amenorrhea

Absence of menstruation.

Primary amenorrhea is a delay of the first menstruation,

and secondary amenorrhea is cessation of menstruation after its initiation.

cilia

Hairlike processes on the surface of a cell

that beat rhythmically to move the cell

or to move fluid or other substances over the cell surface

climacteric

Endocrine, body, and psychic changes occurring at the end of a woman's reproductive period.

Also informally called menopause, although this term does not encompass all changes.

coitus

fornix (Pl. fornices)

An arch or pouchlike structure at the

upper end of the vagina.

Also called a cul-de-sac.

gamete

Reproductive cell;

in the female an ovum

and in the male a spermatozoon.

genetic sex

Sex determined at conception by union of two X chromosomes (female)

or an X and a Y chromosome (male)

(also called chromosomal sex).

gonad

Reproductive (sex) gland that produces gametes and sex hormones.

The female gonads are ovaries

and the male gonads are testes.

gonadotropic hormones

Secretions of the anterior pituitary gland that stimulate the gonads,

specifically follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone.

Chorionic gonadotropin is secreted by the placenta during pregnancy.

graafian follicle

menarche

menopause

puberty

Period of sexual maturation

accompanied by the development of secondary sex characteristics

and the capacity to reproduce.

ruga (Pl. rugae)

Ridge or fold of tissue,

as on the male's scrotum

and in the female's vagina.

secondary sex characteristics

Physical differences between mature males and females

that are not directly related to reproduction.

somatic sex

Gender assignment as male or female

on the basis of form and structure of the external genitalia.

spermatogenesis

spinnbarkeit

autosome

Any of the 22 pairs of chromosomes

other than the sex chromosomes.

conceptus

Cells and membranes

 resulting from fertilization of the ovum

at any stage of prenatal development.

corpus luteum

Graafian follicle cells remaining after ovulation

that produce estrogen and progesterone.

diploid

The number of chromosomes (46 in humans)

normally present in body cells other than gametes

that represents 1 copy of every chromosome from each parent.

ejaculation

embryo

The developing baby

from the beginning of the third week through the eighth week after conception.

endometrium

fertilization age

Prenatal age of the developing baby,

calculated from the date of conception. (Also called postconceptional age.)

fetus

The developing baby from 9 weeks after conception until birth;

used in everyday practice to describe a developing baby during pregnancy, regardless of gestational age.

gamete

Reproductive cell;

in the female an ovum

and in the male a spermatozoon.

gestational age

Prenatal age of the developing baby (measured in weeks)

calculated from the first day of the woman's last menstrual period;

approximately 2 weeks longer than the fertilization age.

(Also called menstrual age.)

graafian follicle

haploid

Normal number of chromosomes in male or female gamete;

refers to 1 copy of a chromosome from each pair

(23 in humans, or half the diploid number).

meiosis

Reduction cell division in gametes

that halves the number of chromosomes in each cell.

mitosis

nidation

oogenesis

ovulation

placenta

Fetal structure that provides nourishment

and removes wastes from the developing baby

and secretes hormones necessary for the continuation of pregnancy.

sex chromosome

The X or Y chromosome.

Females have two X chromosomes;

males have one X and one Y chromosome.

somatic cells

spermatogenesis

teratogen

zygote

abortion

A spontaneous or elective termination of pregnancy before the 20th week of gestation

based on the date of the last menstrual period.

Spontaneous abortion is frequently called miscarriage.

amenorrhea

Braxton Hicks contractions

Irregular, usually mild uterine contractions

that occur throughout pregnancy and

become stronger in the last trimester.

Chadwick's sign

Bluish purple discoloration of the cervix, vagina, and labia

during pregnancy as a result of increased vascular congestion.

colostrum

diastasis recti

Goodell's sign

gravida

A woman who is or has been pregnant,

regardless of the duration or outcome of the pregnancy.

Hegar's sign

Softening of the lower uterine segment

that allows it to be easily compressed at 6 to 8 weeks of pregnancy.

hyperemia

melasma

Brownish pigmentation of the face during pregnancy;

also called chloasma and “mask of pregnancy.”

multigravida

multipara

para

Number of pregnancies that have progressed to 20 or more weeks at delivery,

whether the fetus was born alive or stillborn;

refers to the number of pregnancies,

not the number of fetuses.

physiologic anemia of pregnancy

Decrease in hemoglobin and hematocrit values

caused by dilution of erythrocytes from expanded plasma volume

rather than by an actual decrease in erythrocytes or hemoglobin.

postterm birth

preterm birth

A birth that occurs after the 20th week

and before the start of the 38th week of gestation.

