Medical Glossary: A
Abdominoscopy
A term used to describe the examination of the abdominal cavity through a small incision in the abdominal wall. A laparoscope is used to view the ovaries and fallopian tubes, and can also serve as a gynecologic sterilization technique for oviduct fertilization. It is also called a laparoscopy.
Ablatio Placentae
Premature separation of the placenta from the uterus that occurs twenty weeks or more or during labor prior to delivery of the baby. It occurs in approximately one out of 200 births and can be a serious complication. Sometimes called abruptio placentae, placental abruption, ablatio placentae, or accidental hemorrhage.
Abortion
The spontaneous or induced termination of a pregnancy before the fetus can be expected to survive if born. Abortion is a sensitive issue, which is widely regulated is most Western countries. Most countries including the United States consider the abortion of a fetus legal before it reaches 20 weeks of gestation.
Abruptio Placenta
Premature separation of the placenta from the uterus that occurs twenty weeks or more or during labor prior to delivery of the baby. It occurs in approximately one out of 200 births and can be a serious complication. Sometimes called abruptio placentae, placental abruption, ablatio placentae, or accidental hemorrhage.
Abruptio Placentae
Premature separation of the placenta from the uterus that occurs twenty weeks or more or during labor prior to delivery of the baby. It occurs in approximately one out of 200 births and can be a serious complication. Sometimes called abruptio placentae, placental abruption, ablatio placentae, or accidental hemorrhage.
Accidental Hemorrhage
Premature separation of the placenta from the uterus that occurs twenty weeks or more or during labor prior to delivery of the baby. It occurs in approximately one out of 200 births and can be a serious complication. Sometimes called abruptio placentae, placental abruption, ablatio placentae, or accidental hemorrhage.
Adrenal Glands
Glands which are located on each of the kidneys. The adrenal glands consist of two parts with distinct functions.
The adrenal cortex secretes cortisol and androgens when the anterior pituitary releases the production of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). Androgens are converted by the liver to the hormones testoterone and estrogens.
The adrenal medulla creates the cathecolamines epinephrine and norepinephrine.
Aerobic Exercise
Aerobic exercise raises your body's heart rate above a prescribed level such that you consume more oxygen.
Afterbirth
The tissue, fluid and blood, which is "delivered" after the birth of the baby. It includes the placenta, amnion, chorion, some amniotic fluid, blood and blood clots. The term is often used simply to describe the delivery of the placenta after childbirth.
AFP
Abbreviation of alphafetaprotein, a protein synthesized by the liver, yolk sac and gastrointestinal tract of the the baby and found in large quantities in the amniotic fluid. When large amounts are found in the maternal bloodstream it can be used as a test for neural tube defects, as spina bifida and anencephaly in the baby.
AFP3
An AFP3 test is an advanced form of AFP test in which the levels of human chorionic gonadotropin and unconjugated estriol is measured in addition to alphafetaprotein.
Also known as the triple test screen, it is used to identify the probability of a Down's syndrome pregnancy. Down's syndrome pregnancies usually have abnormally high levels of human chorionic gonadotropin and unusually low levels of estriol.
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS)
A debilitating and usually fatal illness caused by the Human ImmuneDeficiency Virus (HIV), that affects the body's ability to fight infection.
ALB
Short for albuminuria, and sometimes called proteinuria, ALB is is defined as abnormally large quantities of protein in the urine. While it can be the sign of renal disease, it is often a sign of other problems such as hypertension or heart failure and a warning sign of pre-eclampsia. It can also be the result of heavy exercise or heart failure.
Albuminuria
Sometimes called proteinuria, albuminuria is is defined as abnormally large quantities of protein in the urine. While it can be the sign of renal disease, it is often a sign of other problems such as hypertension or heart failure and a warning sign of pre-eclampsia. It can also be the result of heavy exercise or heart failure.
Alphafetoprotein
Alphafetaprotein, often shortened to AFP, is a protein synthesized by the liver, yolk sac and gastrointestinal tract of the the baby and found in large quantities in the amniotic fluid. When large amounts are found in the maternal bloodstream it can be used as a test for neural tube defects, as spina bifida and anencephaly in the baby.
