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Tachycardia - An abnormally fast heartbeat that exeeds 100 beats per minute.
Tachypnea - Abnormally rapid and shallow breathing at a rate of more than 60 respirations per minute.
Tandem Nursing - The process of breastfeeding two children of varying ages. Nursing the children does not have to be done at the same time physically to be considered tandem nursing. Women that use this are generally women that have had back to back pregnancies.
Tansient Tachypnea Of Newborn - A benign condition of a near term or term baby that has respiratory distress syndrome after delivery. The condition generally lasts for 3 to 5 days and may be caused by delayed resorption of fetal lung fluid. Common symptoms include chest retractions, a bluish tint of the skin and grunting while breathing. Standard chest x-rays are generally performed to diagnose the condition.
Tay Sachs Disease - A rare inherited birth disorder that is not generally seen at birth or in the first few months of life. Excessive amounts of fat will build up on the tissue and nerves in the brain, which will damage and kill the nerve cells. Because the nerve cells become damaged, the child will regress and mental and physical complications begin. The child will become paralyzed, blind and deaf. Swallowing is difficult to impossible and the child will likely require a feeding tube for nutrition. The prognosis for a child born with Tay Sachs disease is poor and most children will die by the time they are 4 years old.
Teenage Pregnancy - A pregnancy that occurs in a female aged 19 and under. Most adolescent pregnancies are unplanned. Because an adolescent's body and mind is not completely ready to handle the demands of pregnancy, there are increased risks for both mother and baby.
Telangiectasias - A dilation of superficial capillaries with a central red dot from which blood vessels radiate . Spider angiomas generally resemeble the legs of a spider and can often be found on the face, chest, arms and abdomen. Changes in hormone levels can cause spider angiomas to occur and they may dissapear after delivery.
Temperature Method - A periodic abstinence method of contraception in which the time of ovulation is determined by observing and recording the slight changes in basal body temperature that take place during the ovarian cycle. Rectal or vaginal temperature is taken every morning upon awakening and before any type of activity.
TENS - A method of pain relief that is accomplished by applying very small electrical impulses to nerve endings beneath the skin. The method can be used for laboring women to relieve pain associated with contractions, back labor and other discomforts. The intensity of the stimulation can easily be controlled by the woman or her labor partner.
Teratogen - Any environmental agent, microorganism or drug that causes physical defects in the developing enbryo or fetus when a pregnant female is exposed to it. Many of the chemicals in tobacco smoke are known teratogens.
Teratoma - A tumor which contains cells derived from all three germ layers-the ectoderm, endoderm and mesoderm. These tumors are most commonly seen in the ovaries and testes. While some of the tumors are benign, some can be malignant.
Teratophobia - An abnormal fear of giving birth to a child with an abnormality or malformation. Some women have such a phobia of this that it prevents them from becoming pregnant.
Teratospermia - A condition in which the sperm contains an abnormally high amount of damaged sperm. Men with this condition may become diagnosed with infertility.
Terbutaline - An asthma medication that is alos commonly used to stop contractions of the uterus in women experiencing preterm labor. Terbutaline can be administered in the form of a pill, injection or inhalant. Terbutaline is a drug that belongs to the tocolytic family.
Terbutaline Pump - A portable pump that is designed for the long-term administration of low doses of Terbutaline. Terbutaline is prescribed to pregnant women that are experiencing preterm labor contractions.
Term - The measurement of time that a woman is pregnant. Most babies are born between 37 and 42 weeks. If born before 37 weeks, the baby is considered preterm. If born after 40 weeks, the baby is considered post term.
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Tertiary Syphilis - The final, noninfectious stage of syphilis that begins after a lapse of several months or years. The disease can affect the cardiovascular system or central nervous system.
Tertigravida - A woman who is pregnant for the third time, whether the pregnancies resulted in live births or stillbirths.
Test - A procedure used to determine the function of parts of the body and to find anomalies. Pregnany women and those trying to conceive will undergo a variety of tests.
Test Tube Baby - A common term that is used to refer to an infant born from an egg fertilized in a Petri dish and then implanted into the mother's uterus for continuation of pregnancy.
Testicle - The male gonad, which produces sperm and male hormones. There are two testicles contained in the scrotum under the penis.
Testicular Failure - A condition in which the testes do not produce sperm. There are two forms of testicular failure: primary and secondary. Primary testicular failure occurs as a result of a congenital, developmental, or genetic error that prevents sperm production from occuring. Secondary testicular failure occurs as a result of testicular damage caused from drugs, exposure to toxic substances or a varicocoele.
Testicular Stress Pattern - A result from a semen analysis that shows depressed sperm production, poor sperm motility and poor sperm morphology. The pattern is consistent with secondary testicular failure or illness, which can be a contributing factor in infertile couples.