Definitions Flashcards
Abnormal Uterine bleeding (AUB)
An overarching term for disturbed menstrual bleeding, which includes bleeding that is abnormally heavy or abnormal in timing
Primary ammenorrhea
Absence of periods ever
Secondary ammenorrhea
Absence of periods for a 6 month period
Intermenstrual bleeding
Bleeding episodes between normally timed menstrual periods that are either random or follow a cyclical pattern
Prolonged menstrual bleeding
Menstrual bleeding lasting >8 days on a regular basis
Acute AUB
An episode of heavy bleeding that, in the clinician’s opinion, is sufficiently heavy to require immediate treatment to prevent further blood loss
Chronic AUB
Bleeding from the uterine corpus that is abnormal in volume, duration, and/or frequency and has been present for most of the past 6 months
Heavy menstrual bleeding (replaces menorrhagia)
Excessive menstrual blood loss that interferes with a woman’s physical, emotional, social and material quality of life, occurring alone or with other symptoms.
Note: this definition includes menstrual bleeding deemed excessive by the patient regardless of its regularity, frequency or duration
Dysmenorrhea
Pelvic pain during menstruation
Dyspareunia
Pelvic pain with sexual intercourse
Cervical excitation
Pain felt by the woman when her cervix is moved during vaginal examination, typically from free blood in the peritoneal cavity
Cervical ectropion
The endocervical columnar epithelium protrudes through the external os of the cervix and onto the vaginal portion of the cervix
Infertility
Failure for a couple to conceive in 1 year
Endometriosis
The occurrence of endometrial tissue outside the uterus, most commonly on the pelvic peritoneal surfaces
Adenomyosis
The occurrence of endometrial tissue within the myometrium
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
Infection of uterus, fallopian tube or pelvis
Menopause
The final menstrual period
Premature menopause
Menopause occurring before 40 years of age
Climacteric/Perimenopause
The period of time when ovarian function declines and menopausal symptoms appear
Post menopause
The time after menopause
Lactational amenorrhea method
Effective contraception provided when a woman is fully breast-feeding a baby less than 6 months of age and has no return of menses
Cord prolapse
The cord is alongside or below the presenting part in the presence of ruptured membranes
Episiotomy
Surgical incision of the perineum during the second stage of labour
Third degree tear
Perineal trauma which involves the vaginal mucosa, perineal muscles and external anal sphincter
Second degree tear
Perineal trauma which involves the vaginal mucosa and perineal muscles
Lochia
Vaginal discharge during the pueperium
Oligohydramnios
Reduced amniotic fluid
Polyhydramnios
Excess amniotic fluid
Pre-eclampsia
Hypertension and proteinuria in pregnancy
Eclampsia
A seizure in the clinical setting of preeclampsia
Amniocentesis
Sampling of amniotic fluid using a needle through the abdominal wall of the woman
Chorionic Villis Sampling (CVS)
Chorionic villus sampling. Sampling of the placenta using a needle under ultrasound guidance.
External cephalic version
Turning a breech baby to cephalic presentation through the maternal abdominal wall
Retained placenta
Placenta still in utero 1 hour after delivery of the baby
Precipitate labour
Labour less than 4 hours duration
Shoulder dystocia
Difficulty delivering the shoulders after delivery of the fetal head
Peuperium
The 6 weeks following delivery
Quickening
Maternal perception of fetal movements
Restitution
Rotation of the fetal head after delivery to align with the back and shoulders
Show
A discharge of blood and mucus from the vagina in early labour or the days preceding labour
Phototherapy
Use of standard fluorescent white or blue light therapy to photoisomerise bilirubin to allow for its excretion
Exchange transfusion
Procedure to treat severe newborn pathological jaundice in which blood is removed and replaced with donor blood. This removes the bilirubin and also the antibodies that have been causing haemolysis and jaundice
Low birthweight baby
Very low birthweight baby
Neonatal respiratory death
Tachypnoea, increased effort of breathing, noisy breathing and central cyanosis
Caesarean hysterectomy
Laparotomy at which the contents of the gravid uterus are delivered, then the uterus is excised (e.g due to placenta accreta)
Perimortem CS
Caesarean performed on a moribund or dead woman with a view to preserving her life
