Bleeding During Pregnancy Glossary of Terms

1. Stages of Pregnancy Slideshow Pictures
2. Slideshow of Early Pregnancy Symptoms
3. Early Pregnancy Symptoms Quiz

Abdomen: The belly, that part of the body that contains all of the structures between the...

Abdominal: Relating to the abdomen, the belly, that part of the body that contains all of ...

Abdominal pain: Pain in the belly. Abdominal pain can be acute or chronic. It may reflect ...

Abnormal: Outside the expected norm, or uncharacteristic of a particular patient.

Abortion: In medicine, an abortion is the premature exit of the products of conception (t...

Abruption: A sudden breaking off or away. Abruption of the placenta (abruptio placentae) i...

Anemia: The condition of having a lower-than-normal number of red blood cells or quantity ...

Birth control: Birth control is the use of any practices, methods, or devices to prevent p...

Blighted ovum: A fertilized ovum (egg) that did not develop or whose development ceased at...

Blood clot: A mass of coagulated blood. A blood clot can block a major blood vessel, causi...

Blood count: The calculated number of white or red blood cells (WBCs or RBCs) in a cubic m...

Blood pressure: The blood pressure is the pressure of the blood within the arteries. It is...

Blood transfusion: The transfer of blood or blood components from one person (the donor) i...

Brain: The portion of the central nervous system that is located within the skull. It func...

Breathing: The process of respiration, during which air is inhaled into the lungs through ...

Cancer: An abnormal growth of cells which tend to proliferate in an uncontrolled way and, ...

Carcinoma: Cancer that begins in the skin or in tissues that line or cover body organs. Ex...

CBC: A commonly used abbreviation in medicine that stands for complete blood count, a set...

Cervical: Having to do with any kind of neck, including the neck on which the head is perc...

Cervical cancer: Cancer of the entrance to the womb (uterus). The cervix is the lower, na...

Cervix: The cervix is the lower, narrow part of the uterus (womb). The uterus, a hollow, ...

Cocaine: A substance derived from the leaves of the coca plant that is a bitter, addictive...

Complete blood count: A set values of the cellular (formed elements) of blood. These meas...

Complication: In medicine, an unanticipated problem that arises following, and is a result...

Conception: 1. The union of the sperm and the ovum. Synonymous with fertilization.
...

Congenital: A condition that is present at birth, whether or not it is inherited.

Curettage: Removal of tissue with a curette from the wall of a cavity or another surface. ...

Dehydration: Excessive loss of body water. Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract that ca...

Diagnosis: 1 The nature of a disease; the identification of an illness. 2 A ...

Dilation: The process of enlargement, stretching, or expansion. The word "dilatation" mean...

Dilation and curettage: A minor operation in which the cervix is expanded enough (dilatio...

Discharge: 1.The flow of fluid from part of the body, such as from the nose or vag...

Dizziness: Painless head discomfort with many possible causes including disturbances of ...

Douche: Usually, a stream of water applied into the vagina for cleansing purposes. A douch...

Douching: Using water or a medicated solution to clean the vagina and cervix or any other ...

Ectopic: In the wrong place, out of place. For example, an ectopic kidney is a kidney that...

Ectopic pregnancy: A pregnancy that is not in the uterus. The fertilized egg settles and g...

Embryo: An organism in the early stages of growth and differentiation, from fertilization ...

Emergency department: The department of a hospital responsible for the provision of medica...

Fallopian tube: One of the two Fallopian tubes that transport the egg from the ovary to th...

Father: (1) The male parent. (2) One who originates. For example, "Wilhelm Roentgen is con...

Fatigue: A condition characterized by a lessened capacity for work and reduced efficiency ...

Fetus: An unborn offspring, from the embryo stage (the end of the eighth week after concep...

Fever: Although a fever technically is any body temperature above the normal of 98.6 degr...

Forceps: An instrument that has two blades and a handle and is used for handling, grasping...

Genital: Pertaining to the external and/or internal organs of reproduction.

Gestation: The period of time from conception to birth.

Gynecologist: A physician who specializes in treating diseases of the female reproductive ...

Heart: The muscle that pumps blood received from veins into arteries throughout the body. ...

Heart rate: The number of heartbeats per unit of time, usually per minute. The heart rate ...

Hemophilia: An inherited disorder in which the ability of blood to clot normally is impair...

Hemorrhage: Bleeding or the abnormal flow of blood.

High blood pressure: A repeatedly elevated blood pressure exceeding 140 over 90 mmHg. Chro...

Hormone: A chemical substance produced in the body that controls and regulates the activit...

Hysterectomy: An operation to remove the uterus. Hysterectomies are most commonly performe...

Implantation: The act of setting in firmly.

Infant: A young baby, from birth to 12 months of age.

Infection: The invasion and multiplication of microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, an...

Infertility: Diminished or absent ability to conceive and bear offspring. A couple is cons...

Inheritance: The transmission of a gene from parent to child. The pattern of inheritance i...

Injury: Harm or hurt. To harm, hurt, or wound. The word injure may be in physical or emot...

Intrauterine: In the uterus.

Kidney: One of a pair of organs located in the right and left side of the abdomen. The kid...

Labor: Childbirth, the process of delivering a baby and the placenta, membranes, and umbil...

Laboratory: A place for doing tests and research procedures, and for preparing chemicals a...

Laparoscopic: 1. Pertaining to the procedure of laparoscopy.
2. Pert...

Lightheadedness: A feeling you are "going to faint." Lightheadedness is medically distinc...

Liver: The largest solid organ in the body, situated in the upper part of the abdomen on t...

