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| Pregnancy Terms |
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Pregnancy terms starting with E
Get quick definitions of many of the most common pregnancy terms here! From fertility
treatment terminology to common pregnancy conditions to the stages of labor, find
out more about the hundreds of new words you will be hearing.
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Episiotomy
Category:
Labor and birth
A surgical incision made to the perineum to enlarge the vaginal opening.
External uterine contraction monitor
Category:
Labor and birth
An external uterine contraction monitor (i.e. the tokodynamometer) is a device used to
monitor the progress of labor. It measures the duration, frequency, and relative pressure of
uterine contractions with a transducer strapped to the mother's abdomen.
e. Coli
Category:
Mom's health
Escherichia (E.) coli bacteria are found in the digestive tracts of most humans and many
animals. Usually, these infections are harmless and may even be beneficial. Not all E. coli
are alike and, in a few cases, illness may result from infection with particular strains.
One strain, E. coli O157:H7, causes one of the most serious digestive tract infections in
the United States. Some persons infected with this strain may have very mild illness while
others develop severe bloody diarrhea. In some instances, infection may result in widespread
breakdown of red blood cells leading to an often fatal, hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS).
Infections with this organism are often the result of eating undercooked meat (especially
hamburger). However, feces may also spread this infection.
Eclampsia
Category:
High risk/Complications
Severe pre-eclampsia resulting in maternal seizures. Eclampsia results from
pregnancy-induced hypertension, a dangerous condition that may occur during pregnancy.
Symptoms may include elevated maternal blood pressure, swelling of ankles and hands, sudden
weight gain and protein in the urine.
Ectopic pregnancy
Category:
High risk/Complications
A pregnancy in which the fertilized egg implants in a location outside the uterus: usually
in the fallopian tube, the ovary, or the abdominal cavity. Ectopic pregnancy is a dangerous
condition that must receive prompt treatment.
Edema
Category:
High risk/Complications
Abnormal accumulation of fluid in body tissues.
Egg
Category:
Conception and fertility
A female reproductive cell, also called an oocyte or ovum.
Egg retrieval
Category:
Conception and fertility
Also called oocyte retrieval, this is a procedure to collect the eggs contained in the
ovarian follicles.
Egg transfer
Category:
Conception and fertility
Also called oocyte transfer, this is a transfer of retrieved eggs into a woman's fallopian
tubes through laparoscopy. This procedure is used only in GIFT (see definition).
Electronic fetal monitor
Category:
Labor and birth
Monitoring of the fetal heart through the use of an external doppler (ultrasound) device.
Frequently shortened to EFM.
Embryo
Category:
General pregnancy
An egg that has been fertilized by a sperm and that has undergone one or more divisions.
Effacement
Category:
Labor and birth
During the first stage of labor, the cervix shortens ("thins"), a process called effacement.
Effacement can usually be visualized by blowing up a balloon: as the balloon gets bigger,
the neck actually stretches, shortens, and becomes incorporated into the body of the
balloon. Effacement is expressed in terms of percentages: no effacement is called 0 percent,
full effacement is 100 percent.
Embryo transfer
Category:
Conception and fertility
Placement of embryos into a woman's uterus through the cervix after IVF (see definition) or,
in the case of ZIFT (see definition), into her fallopian tubes.
Encephalopathy
Category:
Birth defects
A general term describing brain dysfunction. Examples include encephalitis, meningitis,
seizures and head trauma.
Endometriosis
Category:
Mom's health
The presence of tissue similar to the uterine lining in locations outside the uterus, such
as the ovaries, fallopian tubes, and abdominal cavity.
Endometrium
Category:
General pregnancy
The uterine lining.
Engagement
Category:
Labor and birth
When the widest part of the baby's head has settled deep into the pelvis (into the pelvic
inlet). Also called "lightening" or "dropping."
Epidural
Category:
Labor and birth
A regional anesthetic (painkiller) used during labor. By the use of a needle, a catheter (a
narrow tube) is inserted, through which anesthesia is injected into the outer lining of the
spinal cord (epidural space). The use of epidural anesthesia has been associated with
prolonged labor and other complications.
Erb's palsy
Category:
Baby's health
The brachial plexus is a network of nerves that conducts signals from the spine to the
shoulder, arm, and hand. Brachial plexus injuries (sometimes referred to as Erb's Palsy) are
caused by damage to those nerves. Symptoms may include a limp or paralyzed arm, lack of
muscle control in the arm, hand, or wrist, and lack of feeling or sensation in the arm or
hand. Although injuries can occur at any time, many brachial plexus injuries happen during
birth: the baby's shoulders may become impacted during the birth process causing the
brachial plexus nerves to stretch or tear.
Some brachial plexus injuries may heal on their own. Many children improve or recover by 3
to 4 months of age. Treatment for brachial plexus injuries includes occupational or physical
therapy and, in some cases, surgery.
External version
Category:
Labor and birth
External cephalic version is a procedure to aid in the turning of a baby from the breech
position to the vertex (head down) position.
More definitions
Click on any of the letters below to read more:
A B
C D
E F
G H
I J
K L
M N
O P
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