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Search thousands of pregnancy and birth related topics in the largest free pregnancy encyclopedia on the net. |
Singleton - A pregnancy in which only one fetus is in the uterus. Singleton pregnancies are the most common type of pregnancy, followed by fraternal twins.
Sinus Tachycardia - Tachycardia of slow onset and cessation that occurs as a result of environmental or physiologic factors that place a demand on the pumping action of the heart. Examples include exercise, anxiety, fever, low blood pressure, congestive heart failure, etc.
Sirenomelia - A birth defect that affects approximately 1 out of every 65,000 live births. The condition is also known as Mermaid syndrome, because the legs are fused together and the child will look like a mermaid. Mothers that have diabetes have an increased risk of carrying a baby with sirenomelia. Because the kidney and bladder will not be able to develop or function properly, babies that are born with this condition will generally die within a few days of birth. However, there have been a few people that have survived because their kidney and bladder were not affected. In the case that a child'ss bladder and kidneys are not affected, surgery will be performed to separate the fused legs. A prenatal ultrasound examination can generally detect the condition before the child is born.
Sitz Bath - A shallow pan that fits on the toilet bowl and is filled with warm water to soothe and temporarily relieve pain. A sitz bath can be used to sooth the perineum after an episiotomy or tear from childbirth and reduce pain or swelling in hemorrhoids and anal fissures. Sitting in the warm, clean water for 15 to 20 minutes is recommended.
Skin Tags - Small, flesh colored , benign growths. Some pregnant women develop tiny polyps in areas where skin rubs on clothing or skin rubs together. These are known as skin tags. They are commonly found under the arms, between neck folds, or under bra lines on the chest, skin tags are caused by hyperactive growth of a superficial layer of skin. They disappear a few months following delivery, but can be easily excised if they bother you.
Sleep Apnea - A common disorder in which an individual stops breathing during while sleeping for 10 seconds or more, several hundred times a night. Because the airways completely close off during sleep, it is mpossible for the lungs to breathe in oxygen which will cause the individual to wake up. The lack of oxygen can cause complications for both the mother and the fetus during pregnancy.
Small For Gestational Age - An infant whose weight is less than the 10th percentile when compared with other infants of the same gestational age. The majority of newborn infants in this category have experienced intrauterine growth retardation.
Smith Magenis Syndrome - A birth disorder that affects approximately 1 in 20,000 births and occurs because of a defect on chromosome #17. Common symptoms of the disorder include behavior problems, mental retardation of varying degrees, slow speech skills, short stature, scoliosis, hearing loss, vision complications, sleep complications and facial anomalies. Common facial anomalies include a square shaped face with deep set eyes, a prominent lower jaw, flattened nasal bridge, chubby cheeks, down turned mouth and dental complications. Temper tantrums and anxiety are common and it is also common for the affected child to inflict injury to themselves or others.
Sniff Test - A medical test in which several drops of a potassium hydroxide solution are added to a sample of vaginal discharge to test for bacterial vaginosis. A fishy odor on the test usually means bacterial vaginosis is present.
Soft Sore - A highly contagious sexually transmitted disease that is characterized by painful sores on the genitals. The disease is caused by the Hemophilus ducreyi bacterium. Inflammation of the lymph nodes of the groin are common in affected individuals.
Soft Spot - Any of the normally six unossified spaces in the fetal and infant skull that are covered by a fibrous membrane. These spaces allow the baby's head to compress slightly as the baby makes its way down the birth canal. The fontanel usually close by 18-24 months of age.
Soft Tissue Dystocia - Difficult labor that is caused by abnormalities of the uterus or vagina such as scarring, adhesions, pelvic masses, general malformations in the uterus or vagina and a low lying placenta.
Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer - A process in which an embryo is cloned for the purpose of deriving stem cells for therapeutic uses, such as treatment for diseases and disorders.
Sonogram - A computer picture of areas inside the body that is created by bouncing sound waves off of internal organs and tissues. A common type of sonogram during pregnancy is that of the developing fetus. This ultrasound image allows healthcare providers and sonographers to determine if the fetus is developing properly or has any noticeable abnormalities.
Sonographer - A specially trained and skilled health care professional that uses specialized equipment to create images of structures inside of the body. This healthcare provider is the person responsible for performing ultrasound examinations and scans during pregnancy to determine fetal development and well-being.
Sonography - The use of reflections of high-frequency sound waves to construct an image of a body organ that is displayed on a screen. Sonograms are commonly used to observe fetal growth, complications and abnormalities during pregnancy.
Soto's Syndrome - A birth defect that affects approximately 1 out of every 10,000 live births and is caused by defects in the NSD1 gene. Babies with this condition will have learning disabilities, delayed development, facial abnormalities and excessive growth during the childhood years. Common facial abnormalities include a narrow, but long, face, small chin, high forehead, red cheeks, downward slanted eyes, vision abnormalities and hearing loss. Children will grow rapidly and are usually much taller than other kids their age, with a large head. ADHD is common and behavior issues are often seen in a child with Soto's syndrome. Other common symptoms include scoliosis, kidney and heart complications, increased cancer risk, speech and language delays, poor muscle tone and recurrent tantrums.
Spalding's Sign - Overlapping of the fetal skull bones which can be noted in radiologic pictures. The condition indicates that intrauterine death of the fetus has occured.
SPD - A condition that causes excessive movement of the symphysis pubis during pregnancy, which can cause a tremendous amount of pain in the back, hip and/or groin. The body produces a hormone known as relaxin during pregnancy. Relaxin softens the ligaments in your pelvis to enable your baby to pass through your pelvis. Normally, the two halves of the pelvis do not move very easily because the symphysis pubis is strengthened by ligaments. If one side of the pelvis moves more than the other side, pain and inflammation are likely.
Speculum - A plastic or metal instrument that doctors use to separate the walls of the vagina during an internal exam. The vagina, uterus and cervix are easily seen once the speculum is in place.
Speed - A drug that stimulates the central nervous system and depresses intestinal motility, causing an increase in appetite. Drug abusers take the medication orally or intraveneously, which causes psychological dependence. Pregnant women that take the drug are at an increased risk of developing preterm labor, placental abruption, fetal distress, intrauterine growth retardation, low birthweight and postpartum hemorrhage.
Sperm - The male reproductive cell, produced by the testicles, that is responsible for fertilizing a mature egg, to produce pregnancy. Each sperm has 23 chromosomes that contain genetic information. Healthy sperm can survive for almost 72 hours in a woman's body after intercourse and ejaculation.
Sperm Agglutination - A condition in which sperm clump together in tail-to-tail or tail-to-head formation, which prevents the sperm from swimming to the egg and does not allow for fertilization.
Sperm Bank - A facility in which sperm is preserved in a frozen state and stored for later use. The sperm is collected from the sperm donor, prepared in a lab and stored in small vials. Stored perm may be used as donor sperm for single women, lesbian couples or couples in which the male is infertile. Stored sperm can also be frozen for later personal use in couples that wish to have another child, but not immediately. Sperm banks test all collected sperm for quality and health, which includes disease testing, sperm quality and blood type of the donor.
Sperm Count - The total number of sperms in the ejaculate. A typical male ejaculate is normally 3 to 5 millilieters and has approximately 50 to 150 million sperm per milliliter.