Alveoli
The alveolar ducts form the terminal segment of a respiratory bronchiole or branch of the lungs.
Amaurotic Familial Idiocy
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 skills 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, ganliosidosis type I and infantile cerebral sphingolipidosis.
Amenorrhea
The absense of menstrual periods, which is normal during pregnancy, after menopause and prior to sexual maturity.
Amino Acids
Amino acids are substances produced by the baby and used as building blocks in the developing embryo. They are an organic chemical compound composed of one or more basic amino groups and one or more acidic carboxyl groups.
There are more than 100 naturally occuring amino acids, of which 20 form the building blocks of peptides, polypeptides and proteins.
Amniocentesis
A test, in which some fluid from within the amniotic sac is removed for laboratory analysis. The procedure is usually performed between the 16th and 20th weeks of gestation and is used to diagnose genetic defects including neural tube defects, Tay-Sachs disease and chromosomal abnormalities. The test can also be used to determine the sex of the fetus.
Amnion
A membrane that surrounds the amniotic cavity, covering the fetal side of the placenta and the outer surface of the umbilical cord. It also becomes the outermost layer of skin on the developing fetus.
Amniotic Fluid
The liquid, which is produced by both the fetal membranes and the fetus that surrounds the baby during pregnancy. The liter of fluid at term serves to protect the fetus during pregnancy and also provide active chemical exchange.
The amniotic fluid consists of maternal and fetal plasma in varying concentrations. The pH of the fluid is almost neutral and clear, although lipids and desquamated fetal cells can make it cloudy.
Amniotic Sac
The thin walled sac inside the uterus that surrounds the baby, amniotic fluid and the placenta during pregnancy. It has a capacity of about 4 to 5 liters at term.
The wall of the sac is made up from the amnion, chorion and decidua, each of which are just a few cell layers thick, and which extends from the margin of the placenta. While each of the layers are in contact, they are not fused together.
The sac serves to maintain the equilibration hydrostactic pressure within the uterus during pregnancy. During labor the sac transmits uniform pressure of the uterine contractions to the cervix for dilation.
Amniotomy
The surgical rupturing of the amniotic sac which is sometimes performed to speed up labor.
It is sometimes referred to as the "artificial rupture of the membranes" or ARM.
Ampulla
The dilated opening of a tube or duct. While an ampulla can refer to many different conditions, an ampulla during pregnancy usually refers to the dilated opening of the fallopian tubes into the uterus. An ampullary tubal pregnancy is one in which the implantation has taken place in the fallopian tubes. See also; tubal pregnancy.
Analgesics
A form of painkilling agent that doesn't induce unconciousness in the patient.
Anemia
A condition in which the number of red blood cells is abnormally low and usually refers to the oxygen carrying hemoglobin. It is most likely caused by iron deficiency, especially during pregnancy and can be treated with supplements.
Anencephaly
A congenital defect in which the brain and spinal cord are absent, the cranium remains open and the vertebral canal stays grooved.
Anencephalic defects are transmitted genetically and can be detected early in the pregnancy by amniocentesis and ultrasonic testing. Anencephaly is not compatible with life. See also, neural tube defect.
Anesthetic
An agent or process that removes the body's sensitivity to pain. Anesthetics are usually medically administered chemicals, although they include other forms such as hypnosis, or the body's own ability to cause numbness through shock.
Anesthetics can either be local, whereby only a portion of the body or an individual organ is desensitized or general, in which the entire body is desensitized, with the result the patient is often temporarily unconcious.
Angioma
A brain defect which is often combined with an absense of bones surrounding the brain. It consists of a tumor, which is usually benign, or a swelling of the lymph and blood vessels.
Antepartum Cardiotography
A test which is conducted prior to delivery that serves to check the fetal heartbeat.
Anterior Position
A term used to describe the position of the baby in the uterus prior to entering labor. Also known as Occipito Anterior, it describes the baby when its head is facing forward towards the front of the mother.
