth to two or more viable offspring)

nulligravida

no pregnancies (a woman who has never been pregnant)

nullipara

no births (a woman who has not given birth to a viable offspring)