Abortion:
Interruption of pregnancy;
characteristic symptoms are vaginal bleeding and expulsive uterine
contractions.
Adhesions:
A fibrous band that abnormally connects two parts.
Adnexal mass:
A mass in the area of the Fallopian tube or ovary.
Adnexal torsion:
A twisting of the Fallopian tube.
ß-human
chorionic gonadotropin (ß-hCG):
A polypeptide hormone produced by the placenta;
its secretion begins soon after implantation of the fertilized ovum.
Coagulate:
To cause the conversion of a fluid into a jelly-like solid.
Conception:
The fertilization of an ovum or the act
of becoming pregnant.
Contraceptives:
Any agent or device used for the prevention of conception (getting
pregnant). For further information on this topic, a search of
the internet will prove fruitful.
Corpus
Luteum:
An endocrine body (hormone secreting) that develops from the
ruptured ovarian follicle after
ovulation and produces the hormone progesterone; it is composed of a
large mass of cells and a yellow pigment (lutein) and develops in the ovary;
if pregnancy doe not occur, the corpus
luteum retrogresses to a mass of scar tissue (corpus albicans)
which eventually disappears; if pregnancy occurs, it continues to grow
until the13th week.
Dilation
and Currettage:
Surgical dilation of the cervix
followed by surgical scraping of the interior of the uterine cavity with
a currette (spoon-shaped surgical instrument) to remove growths (e.g.
pregnancy, tumour) or diseased tissue, or to obtain tissue for
examination (biopsy).
Doppler
flow ultrasonography:
Measures and visually record changes in the frequency of a ultrasonic
wave, indicative of the change in velocity of the blood flow in
underlying vessels.
Dysfunctional:
Abnormal.
Ectopic
pregnancy:
A pregnancy resulting from implantation of the fertilized ovum
in a site other than the normal site in the uterine
cavity, e.g. Fallopian
tube,
cervix, ovary,
abdominal cavity, interstitial portion of the Fallopian tube.
Embryo:
An organism in the earliest stage of development; in man from the
time of conception to the end of the second month in pregnancy.
Electrocautery:
An instrument for cauterizing (burning with heat or chemical in
order to close a wound) tissue in which a platinum wire is heated by a
current of electricity.
Endometriosis:
An abnormal condition in which the uterine mucous membrane ( endometrium)
invades other tissues within the pelvis; the uterus
and ovaries are the most common sites.
Endometrium
(uterine lining):
The mucosal (moist, slippery) layer lining the cavity of the uterus;
its structure changes with the menstrual cycle.
Estrogen:
General term for the female sex hormone; responsible for stimulating
the development and maintenance of female secondary sex characteristics;
formed in the ovary,
placenta, testis, adrenal cortex and some
plants; therapeutic uses (with natural or synthetic preparations)
include the relief of menopausal symptoms and of prostate cancer.
Expectant
management:
This modality of treatment involves no active intervention; the
patient is followed closely to determine if any future action is needed.
Fertility:
The capacity to initiate or support conception.
Fertilization:
The union of a sperm with and an ovum.
Fetus:
The developing offspring in the uterus,
generally for the second month of pregnancy to birth; during the first
two months of development, it is called an embryo.
Fimbriae
A fringe-like structure at the opening of the Fallopian tube. It
sweeps the ovulated ovum into the tube.
Forceps:
An instrument resembling a pair of tongs, used for grasping,
compressing, manipulating, or extracting tissue or specific structures.
Hemoperitoneum:
Escape of blood in the peritoneal
cavity.
Hemostasis:
The arrest of bleeding.
Heterotopic pregnancy:
The simultaneous presence of a uterine and an ectopic pregnancy.
Hormone:
A chemical secreted from a part of the body (usually an endocrine
gland) and carried in the bloodstream to another part to stimulate or
retard its function.
Hydatiform mole ("molar
pregnancy"):
A mass of cysts (air or fluid filled sac) occupying the uterine
cavity resulting from the abnormal development of a fertilized ovum.
Hysterectomy:
Removal of the uterus.