primigravida

primipara

quickening

striae gravidarum

Irregular pink to purple streaks on the woman's abdomen, breasts, or buttocks

resulting from tears in connective tissue.

term birth

trimester

ambivalence

attachment

Development of strong affectional ties as a result of interaction between an infant and a significant other

(such as mother, father, sibling, caretaker).

body image

Subjective image of one's physical appearance and capabilities;

derived from one's own observations and the evaluation of significant others.

bonding

Development of a strong emotional tie of a parent to a newborn;

also called claiming or binding in.

couvade

Pregnancy-related rituals or a cluster of symptoms

experienced by some prospective fathers during pregnancy and childbirth.

developmental task

A step in growth and maturation that one must complete

before additional growth and maturation are possible.

disturbance in body image

fantasy

introversion

mimicry

Copying the behaviors of other pregnant women or mothers as a method of

 “trying on” the role of advanced pregnancy or motherhood.

narcissism

role transition

anorexia nervosa

bulimia

Eating disorder characterized by ingestion of large amounts of food

followed by purging behavior such as induced vomiting or laxative abuse.

complete protein food

dietary reference intakes

A label for several terms that estimate nutrient needs;

includes

recommended dietary allowance,

adequate intake,

tolerable upper intake level,

and estimated average requirement.

essential amino acids

gynecologic age

heme iron

incomplete protein food

kilocalorie

lacto-ovovegetarian

lactose intolerance

lactovegetarian

nonheme iron

nutrient density

ovovegetarian

pica

recommended dietary allowances

vegan

vegetarian

An individual whose diet consists

wholly or mostly of plant foods and who avoids animal food sources.

alpha-fetoprotein (AFP)

amniocentesis

Transabdominal puncture of the amniotic sac to obtain a sample of amniotic fluid

that contains fetal cells and biochemical substances for laboratory examination.

amniotic fluid index (AFI)

baseline risk

The risk,

usually in reference to birth defects or spontaneous abortion,

of the general population of pregnant women who have no identified high-risk factors or invasive procedures.

biophysical profile (BPP)

Method for evaluating fetal status during the antepartum period

based on five variables originating with the fetus:

fetal heart rate,

breathing movements,

gross body movements,

muscle tone,

and amniotic fluid volume.

chorionic villus sampling (CVS)

Transcervical or transabdominal procedure

to obtain a sample of chorionic villi (projections of the outer fetal membrane)

for analysis of fetal cells.

contraction stress test (CST)

Method for evaluating fetal status during the antepartum period

by observing response of the fetal heart to the stress of uterine contractions

that may induce recurrent episodes of fetal hypoxia.

Δ OD₄₅₀ (delta OD 450)

A test used to measure the change (delta, or δ)

in optical density of the amniotic fluid

caused by staining with bilirubin

karyotype

A display of a cell's chromosomes, arranged from largest to smallest pairs

with sex chromosomes displayed as a separate pair.

late deceleration

The slowing of the fetal heart rate after the onset of a uterine contraction

and persisting after the contraction ends.

lecithin/sphingomyelin ratio (L/S ratio)

Ratio of two phospholipids in amniotic fluid used to determine fetal lung maturity;

ratio of 2:1 or greater usually indicates fetal lung maturity.

multiple-marker screening

Analysis of maternal serum for abnormal levels of

alpha-fetoprotein,

human chorionic gonadotropin,

and estriols

that may predict chromosomal abnormalities of the fetus; often called triple-screen.

Addition of tests such as inhibin A has improved accuracy of the results, leading to alternate names for this package of tests.

neural tube defect

A congenital defect in closure of the bony encasement of the spinal cord or skull.

Includes defects such as anencephaly, spina bifida, meningocele, myelomeningocele, and others.

nonstress test

A method for evaluating fetal status during the antepartum period

by observing the response of the fetal heart rate to fetal movement.

percutaneous umbilical blood sampling (PUBS)

Procedure for obtaining fetal blood through ultrasound-guided puncture of an umbilical cord vessel

to detect fetal problems such as inherited blood disorders, acidosis, or infection; also called cordocentesis.

phosphatidylglycerol (PG)

phosphatidylinositol (PI)

A phospholipid of surfactant that is

produced and secreted in increasing amounts as the

fetal lungs mature.

placenta previa

Abnormal implantation of the placenta in

the lower uterus at or very near the cervical os.

surfactant

Combination of lipoproteins produced by the lungs of the mature fetus

to reduce surface tension in the alveoli, thus promoting lung expansion after birth.

ultrasound

uteroplacental insufficiency

Inability of the placenta to exchange

oxygen,

carbon dioxide,

nutrients,

and waste products properly between the maternal and fetal circulations.

vibroacoustic stimulation