Pregnancy, Vomiting Glossary of Terms

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

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.

Acupressure: The application of pressure on specific points on the body to control symptom...

Addison disease: Long-term underfunction of the outer portion of the adrenal gland. In med...

Albumin: The main protein in human blood and the key to regulating the osmotic pressure of...

Antiemetics: 1. As a noun, a drug taken to prevent or treat nausea and vomiting. As...

Antihistamines: Drugs that combat the histamine released during an allergic reaction by bl...

Appendicitis: Inflammation of the appendix, usually associated with infection of the appen...

Bacteria: Single-celled microorganisms that can exist either as independent (free-living) ...

Bicarbonate: In medicine, bicarbonate usually refers to bicarbonate of soda (sodium bicarb...

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

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

Blood sugar: Blood glucose. See also: High blood sugar; Low blood sugar.

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

Carbohydrates: Mainly sugars and starches, together constituting one of the three principa...

Chloride: The major anion (negatively charged substance) in the blood and extracellular fl...

Contraction: The tightening and shortening of a muscle.

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

Diabetic ketoacidosis: High blood glucose with the presence of ketones in the urine and bl...

Diarrhea: A common condition that involves unusually frequent and liquid bowel movements. ...

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

Electrolyte: A substance that dissociates into ions in solution and acquires the capacity ...

Estrogen: A female steroid hormone that is produced by the ovaries and, in lesser amounts,...

Family history: The family structure and relationships within the family, including inform...

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

Feeding tube: See: Enteral nutrition.

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...

Food poisoning: A common flu-like illness typically characterized by nausea, vomiting and...

Fructose: A sugar that occurs naturally in fruits and honey. Fructose has 4 calories per g...

Gallstones: Stones that form when substances in the bile harden. Gallstones can be as smal...

Gastroenteritis: Inflammation of the stomach and the intestines. Gastroenteritis can cause...

Gastrointestinal: Adjective referring collectively to the stomach and small and large inte...

Genetics: The scientific study of heredity. Genetics pertains to humans and all other orga...

GI tract: Short for gastrointestinal tract. See: Gastrointestinal tract.

Ginger: Ginger, the rhizome of the plant Zingiber officinale, has been used as medicine in...

Glucose: The simple sugar that is the chief source of energy. Glucose is found in the bloo...

Gonadotropin: Hormones that are secreted by the pituitary gland, and that affect the func...

Gynecology: The branch of medicine that is particularly concerned with the health of the f...

HCG: Human chorionic gonadotropin.

Headache: A pain in the head with the pain being above the eyes or the ears, behind the he...

Helicobacter pylori: A bacterium that causes stomach inflammation (gastritis) and ulcers i...

Hepatitis: Inflammation of the liver, irrespective of the cause. Hepatitis is caused by a ...

Herbal: 1. An adjective, referring to herbs, as in an herbal tea.
2. A...

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

Human chorionic gonadotropin: (hCG) A human hormone made by chorionic cells in the fetal ...

Hyperemesis gravidarum: Extreme, excessive, and persistent vomiting in early pregnancy tha...

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

Ketoacidosis: A feature of uncontrolled diabetes mellitus characterized by a combination o...

Last menstrual period: By convention, pregnancies are dated in weeks starting from the fir...

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

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

Metabolic: Relating to metabolism, the whole range of biochemical processes that occur wit...

Migraine: Usually, periodic attacks of headaches on one or both sides of the head. These ...

Morning sickness: Nausea and vomiting of pregnancy.

Motion sickness: A disorder of the sense of balance and equilibrium and, hence, the sense ...

Mouth: 1. The upper opening of the digestive tract, beginning with the lips and con...

Muscle: Muscle is the tissue of the body which primarily functions as a source of power. T...

Nasal: Having to do with the nose.

Nausea: Stomach queasiness, the urge to vomit. Nausea can be brought on by many causes, in...

NEI: Stands for National Eye Institute, one of the US National Institutes of Health.

Obstetrics: The art and science of managing pregnancy, labor, and the puerperium (the time...

Outpatient: A patient who is not hospitalized, but instead comes to a physician?s office, ...

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

Pediatrics: The field of medicine that is concerned with the health of infants, children, ...

Peptic ulcer: An ulcer in the lining of the stomach, duodenum, or esophagus. Peptic ulcers...

Pharmacy: A location where prescription medications are sold. A pharmacy is constantly sup...

Poisoning: Taking a substance that is injurious to health or can cause death. Poisoning i...

Potassium: The major positive ion (cation) found inside cells. The chemical notation for p...

Preeclampsia: A condition in pregnancy characterized by abrupt hypertension (a sharp rise...

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.

Prenatal: Occurring or existing before birth.

Prescription: A physician's order for the preparation and administration of a drug or dev...

Progesterone: A female hormone, the principal hormone that prepares the uterus to receive ...

Protein: One of the three nutrients used as energy sources (calories) by the body. Protein...

Pyridoxine: One of the vitamin B6 group (which also includes pyridoxal and pyridoxamine) t...

Remedy: Something that consistently helps treat or cure a disease.

Saliva: a watery secretion in the mouth produced by the salivary glands that aids in the d...

Sensitivity: 1. In psychology, the quality of being sensitive. As, for example, sen...

Serotonin: A neurotransmitter that is involved in the transmission of nerve impulses. Sero...

Sodium: The major positive ion (cation) in the fluid surrounding cells in the body. The ch...

Stomach: The digestive organ that is located in the upper abdomen, under the ribs. The upp...

Taste: A perception that results from stimulation of a gustatory nerve. Taste belongs to t...

Thiamine: Vitamin B1. Thiamine (vitamin B1) acts as a coenzyme in the metabolism of the bo...

Thyroid: 1. The thyroid gland. Also, pertaining to the thyroid gland. 2. A p...

Thyroid hormones: Chemical substances made by the thyroid gland, which is located in the...

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

Ulcer: A lesion that is eroding away the skin or mucous membrane. Ulcers can have various ...

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...

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

Vitamins: The word "vitamin" was coined in 1911 by the Warsaw-born biochemist Casimir Funk...

Vomit: Matter from the stomach that has come up into and may be ejected beyond the mouth, ...

Weight loss: Weight loss is a decrease in body weight resulting from either voluntary (die...

Wrist: The part of the hand that is nearest the forearm and consists of the carpal bones a...