ICEA

Abbreviation of Internation Childbirth Education Association.

Identical Twins

A pregnancy in which two children are produced from the same ovum, which has split during early embryonic development.

Identical twins are always of the same sex, share the same genetic makeup and blood groups.

Both children resemble each other physically, mentally and psychologically.

Identical twins are also called Monozygotic twins, Enzygotic twins, true twins or uniovular twins.

Immune Globulin Preparation

A substance designed to protect against infection from certain diseases such as hepatitis or measles.

Implantation

A term used in embryology to describe the penetration and embedding of the blastocyst in the lining of the uterine wall.

Sometimes called nidation, implantation usually occurs during the seventh or eighth day after conception. Different kinds of implantation include eccentric implantation, interstitial implantation and superficial implantation.

In Utero

Medical term from the latin meaning inside the uterus.

In Vitro

Medical term from the Latin, in glass. Usually refers to artificial conception, popularly called "test tube babies".

Incompetent Cervix

A condition in which the cervix opens too early in the pregnancy which may result in mid-pregnancy miscarriage. The cause is usually previous mid-pregnancy termination or damage to the cervix during previous labor. It can be treated by suturing the cervix closed during pregnancy.

Incomplete Abortion

The medical term used to the describe the termination of the pregnancy in which the products of conception are not completely expelled from the uterus.

Complications include infection and hemmorhage, which may require surgical attention through curretage, oxytocins and blood replacement.

An incomplete abortion is also known as an incomplete miscarriage.

Incomplete Miscarriage

The medical term used to the describe the termination of the pregnancy in which the products of conception are not completely expelled from the uterus.

Complications include infection and hemmorhage, which may require surgical attention through curretage, oxytocins and blood replacement.

An incomplete misscarriage is also known as an incomplete abortion.

Incoordinate Uterine Action

A medical term used to describe irregular contractions during labor.

Indigestion

Medically known as dyspepsia, indigestion is the feeling of stomach discomfort felt after eating. Symptoms include fullness, hearturn, bloating and nausea.

While not a condition in itself, indigestion can be a sign of some other intestinal disorder such as peptic ulcer, gallbladder disease or chronic appendicitis.

Induced Labor

A procedure in obstetrics in which labor is artificially initiated either by amniotomy or the administration of oxytocins. Labor can be induced electively, or for the well-being of the mother or baby.

Elective inductions are becoming more unusual and are performed simply for the convenience of the mother or obstetrician. An elective induction will not be performed unless the baby has reached term, is in a vertex presentation, the presenting part is engaged and the cervix is ready to dilate.

Inductions are otherwise performed only when the risk of continuing the pregnancy is greater than the risk of inducing the baby. Examples include a premature rupture of the membranes, severe maternal diabetes or intractable preeclampsia.

To perform an induction the doctor will surgically rupture the membranes, together with the administration of oxytocins, almost always intravenously because of the greater control possible. Electronic fetal monitoring is usually initiated at the beginning of labor to avoid hyperstimulation of the uterus and distressing the fetus. Should the induction fail to produce an effective labor, cesarean section will be performed.

Inevitable Abortion

A condition in which a spontaneous termination of the pregnancy is imminent and cannot be avoided. Symptoms include bleeding, uterine cramps, cervical dilation and the presentation of the conceptus in the cervical os. Heavy bleeding may require the immediate evacuation of the uterus.

Inevitable abortion is sometimes called inevitable miscarriage. Doctors take great care to determine whether a miscarriage is inevitable because of the legal implications of induced abortions.

Inevitable Miscarriage

A condition in which a spontaneous termination of the pregnancy is imminent and cannot be avoided. Symptoms include bleeding, uterine cramps, cervical dilation and the presentation of the conceptus in the cervical os. Heavy bleeding may require the immediate evacuation of the uterus.

Inevitable miscarriage is sometimes called inevitable abortion. Doctors take great care to determine whether a miscarriage is inevitable because of the legal implications of induced abortions.

Infantile Cerebral Sphingolipidosis

An inherited diorder of the nervous system caused by a deficiency of the hexosaminidase A enzyme. The recessive trait occurs predominantly in families of Ashkenazi Jewish origin.

