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Search thousands of pregnancy and birth related topics in the largest free pregnancy encyclopedia on the net. |
Testosterone - A hormone that is made in the testes and adrenal glands of a male. Testosterone promotes the development and maintenance of male sex characteristics, muscle mass, sperm and the sex drive. Testosterone is produced in small amounts in the ovaries of females. Men with HIV usually have low levels of testosterone in their body.
TET - A procedure in which am embryo is placed inside the fallopian tube after in vitro fertilization, in order to mimic the natural process of a fertilized embryo traveling down the fallopian tubes before implanting into the womb.
Tethered Spinal Cord Syndrome - A tethered spinal cord is caused by tissue that attaches and limits movement of the spinal cord. The spinal cord stretches and scar tissue will develop, which will not allow the spinal fluid to flow properly. The added pressure can cause cysts to form in the spinal cord, which will cause additional complications. During fetal development, the neural tube does not grow as it should. Common symptoms of a tethered spinal cord include hairy patches, lesions, dimples and tumors on the lower back. Back pain, foot deformities, leg pain/weakness, scoliosis and incontinence are also common in children.
Tetra Amelia Syndrome - An extremely rare birth disorder in which the child is born with missing limbs. One or more arm(s) or leg(s) never develops during fetal growth and will be missing when the child is born. Facial abnormalities, heart, skeletal and nervous system complications and genital malformations are common. Breathing complications are common because the lungs are not developed and formed properly. The baby will generally present as a stillborn or die shortly after birth because of the severe complications.
Tetraploidy - A very rare condition in which cells have four of each chromosome, which results in 96 total chromosomes, instead of the normal 46. Affected infants are typically stillborn or will die within the first few months of life.
Tetrasomy X Syndrome - A very rare chromosomal defect that only affects females. A typical female will have 46 chromosmes and the normal descriptive term for a typical female is 46, XX. In Tetrasomy X syndrome, the female will have four X chromosomes, instead of two.
Common features of the disorder may include speech delays, learning difficulties of varying degrees, slow growth as a child, dental complications, kidney complications, limited joint movement, behavior problems and frequent respiratory complications. Girls may also experience difficulties during puberty, such as small breasts, lack of menstrual cycle, ovarian dysfunction or irregular menstrual cycles if present.
Thalassaemia Major - An inherited birth disorder that affects the globin genes in the blood. A person with Thalassaemia Major is not able to produce enough hemoglobin, which carries oxygen to various parts of the body and contains iron. Without hemoglobin, the bone marrow is not able to make red blood cells properly and the child will become anemic. Usually, babies will become anemic between the ages of 3 and 18 months. The baby will generally be pale in skin color, have sleeping complications, feeding difficulty, decrease appetite and increased vomiting. If not treated, the child will usually die during the toddler, preschool or early school-age years. There is no cure for the condition and treatment is crucial. Treatment includes blood transfusions every 3-4 weeks and removal of extra iron from the body with medications to prevent liver and heart damage.
Thalidomide - A sedative-hypnotic drug that should be avoided by all women that are pregnant or trying to conceive. The drug produces fetal deformities of the limbs and other defects if taken during pregnancy.
Thanatophoric Dysplasia - A skeletal disorder that affects approximately 1 in 20,000-50,000 newborns babies worldwide. Common features of this serious defect include abnormally short limbs, excessive folds of skin on the limbs, a narrow chest, underdeveloped lungs, large head, wide-set eyes, short ribs and a large forehead. There are two types and they can be differentiated by the growth of the thigh bones, spine and skull.
Therapeutic Abortion - A medically necessary abortion that is performed before the time of fetal viability to safeguard the physical of mental health of the pregnant woman.
Therapeutic Cloning - 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.
Therapeutic Insemination - A procedure in which fresh sperm, either from the female's partner or from a donor, are placed in a woman's vagina, cervix r uterus. The procedure is performed around the time of ovulation.