Lungs: The lungs are a pair of breathing organs located with the chest which remove carbon...

Marker: A piece of DNA that lies on a chromosome so close to a gene that the marker and t...

Maternal: 1. Pertaining to the mother as, for example, the maternal mortality rate....

Medical history: 1. In clinical medicine, the patient's past and present which may ...

Menstrual: Pertaining to menstruation (the menses), as in last menstrual period, menstrua...

Miscarriage: Inadvertent loss of a pregnancy before the fetus is viable. A considerable pr...

Molar: In dentistry, a molar is one of the posterior teeth well adapted to grinding, in ke...

Neurological: Having to do with the nerves or the nervous system as, for example, a neurol...

Nose: The external midline projection from the face. The purpose of the nose is to warm, c...

Onset: In medicine, the first appearance of the signs or symptoms of an illness as, for ex...

Ovum: An egg within the ovary of the female. An ovum can combine with sperm to form a zygo...

Oxygen: The odorless gas that is present in the air and necessary to maintain life. Oxygen...

Oxytocin: A hormone made in the brain that plays a role in childbirth and lactation by cau...

Pain: An unpleasant sensation that can range from mild, localized discomfort to agony. Pa...

Pelvic: Having to do with the pelvis, the lower part of the abdomen, located between the h...

Pelvic exam: An examination of the organs of the female reproductive system.

Pelvic pain: : Pain perceived in the area of the pelvis, the lower part of the abdomen loc...

Pelvis: The lower part of the abdomen, located between the hip bones. Structures in the fe...

Placenta: A temporary organ that joins the mother and fetus, transferring oxygen and nutri...

Placenta previa: A condition in which the placenta is implanted near the outlet of the ute...

Placental: Pertaining to the placenta, the organ joining the mother and fetus during pregn...

Pregnancy: The state of carrying a developing embryo or fetus within the female body. Thi...

Pregnancy symptoms: A symptom or sign of pregnancy. These symptoms and signs depend upon t...

Pregnant: The state of carrying a developing fetus within the body.

Prognosis: The forecast of the probable outcome or course of a disease; the patient's chan...

Pulse: The rhythmic dilation of an artery that results from beating of the heart. Pulse is...

Quantitative: Having to do with quantity or with the amount.

Rectum: The last 6 to 8 inches of the large intestine. The rectum stores solid waste until...

Recurrent: Appearing or occurring again. For example, a recurrent fever is a fever that ha...

RhoGAM: RhO(D) immune globulin, an injectable drug that is used to protect an Rh+ fetus fr...

Rule out: Term used in medicine, meaning to eliminate or exclude something from considera...

Rupture: A break or tear in any organ (such as the spleen) or soft tissue (such as the ach...

Serum: The clear liquid that can be separated from clotted blood. Serum differs from plas...

Shock: In medicine, a critical condition that is brought on by a sudden drop in blood flow...

Shoulder: A structure made up of two main bones: the scapula (shoulder blade) and the hume...

Spasm: A brief, automatic jerking movement. A muscle spasm can be quite painful, with the ...

Speculum: An instrument that is used to widen the opening of the vagina so that the cervix...

Spontaneous abortion: A miscarriage, that is, any pregnancy that is not viable (the fetus...

Stress: In a medical or biological context stress is a physical, mental, or emotional fact...

Surgeon: A physician who treats disease, injury, or deformity via operative or manual meth...

Surgery: The branch of medicine that employs operations in the treatment of disease or inj...

Therapy: The treatment of disease. Therapy is synonymous with treatment.

Tobacco: A South American herb (Nicotiana tabacum) whose leaves contain 2 to 8 percent nic...

Transfusion: The transfer of blood or blood products from one person (the donor) into the ...

Trauma: A physical or emotional injury.

Trimester: In obstetrics, one of the three divisions of three months each during pregnancy...

Tubal pregnancy: A pregnancy that is not in the usual place within the uterus but is locat...

Ultrasound: High-frequency sound waves. Ultra-sound waves can be bounced off tissues by us...

Umbilical cord: The cord that connects the developing fetus with the placenta while the fe...

Urinalysis: A test that is done in order to analyze urine. Because toxins and excess fluid...

Urinary: Having to do with the function or anatomy of the kidneys, ureters, bladder, or ur...

Urinary tract: The organs of the body that produce, store, and discharge urine. These orga...

Urinary tract infection: An infection of the kidney, ureter, bladder, or urethra. Abbrevia...

Urine: Liquid waste produced by the kidneys. Urine is a clear, transparent fluid that norm...

Uterine rupture: A tear in the uterus. A uterine rupture is a very serious situation. Caus...

Uterus: A hollow, pear-shaped organ that is located in a woman's lower abdomen, between th...

Vagina: The muscular canal that extends from the cervix to the outside of the body. It is ...

Varicose vein: A vein that has enlarged and twisted, often appearing as a bulging, blue bl...

Varicose veins: See: Varicose vein.

Vasa previa: A condition in which blood vessels within the placenta or the umbilical cord ...

Vein: A blood vessel that carries blood that is low in oxygen content from the body back t...

Vessel: A tube in the body that carries fluids. Examples of vessels are blood vessels and ...

Vital: Necessary to maintain life. For example, breathing is a vital function.

Von Willebrand disease: The most common inherited bleeding disorder, in which a clotting p...

Womb: The womb (uterus) is a hollow, pear-shaped organ located in a woman's lower abdomen ...

Yeast infection: Overgrowth of yeast can affect the skin (yeast rash), mouth (thrush), di...