|
|
 |
 |
|
| Pregnancy Terms |
|
|
|
|
|
Pregnancy terms starting with H
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.
|
|
Human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG)
Category:
General pregnancy
This hormone prolongs the lifespan of the corpus luteum as well as stimulates production of
progesterone. This is also the hormone pregnancy tests (blood and urine) detect.
Hyaline membrane disease
Category:
Baby's health
A disorder primarily of prematurity, manifested clinically by respiratory distress and
pathologically by pulmonary hyaline membranes and incomplete expansion of the lungs at
birth.
Hydramnios
Category:
Birth defects
Any noticeable excess of amniotic fluid.
Haemophilus influenza type b
Category:
Pregnancy/Birth/Other
Frequently shortened to Hib, this is a bacterial infection that may result in severe
respiratory infections, including pneumonia, and other diseases such as meningitis.
Head circumference
Category:
General pregnancy
Measurement around head.
Heart malformations
Category:
Birth defects
Congenital anomalies of the heart.
Hemoglobinopathy
Category:
Birth defects
A blood disorder caused by alteration in the genetically determined molecular structure of
hemoglobin (for example, sickle cell anemia).
Hernia
Category:
Baby's health
The protrusion of an organ through a weak spot in the surrounding tissue. A hernia may
appear as a swelling beneath the skin that may protrude when the infant cries. Some hernias
will heal on their own, while others may require surgery.
High-risk pregnancy
Category:
High risk/Complications
Pregnancy complications, due to maternal or fetal factors, or a combination thereof.
High-risk pregnancies require more frequent prenatal checkups and may necessitate additional
monitoring, testing and treatment.
Holistic
Category:
Mom's health
Describes therapies based on facts about the "whole person," including spiritual and mental
aspects, not only the specific part of the body being treated. Holistic practitioners may
advise changes in diet, physical activity, and other lifestyle factors to help treat a
patient's condition.
Hormone
Category:
General pregnancy
Any of various chemical substances that are produced by the endocrine glands and that have
specific regulatory effects on the activity of certain organs. Some hormones related to
pregnancy include progesterone, hCG and estrogen
Hydrocephalus
Category:
Birth defects
Hydrocephalus is a condition in which the primary characteristic is excessive accumulation
of fluid in the brain. Although hydrocephalus was once known as "water on the brain," the
"water" is actually cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) a clear fluid surrounding the brain and spinal
cord. The excessive accumulation of CSF results in an abnormal dilation of the spaces in the
brain called ventricles. This dilation causes potentially harmful pressure on the tissues of
the brain. Hydrocephalus may be congenital or acquired. Congenital hydrocephalus is present
at birth and may be caused by either environmental influences or genetic predisposition.
Acquired hydrocephalus develops at the time of birth or at some point afterward. Acquired
hydrocephalus can affect individuals of all ages and may be caused by injury or disease. The
causes of hydrocephalus are not all well understood. Hydrocephalus is most often treated
with the surgical placement of a shunt system. This system diverts the flow of CSF from a
site within the central nervous system to another area of the body where it can be absorbed
as part of the circulatory process.
Hyperemesis
Category:
High risk/Complications
Severe pregnancy nausea and vomiting that may require hospitalization to control.
Hypertension
Category:
High risk/Complications
Blood pressure persistently greater than 140/90, diagnosed prior to onset of pregnancy or
before the 20th week of gestation. Pregnancy-induced hypertension is an increase in blood
pressure of at least 30 mm Hg systolic or 15 mm Hg diastolic on two measurements taken six
hours apart after the 20th week of gestation.
Hypoglycemia
Category:
High risk/Complications
Glucose, a form of sugar, is the body's main fuel. Hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, occurs
when blood levels of glucose drop too low to fuel the body's activity. The amount of glucose
in the blood is controlled mainly by the hormones insulin and glucagon. Too much or too
little of these hormones can cause blood sugar levels to fall too low (hypoglycemia) or rise
too high (hyperglycemia). Other hormones that influence blood sugar levels are cortisol,
growth hormone, and catecholamines (epinephrine and norepinephrine). A person with
hypoglycemia may feel weak, drowsy, confused, hungry, and dizzy. Paleness, headache,
irritability, trembling, sweating, rapid heartbeat, and a cold, clammy feeling are also
signs of low blood sugar. In severe cases, a person can lose consciousness and even lapse
into a coma.
Hypoxia
Category:
High risk/Complications
An insufficient oxygen supply to the fetus.
Hysterectomy
Category:
Mom's health
The surgical removal of the uterus. A hysterectomy may or may not also include the removal
of the ovaries and fallopian tubes. The procedure may be performed through an incision in
the abdomen or through the vagina.
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
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
