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Search thousands of pregnancy and birth related topics in the largest free pregnancy encyclopedia on the net. |
Archenteron - The primitive digestive tract of the embryo that will develop into the intestinal or digestive cavity.
Arcuate Uterus - A condition in which there is midline thickening of the wall of the uterus at the top of the uterus. An arcuate uterus is a mild form of bicornuate uterus in which the thickened area occurs when the uterine septum does not completely dissolve during fetal development.
Areola - The area of darker tissue that surrounds the nipple. Often the areola will have a raised or wrinkled texture.
Argonz-DelCastillo Syndrome - A combination of a profuse milky secretion from the breast of a nonlactating woman in addiition to the absence of menstruation. The condition is not associated with recent pregnancy and may be associated with a benign tumor in the pituitary gland.
Arnold-Chiari Malformation - A congenital defect of the brain in which the brain tissue protrudes through the foramen magnum down into the upper cervical canal. Hydrocephalus is common in individuals with Arnold-Chiari Malformation and the brainstem, cranial nerves, and the lower portion of the cerebellum may be stretched or compressed. Common symptoms include breathing diificulty, swallowing difficulties, limb weakness, headache, fatigue, dizziness, vertigo, neuropathic pain, pain at the point of tethering, visual disturbances, tinnitus, sleep apnea, impaired fine motor skills, muscle weakness, palpitations and excessive clearing of the throat with no obstructions.
AROM - A procedure in which the amniotic sac, or membranes, is broken by a healthcare provider instead of occuring spontaneously. This is done by inserting a small plastic hook into the vagina and making a small tear in the sac. It is normal to feel a warm gush of fluid that will continue to trickle out. Contractions usually begin to pick up soon after the water has broken. Most doctors like their patients to deliver within 24 hours of having their water broken to prevent an infection.
Aromatherapy - The use of fragrance or essences from plants to alter a person's mental or emotional well being. Aromatherapy ingredients provide calming, soothing, invigorating and stimulating effects. Because some aromas can be hazardous, aromatherapy during pregnancy should be avoided.
Arrest Of Dilation - A condition in labor in which the fetal head does not descend further into the birth canal for more than 1 hour in women that have never experinced childbirth and more than 0.5 hours in those that have.
Arrhenoblastoma - A rare benign tumor on the ovary that occurs in women, The tumor secretes male hormones and causes male characteristics to appear.
Arrhythmia - A fetal arrhythmia occurs in about 1-2% of all pregnancies. A fetal arrhythmia is simply an abnormal heartbeat and can be classified as one of three types.
Tachycardia means that the heart is beating too fast. Brachycardia means the heart is beating to slow. An irregular heartbeat means that the heart is experiencing extra or skipped beats. A fetus' heart rate should be between 120 and 160 beats per minute to be considered normal and healthy.
Most arrhythmia's go away on their own and do not create any long-lasting effects for the baby. However, some fetal arrhythmias can reveal true health complications such as structural problems in the heart, heart disease, infections or exposure to alcohol, tobacco or drugs in utero.
Doppler and ultrasound exams can detect a fetal arrhythmia during pregnancy. Fetal arrhythmias can cause fetal distress or fetal death because the baby can not breathe well.
Treatments for this condition consist of medications, radiofrequency ablation and artificial pacemakers.
ART - A set of techniques that medical professionals use to help couples achieve pregnancy after other surgical and hormonal methods have not been successful. ART procedures include IUI (intrauterine insemination) , IVF (in vitro fertilization), GIFT (gamete intrafallopian transfer) and ZIFT (zygote intrafallopian transfer).
Arthrogryposis - A birth defect that affects approximately 1 out of every 3,000 live births. The condition is present at birth and is generally the cause of decreased fetal movement.
A normal fetus is capable of moving about in the uterus and they need to move to develop their muscles and joints. When a fetus does not move very much, connective tissue grows around joints and stabilizes it.
The most common causes for a baby not to move in utero are abnormalities in the central nervous system (spina bifida, muscular atrophy or brain malformations), maternal infections, maternal fever, drug and alcohol use and too little amniotic fluid.
Most infants that suffer from this condition have deformed wrists and ankles and the joints in their legs and arms are often thin and not moveable. It is not uncommon for the hips to be dislocated. A prenatal ultrasound may show signs of the disorder, but an actual diagnosis will be assessed at birth.
Treatment for this disorder includes physical therapy, splints and surgery.
Artificial Insemination - A form of fertility treatment in which a small catheter is inserted through the cervix and into the uterus to deposit sperm. This is a relatively simple procedure that enables a woman to become pregnant when natural methods are not possible or have been unsuccessful. The sperm that is inserted into the uterus may be from the husband or it can be from a donor.
Artificial Menopause - Permanent cessation of menstruation resulting from surgical procedures that remove the ovaries, uterus, or both. Can also be caused by radiation or chemotherapy.
Artificial Rupture Of Membranes - A procedure in which the amniotic sac, or membranes, is broken by a healthcare provider instead of occuring spontaneously. This is done by inserting a small plastic hook into the vagina and making a small tear in the sac. It is normal to feel a warm gush of fluid that will continue to trickle out. Contractions usually begin to pick up soon after the water has broken. Most doctors like their patients to deliver within 24 hours of having their water broken to prevent an infection.
Artificial Spermatocoele - A surgically created pouch that is used to collect sperm from men with irreversible tubal blockage.
Asherman’s Syndrome - Intrauterine adhesions or scar tissue that is located in the uterus. Scar tissue and adhesions can complicate conception and pregnancy, which can lead to infertility and/or miscarriage. Uterine scarring is possible after a D&C. Surgery may be necessary to remove scar tissue and adhesions from the uterus.
Aspartame - A synthetic sugar substitute with almost no calories and no nutritional value. Popular types of aspartame include NutraSweet® and Equal®. The Food and Drug Administration has approved the use of Aspartame during pregnancy and while breastfeeding in moderate levels.
Aspermia - An abnormal condition, affecting fertility, in which a male is completely unable to ejaculate or secrete semen.
Aspiration Biopsy - A biopsy that is performed with a needle attached to a syringe and inserted through the skin into the target tissue. The specimen is sucked out through the needle and examined for abnormal cells.
Assisted Breech Extraction - An operation for the delivery of a fets that is presenting in the breech position. The infant is allowed to spontaneously deliver to the level of its umbilicus, then the doctor will manually maneuver the remainder of the body.
Assisted Conception - A set of techniques that medical professionals use to help couples achieve pregnancy after other surgical and hormonal methods have not been successful. ART procedures include IUI (intrauterine insemination) , IVF (in vitro fertilization), GIFT (gamete intrafallopian transfer) and ZIFT (zygote intrafallopian transfer).
Assisted Delivery - A doctor may decide to assist in a vaginal delivery if there is a sudden change in the baby's heart rate, if the mother is becoming exhausted from pusing for a very long time or a condition in the mother that requires immediate delivery. An assisted delivery ccurs when the doctor performs procedures to speed up the delivery after the cervix is fully dilated, but the baby is not moving down the birth canal as expected. Generally an assisted delivery would be perfomed with either forceps or a vacuum-extractor.
Assisted Reproductive Technology - A set of techniques that medical professionals use to help couples achieve pregnancy after other surgical and hormonal methods have not been successful. ART procedures include IUI (intrauterine insemination) , IVF (in vitro fertilization), GIFT (gamete intrafallopian transfer) and ZIFT (zygote intrafallopian transfer).
Assisted Ventilation - A medical method of assisting respiration for newborns with respiratory failure or breathing complications. Ventilation is continued until the infant is capable of breathing on their own.