Thermal Shift - The rise in basal body temperature that takes place one to two days after ovulation has occurred. The average shift in temperature will be between 0.4 °F and 1 °F. Charting basal body temperature and recognizing the patterns in thermal shifts can help while trying to conceive or preventing pregnancy from occuring by natural means.
Third Degree Laceration - A more severe laceration of the vaginal mucus membranes, the skin of the vaginal area, underlying superficial fascia, perineal muscle and the anal sphincter muscle. A third degree tear is more likely in women that have an assisted delivery, especially if forceps are used, or if the baby is abnormally large. Stitches will be required and urinating or having a bowel movement can be painful. The area will likely remain sore for several weeks.
Third Party Reproduction - A method of achieved pregnancy in which a donor (third party person) provides sperm, eggs or embryos to a recipient or a surrogate mother is used to carry a baby to term. The third party person that is involved is generally only a donor or means for successfully carrying a child and does not take part in raising the child.
Third Trimester - Occurs from 28 weeks to 40 weeks (26-38 weeks of gestation). Your baby's due date falls within this trimester and because of advances in medical technology, a baby that is born during this trimester has a great chance of survival, even if it is early. All of the major organs are functioning, but the lungs will continue to develop until birth. All of the baby's bones (300 bones) have developed and formed. Fat and muscle continues to be laid down during these last few months. By the end of the third trimester, the fetus will be approximately 7 pounds and will be about 20 inches long.
Thoracopagus - A type of conjoined twin, in which two bodies are fused from the upper thorax to the lower belly. This is the most common type of conjoined twin and the heart is always involved. There are four arms, four legs and two pelvises.
Threatened Miscarriage - Slight, moderate or heavy bleeding from the vagina during the firs 20 weeks of pregnancy. Cramps and backache may or may not accompany the discharge, but there is no expulsion of pregnancy products or cervical dilation.
Thrombophilia - A hereditary or acquired clotting disorder in which the blood clots to easily. During pregnancy, thrombophilia can be responsible for miscarriage, stillbirth and placental abruption. If a clot forms in the legs, it can cause excessive swelling, redness and pain. If a clot forms and blocks a major organ, stroke, heart attack, breathing complications or death can occur.
Thrush - A bacterial yeast infection that can be found in the mouth of infants and on the breasts of a lactating woman. Symtpoms of the condition are usually white specks inside the nose, throat, and mouth and a yeast infection on the nipples or breast. Feeding may be complicated and an anti-fungal medication is needed to treat the infection. Thrush may be passed to the baby during vaginal delivery in a woman that had an untreated yeast infection while pregnant.
Thyroid - A butterfly-shaped gland that is located in the neck and produces hormones that are essential for normal body metabolism. In a fetus, the thyroid gland plays a role in neurological development.
Tibial Torsion - An inward twist of the shin bones that causes an infant's feet to turn inwards. The condition develops in utero as the space decreases. Because of the decreased space, the child gets cramped in the uterus.
Tilted Uterus - A uterus that is tilted, either up toward the bladder or toward the small of the back. Approximately 15%-20% of women have a retroverted uterus. Symptoms of a tilted uterus include pain during sexual intercoure, painful menstrual cycles, lower back pain, pain while using tampons and sometimes, incontinence due to the pressure. The condition does not generally cause problems with conception or in carrying a baby to full-term.
Timed Endometrial Biopsy - In artificial insemination, a biopsy of the endometrium that is performed approximately mid-cycle at the time of ovulation to determine whether the endometrium is capable of participating in implantation of the fertilized egg.
Timing Contractions - Monitoring and measuring the amount of time from the beginning of one contraction to the beginning of the next. Use a stopwatch or the second hand on a clock to write down the time that one contraction begins. Then, write down when it stops. Repeat. The time from the beginning of one to the beginning of the other is a good inidcator of how frequent the contractions are occurring.