Symptoms first appear in a baby at about 6 months of age after which no new skills are learned. Existing skill are progressively lost. The optic nerve atrophies after about 1 year along and additional symptoms include convulsions and blindness. Death often occurs between 2 and 4 years of age.

There is unfortunately no known therapy, and intervention remains symptomatic and supportive. It can be diagnosed in utero through amniocentesis. Also called Tay-Sachs disease, amaurotic familial idiocy and gangliosidosis type I.

Insulin

A hormone secreted by the islets of Langerhans in the pancreas in response to increase blood sugar levels. Insulin regulates the metabolism of glucose, and helps transfer the blood sugar into the muscle cells and other body tissues.

Insufficient insulin secretion results in hyperglycemia, hyperlipemia, ketonemia and azoturia. It is the cause of diabetes mellitus, eventually resulting in lethargy and weight loss.

A synthetic version of the hormone, also known as insulin is used in treating diabetes, with the different brands varying in promptness, intensity and duration of action. Pharmacological insulin is delivered through subcutaneous injection.

Internal Monitoring

A method used to measure the unborn baby's heartbeat, the mother's heartbeat, and contractions of the mother's uterus.

To measure the baby's heartbeat, an ultrasound transducer is placed on the mother's abdomen, close to the baby's heart.

To monitor contractions of the mother's uterus, a pressure sensor is placed on the mother's abodomen. Amplitude, frequency and duration are monitored with an interuterine catheter.

Monitoring of the baby's heartbeat can also be accomplished internally by placing an electrode through the cervix onto the baby's scalp. Also known as electronic fetal monitoring or EFM.

Intestines

The portion of the alimentary canal that extends from the pylorus of the stomach to the anus and including the small and large intestines.

Intramuscular Injection

The administration of medication by means of a needle inserted into the muscle tissue. The choice of needle size is dependent on the viscosity of the fluid and the amount of subcutaneous fat over the muscle.

Intrauterine Growth Retardation

An abnormal condition in pregnancy in which the fetus is small for its gestational age. Causes of delayed development and maturation include genetic factors, maternal disease or fetal malnutrition caused by insufficient placental growth.

Intravenous Drip

The delivery of fluid, often glucose, directly into the vein using a plastic catheter, and bag of fluid.

Intravenous Injection

The administration of a single dose of medication, withdrawal of blood or the infusion of fluid, blood or medication by means of a hypodermic injection directly into a vein.

Intubate

A term used to describe the insertion of a tube into a body aperture. It usually refers to the insertion of a breathing tube through the mouth or nose into the trachea to guarantee an airway for the delivery of anesthetic gas or oxygen.

A blind intubation refers to the insertion of a breathing tube without the visual assistance provided by a laryngoscope. Different types of intubation inclue endotracheal intubation and nasogastric intubation.

Invasive Techniques

Any medical treatment that intrudes into the body.

Involution of the Uterus

An embryological term describing the biological process where a group of cells at the border of an organ rolls inward and joins the organ.

Iris

A part of the eye that separates the space between the lens and the cornea into an anterior and posterior chamber. It is a circular disk, capable of contracting and perforated by a circular pupil. It serves to limit or maximize the amount of light entering the eye.

Until the fetus reaches about week 28, the two chambers are separated by the membrana pupilaris. Subsequently and into all adult life the two chambers communicate through the pupil.

Dark pigment cells under the translucent tissue of the iris are arranged to produce different eye colors. In blue eyes, the pigment cells only appear on the posterior surface of the iris. In gray, brown and black eyes, the pigment cells appear in the anterior epithelium and the stroma.

Iron Deficiency Anemia

Anemia caused by inadequate supplies of iron need to synthesize the hemoglobin. It is characterized by paleness, fatigue and lethargy.

Blood tests include evaluation of the hemoglobin, hematocrit, transferrin and serum iron.

Isoimmunization

The term given to the development of a specific antibody against the red blood cells of another person, such as in Rhesus disease, which occurs when an Rh-negative mother carries an Rh-positive baby, or an Rh-negative individual receives Rh-positive blood.

IUGR

Abbreviation of intrauterine growth retardation, an abnormal condition in pregnancy in which the fetus is small for its gestational age. Causes of delayed development and maturation include genetic factors, maternal disease or fetal malnutrition caused by insufficent placental growth.