Obs & Gynae Definitions I

Front 1

Alpha-feto protein (αFP):

Back 1

Protein produced by the yolk sac and fetal liver.

Front 2

Amenorrhoea:

Back 2

Absence of menstruation.

Front 3

Amniocentesis:

Back 3

Transabdominal, transuterine insertion of a needle into the amniotic cavity to extract amniotic fluid.

Front 4

Amnion:

Back 4

The inner fetal membrane.

Front 5

Amniotic fluid:

Back 5

The fluid surrounding the fetus.

Front 6

Amniotomy:

Back 6

Artificial creation of a hole in both fetal membranes (amnion and chorion); used to induce or
accelerate labour (also called Artificial Rupture of Membranes (ARM) or puncture of membranes (POM).
of male fetuses. In complete androgen insensitivity babies are phenotypically female.

Front 7

Anovulation:

Back 7

Failure of the ovary to release an oocyte during a menstrual cycle.

Front 8

Antepartum haemorrhage (APH):

Back 8

Bleeding from the genital tract from 24+0 weeks of gestation to the birth of the baby.

Front 9

Anti-D immunoglobulin:

Back 9

Immunoglobulin G used to prevent Rhesus D antibody formation in Rhesus D negative women.

Front 10

Apgar score:

Back 10

A method of assessing the clinical condition of the neonate by scoring out of 10. Marks are given for
heart rate (2), respiration (2), colour (2), tone (2) and reflex activity (2). Scores are usually given at 1 and 5
minutes of life.

Front 11

Arias-Stella reaction:

Back 11

A benign histological change of the endometrium present in ectopic pregnancy.

Front 12

Ashermann’s syndrome:

Back 12

Amennorhoea due to adhensions within the uterine cavity

Front 13

Asthenozoospermia:

Back 13

Reduced sperm motility.

Front 14

Asymptomatic bacteriuria:

Back 14

Bacteria in a concentration of ≥ 10^5
/ml of urine without symptoms of urinary tract infection.

Front 15

Azoospermia:

Back 15

Absence of sperm in semen.

Front 16

Bartholin’s glands:

Back 16

Mucous-secreting paravaginal glands susceptible to cystic enlargement and abscess formation.

Front 17

Biophysical profile:

Back 17

A method of assessing fetal well-being by ultrasound inspection of the fetal behaviour and amniotic fluid voume. A score out of 8 is given for fetal breathing movement (2), fetal tone (2), fetal gross body movement (2) and amniotic fluid volume (2). It is often used in conjunction with
cardiotocography

Front 18

Birth-weight:

Back 18

The first weight of the newborn obtained.

Front 19

Bishop’s score:

Back 19

A method of recording the examination of the cervix.

Front 20

Bradycardia (fetal):

Back 20

A fetal heart rate below 110 beats per minute.

Front 21

Braxton Hick’s contractions:

Back 21

Painless sporadic contractions of the uterus.

Front 22

Breech presentation:

Back 22

The situation when the fetal buttocks or lower limbs are closest to the maternal cervix.It is subdivided
into:
>Complete breech (hips and knees flexed)
> Frank breech (hips flexed, knees extended)
> Footling (hips and knees extended)

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Bregma:

Back 23

The anterior fontanelle.

Front 24

Brow:

Back 24

The part of the fetal head between the root of the nose and the anterior fontanelle.

Front 25

Caesarean section:

Back 25

The delivery of the fetus through a transabdominal transuterine incision.

Front 26

Candidiasis:

Back 26

Clinical infection with the yeast Candida albicans.

Front 27

Caput succedaneum:

Back 27

Soft tissue oedema of the baby’s scalp following delivery. A benign condition to be distinguished from
cephalohaematoma (sub-periostial haematoma) and chignon (following vacuum extraction)..

Front 28

Cardio-tocography:

Back 28

Simulataneous recording of the fetal heart rate (‘cardio’) and uterine contraction (’toco’). It is widely
used to assess fetal well-being.

Front 29

Cephalo-pelvic disproportion:

Back 29

Maternal pelvis of inadequate dimensions to accommodate passage of the fetal head.

Front 30

Cervical incompetence:

Back 30

This is an imprecise clinical term applied to women with a history of second-trimester miscarriage
where it has been assumed that the cervix was ‘weak’ and unable to remained closed during
pregnancy.

Front 31

Cervical intraepithelial neoplasia:

Back 31

A potentially pre-malignant histological state of the cervix associated with colposcopic abnormalities.

Front 32

Chlamydia trachomatis:

Back 32

An intra-cellular gram-negative organism.

Front 33

Chloasma:

Back 33

Brown discolouration of the face during pregnancy.

Front 34

Choriocarcinoma:

Back 34

Malignant tumour of the placenta usually preceded by a hydatidiform mole.

Front 35

Chorion:

Back 35

The outer fetal membrane.

Front 36

Chorionic gonadotrophin:

Back 36

A hormone produced by the syncytiotrophoblast.

Front 37

Chocolate cyst:

Back 37

A cyst of the ovary containing old blood, and therefore brown in colour. It is often, but not
exclusively, associated with endometriosis.

Front 38

Chorionic villi:

Back 38

Branching tentacles of the placenta coming from the chorion.
They allow for maximum contact between the maternal and fetal circulations. They are sites of
metabolic and gaseous exchange. Chorionic villi are of fetal origin and thus, may be sampled during
pregnancy to provide fetal genetic material for chromosomal or genetic analysis.

Front 39

Chorionic villus sampling (CVS):

Back 39

The procedure of obtaining a biopsy of the chorion villi for chromosomal or genetic analysis.

Front 40

Climacteric:

Back 40

The phase of time around the end of the reproductive life in the female.

Front 41

Colostrum:

Back 41

Thin fluid secreted by the breasts during the first days after delivery and before the production of
milk. It is rich in immunoglobulins.