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Search thousands of pregnancy and birth related topics in the largest free pregnancy encyclopedia on the net. |
Subgaleal Hemorrhage - Excessive bleeding that occurs under the scalp of a newborn infant that is caused by trauma to the head as it is forced against the cervix during labor and delivery. Most cases are due to the use of a vacuum extractor during vaginal delivery.
Subinvolution of Placental Site - A condition in which blood vessels at the implantation site of the placenta fail to completely remove following delivery, which will cause persistent postpartum bleeding and vaginal discharge.
Substance Abuse - The excessive and persistant use of drugs, cigarettes or alcohol. The maternal and fetal damages that are caused by these substances, if used during pregnancy, are numerous and include low birth weight, miscarriage, stillbirth, congenital abnormalities and death.
Substitution Transfusion - A procedure in which blood tjat contains a toxic substance is removed and replaced with donor blood. The procedure is performed on newborn infants with Rh-incompatibility.
Succenturiate Lobe - Occurs when a piece of the placenta is connected to a blood vessel and is left behind after the afterbirth has been delivered, which will lead to postpartum bleeding. A succenturiate, or accesory, lobe is a second or third placental lobe that is much smaller than the main portion of the placenta. Common risk factors associated with the condition are advanced maternal age, a woman experiencing her first pregnancy, proteinuria in the first trimester of pregnancy and deformities in the developing fetus.
Suck Reflex - A reflex in an infant that enables feeding. When the roof of the baby's mouth is touched, the baby will begin to suck to take food in, either through a bottle or the breast. The sucking reflex is not fully developed until about 36 weeks, so premature babies may have a weak sucking reflex.
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome - SIDS. The unexpected and sudden death of an otherwise healthy infant during sleep. During an autopsy, no disease or evidence of foul play is noticed. Sudden Infant Death Syndrome is the leading cause of death in infants aged 2 weeks to one year of age. Smoking is a leading cause of SIDS, as is the child being placed to sleep on their stomach.
Sunny Side Up - A fetal presentation in which the baby faces toward the mother's front instead of toward her back. Because the fetus's head does not fit well into the mother's pelvis, labor tends to be harder. The bone in the back of the baby's head presses into the mother's back, which may cause painful back pain, or back labor.
Superfecundation - An uncommon occurrence in hich two eggs are fertilized within a short amount of time, but not at the same sexual act and not necessarily by the same man.
Superficial Dyspareunia - Discomfort in the female that occurs when the penis is inserted into the vagina during sexual intercourse. This condtion is usually a result of inadequate lubrication of the vagina.
Superovulation - Medically-induced stimulation of a woman’s ovaries in order to obtain multiple mature eggs in a single menstrual cycle in hopes of achieving pregnancy once intrauterine insemination is performed.
Supplement - The use of an infant formula in a breastfed baby. Reasons for supplementing include a baby with an increased appetite, a mother that is returning to work and can not pump enough to meet the baby's needs, low milk supply, a low birthweight or premature infant and a baby that is not gaining weight as expected.
Surface Biopsy - A biopsy in which tissue is scraped from the surface of a particular organ or structure. This type of biopsy is most commonly performed in routine pap smears as the opening of the uterine cervix is scraped for the detection of cancer cells.
Surfactant - A mixture of fat and protein that is found in the lungs that helps to keep them open and expanded. Surfactant is produced around the 34th week of pregnancy and lines the surface of the air sacs, where it lowers the surface tension and allows the air sacs to remain open throughout the respiratory cycle. Premature infants often lack adequate amounts of surfactant to breathe without assistance.
Surgical Management - The medical use of a D & C to end a pregnancy that is not capable of continuing.
Surgical Menopause - Permanent cessation of menstruation resulting from surgical procedures that remove the ovaries, uterus, or both. Can also be caused by radiation or chemotherapy.
Surrogate - A woman that carries a child, that is not her biological child, for another woman that is unable to do so. The surrogate mother is inseminated either directly or through IVF with the sperm of a man who is not her partner. Surrogacy can be very expensive and there are many factors to consider.
Suture - A surgical stitch that helps close an incision or wound so that it can heal properly. Sutures may be used after a vaginal birth in which the mother has torn or experienced an episiotomy. Sutures are also used to close the incision that was performed during a cesarean section.
Swaddling - A comfort measure for newborns and young infants in which a blanket or large cloth is snuggly wrapped around the baby's body. Swaddling keeps a baby warm and secure, while also preventing scratching and startling in the event of a loud noise.
Swyer Syndrome - A condition in which an individual is born with underdeveloped genitalia and an absent uterus. Testosterone levels appear to be normal in individuals with this condition. This disorder occurs in females with an XY karyotype, which is an abnormal chromosome constituion for a female.
Sympathetic Pregnancy - Occurs when the expectant father experiences some of the same symptoms of pregnancy that the woman has experienced. Generally, the symptoms begin during the first trimester and gradually become more intense as the pregnancy progresses. Symptoms include nausea, back ache, labor pains and a growing waistline.
Symphysis Pubis - The joint between the pubic bones in the front portion of the pelvis, above the vulva. During a vaginal delivery, the pubic symphysis separates slightly to allow the baby to fit through the pelvis.
Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction - 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.
Syndactyly - A birth defect in which the child's fingers or toes are webbed. There are different degrees and variations of syndactyly, ranging from incomplete syndactyly to complete complex syndactyly. The condition occurs during fetal development when the hand and foot is forming from a paddle to separated fingers and toes. If the fingers or toes fail to separate properly, syndactyly will occur.
Syndrome - A set of signs and symptoms that tend to occur together and are clinically indicative of a specific disorder, disease or condition.