Antibacterials
Chemical agents that kill bacteria or inhibit their growth or replication. Antibacterial agents are either chemically synthesized or derived from microorganisms and work by interfering with the production of the bacterial cell wall, protein synthesis, nucleic acid synthesis or cell membrane integrity.
Antibodies
A protein immunoglobulin which is produced naturally by the body and is essential to the immune system by working to combat foreign bodies, germs or bacteria. They are produced by thelymphoid tissue and consist of different classes each of which is designed to fight specific antigens. They include agglutinins, bacteriolysins, opsonins and preciptin.
Antibody Check
A test in which the patient's antibodies are measured and their effectiveness is determined.
Anticholinergic Drugs
Anticholinergics are used to treat nausea and vomitting by limiting impulses through the nervous system and reducing the secretion of stomach acids.
Many anticholinergic agents reduce Parkinson's type symptoms but can act as a depressant.
Anticoagulants
Drugs which are designed to inhibit or delay the coagulation, or thickening of the blood. Most anticoagulants interfere with the formation of thromboplastin, or the conversion of prothrombin to thrombin and with the formation of fibrin from fibrinogen.
Anticonvulsants
Anticonvulsants are designed to reduce or inhibit the severity of epileptic or other convulsive seizures. They exert their anticonvulsive effect by stabilizing the cell membrane and decreasing intracellular sodium, thus reducing the excitability of the epileptogenic focus.
Other anticonvulsants prevent the spread of excessive discharges in the cerebral motor areas and suppress dysrhythmias originating in the thalamus, frontal lobes and other brain areas.
Antihistamines
Antihistamines are tranquilizers that are used in the treatment of nausea, vomitting and allergies. They include a wide variety of drugs that block the histamine receptors.
Apgar Scale
A general test given 1 minute and 5 minutes after the birth of a child to determine its wellbeing. it uses the rating of five factors to judge the baby's ability to adjust to life outside of the uterus.
The test consists of measuring the baby's heart rate, respiratory effort, muscle tone, reflex action and color and is scored from a low value of 0 to a high value of 2 which ar then added. A score of 9/10 would indicate a score of 9 at 1 minute and 10 at 5 minutes.
Apgar Score
A general test given 1 minute and 5 minutes after the birth of a child to determine its wellbeing. it uses the rating of five factors to judge the baby's ability to adjust to life outside of the uterus.
The test consists of measuring the baby's heart rate, respiratory effor, muscle tone, reflex action and color and is scored from a low value of 0 to a high value of 2 which ar then added. A score of 9/10 would indicate a score of 9 at 1 minute and 10 at 5 minutes.
Apnea
A respiratory condition, interrupted breathing that may occur in preterm and low birthweight babies.
Areola
The common term for areola mammae or the pigmented circular area surrounding the nipple of the breasts. It is also sometimes known as areola papillaris.
ARM
The surgical rupturing of the amniotic sac which is sometimes performed to speed up labor.
It is sometimes referred to as the "artificial rupture of the membranes".
Arrythmia
A term used to describe any variation from the normal pattern of the heartbeat. There are several kinds of arrythmias including asystole, atrial fibrillation, atrioventricular block, premature ventricular contraction and sinoatrial block.
Arrhythmic Contractions
A deviation from the regular pattern of contractions during labor.
Aspirin
A salicylate nonnarcotic analgesic and antipyretic agent which is used to treat mild to moderate pain and sometimes arthritis and cardiac conditions.
Attention Deficit Disorder
Sometimes called minimum brain dysfunction, it is a syndrome that affects primarily children and adolescents and is characterized by learning disabilities. The symptoms are associated with functional deviations of the central nervous system, while lacking signs of major neurologic or psychiatric disturbance.
Symptoms include inpaired perception, conceptual, language, memory and motor skills. Hyperactivity and decreased attention span are common.
The condition is ten times more common in boys and result from genetic factors, biochemical imbalances or perinatal injury or disease. While there is no cure, syptoms eventually subside and treatment includes medication and a modified diet.
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