Immune system:
The system within the body that secures against harmful substances;
it enables the body to recognize materials as foreign to itself and to
neutralize, eliminate or metabolize them with or without injure to its
own tissues.
Interstitial pregnancy:
An ectopic pregnancy implanted in the portion of the Fallopian
tube which pierces the wall of the uterus.
In-vitro fertilization:
Fertilization that occurs outside the body, such as in a test tube.
Laparoscopy:
Visualization of the contents of the abdominal or pelvic cavity by
means of a laparoscope (a long and narrow instrument with a camera).
Laparotomy:
Surgical incision through the abdominal wall to open it.
Leiomyoma:
A benign tumour derived from smooth muscle and containing a
relatively small amount of fibrous tissue; most frequently seen in the uterus.
Also called fibroid.
Leukemia:
A disease characterized by the appearance of great numbers of
immature and abnormal white blood cells (colorless cells of the blood
who play important roles in the immune system) in the bone marrow and
often in the spleen and liver; usually these cells appear in the
bloodstream and may also invade other tissues.
Mesovarium:
The upper free portion of the broad ligament, above the proper
ovarian ligament and investing the Fallopian
tube.
Methotrexate:
A folic acid (a type of vitamin B essential for cell multiplication)
antagonist used to treat various conditions of abnormal tissue growth (eg.
leukemia, hydatiform mole, psoriasis).
Miscarriage:
A spontaneous abortion.
Oophorectomy:
Removal of one or both ovaries.
Ovarian follicle:
The ovum together with its surrounding
cells, located within the ovary.
Ovulation:
The discharge of an ovum from the mature
follicle of the ovary.
Ovum:
An egg.
Peritoneum:
A smooth membrane lining the walls of the abdominal and pelvic
cavities and enclosing the organs.
Persistent
ectopic pregnancy:
Continued growth of living trophoblastic tissue after conservative
treatment (methotrexate or salpingostomy) of an unruptured ectopic
pregnancy; manifestations include ß-hCG titers that do not decline
and/or pelvic pain.
Placenta:
The organ surrounding the fetus through which it derives nourishment
(develops from the fertilized ovum).
Progesterone:
A hormone produced in the ovary
by the corpus
luteum; it stimulates changes in the wall of the uterus
(thickening of the endometrium) in
preparation for implantation of the fertilized ovum.
Psoriasis:
A chronic skin disease characterized by reddish patches covered with
silvery scales, occurring mostly on the knees, elbows, scalp, and trunk.
Ringer's lactate solution:
A physiologic salt solution for replacing body fluid loss in the
absence of gross abnormalities of concentration and composition (this
fluid has minimal effects on normal body fluid composition and pH); this
solution contains 130 mEq of sodium, 4 mEq of potassium and 2.7mEq of
calcium, balanced by 109 mEq of chloride and 28 mEq of lactate.
Ruptured ectopic pregnancy:
Ectopic pregnancy that has eroded or torn through the tissue in
which it has implanted, producing hemorrhage (bleeding) from exposed
vessels.
Salpingectomy:
Surgical removal of a Fallopian
tube.
Salpingitis:
Inflammation (a tissue reaction to irritation, injury or infection,
marked by localized warmth, swelling, redness and pain) of the Fallopian
tube.
Salpingostomy:
The making of an artificial opening in a Fallopian
tube.
Transvaginal
ultrasonography
("ultrasound"):
Ultrasonography which sends into the pelvic cavity and receives
ultrasonic waves through the vagina by using probe placed inside the
vagina.
Trimester:
One-third of the length of a pregnancy (3 months).
Tubal abortion:
Tubal pregnancy (ectopic pregnancy in the Fallopian
tube) that has extruded out of the fimbrial
end of the oviduct.
Trophoblastic tissue:
The layer of cells outside the embryo that enters into the formation
of the placenta.
Ultrasonography:
The delineation of deep bodily structures by sending ultrasonic
waves (sound waves of frequency higher than the range audible to the
human ear, i.e. above 20,000 cycles per second) toward an organ or mass,
which in turn bounces back (echoes); the patterns produces are
graphically displayed on a fluorescent screen for interpretation.
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