Glossary of Pregnancy-Related Terms
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- R S - Z
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| identical twins | Identical twins are formed
when a single fertilized egg splits early indevelopment and grows
into two fetuses, both with the same genetic makeup.These monozygotic
(meaning from one egg) twins will look exactly alike. |
| in vitro fertilization | A procedure whereby
an egg and sperm are fertilized in a petri dish (also known as test
tube babies) outside the womb, and implanted later in a woman's uterus
to help infertile couples conceive. |
| incompetent cervix | When the muscles of the
cervix are too weak to hold a baby through pregnancy. A stitch may
be placed at the opening of the cervix to hold it together. See cerclage. |
| kegels | These exercises, involving the tightening
and relaxing of the muscles of the vagina and perineum (the area between
the vagina and the anus), canhelp prepare for delivery and will also
speed postpartum recovery. |
| Lamaze | Pioneered by Dr. Ferdinand Lamaze, this
technique for preparing for childbirth (also called the psychoprophylactic
method) is based on the idea that the best way to control pain is
through knowledge and relaxation. The method emphasizes breathing
techniques. |
| labor | The process of childbirth, in which the
rhythmic contractions of the uterine muscles open the cervix and allow
a baby to be born. |
| lactation | The production of milk that usually
begins between two and seven days aftera woman gives birth. |
| lanugo | The fine hair that covers a fetus from
about 26 weeks, and is sometimesstill present at birth. A baby born
at term will usually shed the hair by the end of the first week after
birth. |
| magnesium sulfate | One of a group of drugs called
tocolytics used to stop preterm labor. |
| mastitis | An infection of a milk duct in the
breast, most commonly between 10 and 28 days after delivery. Symptoms
include swelling, tenderness, redness, and fever; treated with antibiotics. |
| meconium | A newborn's first bowel movements,
which are dark, sticky, and usually greenish-black, and last for the
first few days of the infant's life. If meconium is visible in the
amniotic fluid prior to delivery, it can be a sign that the fetus
is in distress. |
| membranes | Also know as the bag of waters, this
thin sac contains the amniotic fluid and the fetus. The membranes
will either rupture spontaneously during labor or be ruptured to speed
up labor. |
| milia | Tiny pimples on a newborn's face, usually
around the nose or chin, and also sometimes on a baby's torso, arms,
and legs. Caused by clogged pores, milia will disappear on their own,
usually within a few weeks. |
| miscarriage | The involutary loss of a pregnancy
before 20 weeks, estimated to end 15 to 20 percent of all pregnancies.
More than 80 percent of miscarriages occur in the first 12 weeks of
pregnancy, many before a woman even knows she's pregnant. |
| morning sickness | A set of pregnancy-related
symptoms, including nausea, vomiting, and food and smell aversions,
that affect many women only in the morning; for many others, the discomfort
lasts all day. About 70 percent of pregnant women suffer from morning
sickness, which usually begins at four to eight weeks' gestation andsubsides
by the 14th or 16th week (also hyperemesis gravidarum) |
| mucus plug | A collection of mucus, often tinged
with blood, that blocks the cervix during pregnancy; known as the
"bloody show" when discharged prior to labor. The texture and amount
of mucus discharged varies greatly from woman to woman. |
| natural childbirth | General term for labor and
delivery free of medical intervention. |
| neonatal | The period of time from birth to 4
weeks of age. |
| newborn jaundice | The yellowing of a newborn's
skin, usually beginning on the second or thirdday after birth and
lasting a week to ten days. Caused by the immaturity ofthe newborn's
systems, jaundice is common, with more than half of newbornshaving
the disorder. |
| non-stress test | A test for abnormalities of
the fetal heartbeat in which a monitor is usedto listen to the fetus's
heart while the mother is at rest. (In a stress test, the fetal heartbeat
is monitored in response to uterine contractions.) |
| ovary, ovaries | The female reproductive organs
that release eggs into the Fallopian tubes,where, if sperm is present,
they may be fertilized. |
| ovulation | The monthly release of a mature egg
from an ovary into one of the Fallopian tubes. A woman is most fertile
in the days just before and on the day of ovulation. |
