Essential Obstetrics and Gynecology Terms

Posted on Jan 22, 2025 in Medicine & Health

Medical Instruments and Procedures

  • Mask: Cover for the face to avoid contamination.
  • Syringe: Instrument to apply or extract fluids.
  • Cotton swab: Instrument used to get a sample.
  • Pap smear: Preventive exam to detect cervical cancer.
  • Uterine curettage: Scraping of the uterus.
  • Sonogram: A visual image produced from an ultrasound examination.
  • Speculum: A metal instrument that is used to dilate an orifice or canal in the body.
  • Hysterometer: Instrument for measuring the depth of the uterine cavity.
  • Incubator: Enclosed apparatus in which premature or unusually small babies are kept.
  • Operation room: A room in a hospital in which surgical operations are performed.
  • I.V (intravenous): Within a vein. IV is the abbreviation for “intravenous.”

Pregnancy and Childbirth

  • Colostrum: First dairy secretion postpartum.
  • Vaginal fluid: Vagina’s natural lubricant.
  • Oxygen therapy: Medical treatment that applies oxygen inhalation.
  • Postpartum period: Period after birth.
  • Mammary gland: Milk-producing gland.
  • Premature: Baby who was born before the expected time.
  • Dilatation: Opening of the cervix.
  • Stillborn (child): Baby that was born dead.
  • Fundal height: Measurement of the uterus.
  • Infant: A very young child.
  • Fraternal twins: Twins resulting from the development of separate fertilized ova.
  • Attachment: Affection, fondness, or sympathy for someone or something.
  • Clinical chart: A medical chart is a complete record of a patient’s medical history.
  • Work shift: The time period during which you are at work.
  • Induced labor: Is the process or treatment that stimulates childbirth and delivery.
  • Placental abruption: Is when the placenta separates early from the uterus.
  • Gestational age: Age of a pregnancy, which is taken from the woman’s last menstrual period.
  • Miscarriage: It is the spontaneous loss of a fetus before the 20th week of gestation.
  • Womb: Organ of the female reproductive system.
  • Fetus: Viviparous vertebrate in development, from the embryonic stage to before birth.
  • Cravings: Desire for specific food.
  • Ultrasound: Examines the internal structures of the body or controls fetal development.
  • Blood pressure: The pressure exerted by the blood on the inner walls of the arteries.
  • Epidural: Anesthetic method that is applied in the epidural space of the spine.
  • Pain relief: Process which reduces or eliminates pain, may be with medication or other alternatives.
  • Breastfeed: Feed the baby with breast milk.
  • Cesarean section: Surgical operation that consists of extracting the fetus from the mother’s womb.
  • Doctor’s appointment: Meeting in a place and time agreed with the doctor.
  • Labor: The last part of pregnancy beginning with contractions in the uterus.
  • Morning sickness: When you are pregnant, you sometimes feel sick in the morning.
  • First trimester: The first stage of pregnancy (0-12 weeks).
  • Second trimester: The second stage of pregnancy (13- 27 weeks).
  • Third trimester: The third stage of pregnancy (28 weeks to birth).
  • Unborn baby: A baby that is still in your womb.
  • Belly/tummy/abdomen: A pregnant woman’s stomach.
  • Pain: Something that hurts or feels uncomfortable.
  • Midwife: A person who delivers babies.
  • Doctor: A person who cares for sick people.
  • Folic Acid: A vitamin pregnant women need to take.
  • To be pregnant: When you are carrying an unborn baby.
  • Prenatal care: Taking care of a baby before it is born.
  • Childbirth: The process of giving birth to a child.
  • Check-up/exam: What happens to you at the doctor’s office, to check that you are healthy.

Other Important Terms

  • Menopause: Last menstruation.
  • Stretch mark: Stretching of the skin.
  • Precocious puberty: Is puberty occurring at an unusually early age.
  • Contraception: Artificial methods or techniques to prevent pregnancy.
  • Pediatrician: Medical specialist in the health and illness of children.