Medical, Surgical, & Viewing Terms and Abbreviations
Medical, Surgical, & Viewing Terms and Abbreviations
Medical Careers & Professional Terminology
doula: a trained non–health care professional who provides physical, emotional, and informational support to parents before, during, and after childbirth
lactation consultant: a health professional who helps new parents and infants with lactation and breastfeeding
midwife: a health professional who cares for mothers and newborns around childbirth
midwifery: the practice of being a midwife
neonatologist: a physician who specializes in newborn infant care
neonatology: the study or medical specialization of newborn care
obstetrician: a physician who specializes in delivering infants
obstetrics: the study or medical specialization of delivering infants
teratologist: a scientist or physician who specializes in abnormal fetal development
teratology: the study or medical specialization of abnormal fetal development
Imaging Techniques/Procedures for the Organ System
amnioscope: the device used to visually examine the amnion
amnioscopy: the process of using an amnioscope to visually examine the amnion
pelvic sonography: visual examination of the pregnancy using ultrasound
Medical, Diagnostic, and Surgical Techniques/Procedures Used for the Organ System
abortion: a miscarriage or elective ending of a pregnancy
alpha-fetoprotein test: a test to measure the amount of alpha-fetoprotein, produced in the liver of the developing fetus, in the gestational parent’s blood
amniocentesis: a procedure that uses a needle to aspirate amniotic fluid for prenatal testing
artificial insemination: introducing semen into the vagina by mechanical/artificial means
cesarean section: delivery of a baby via abdominopelvic surgery
cephalic version: a procedure performed to turn a fetus from a breech or transverse presentation to a cephalic presentation prior to birth
cerclage: stitching the cervix to maintain a pregnancy
chorionic villus sampling: a biopsy taken of a chorionic villus for prenatal testing
dilation & curettage: dilating the cervix and scraping the uterine wall; used after a miscarriage or for obtaining tissue samples for testing purposes
episiotomy: a cut made in the vulva to facilitate a vaginal delivery
gamete intrafallopian transfer: injection of sperm cells and oocytes into a fallopian tube to aid in conception
induction: a medical process that causes labor to begin
in vitro fertilization: fertilization of oocytes with sperm that takes place in a Petri dish (see Figure 16.3)
intrauterine insemination: injecting washed semen directly into the uterus to aid in conception
non-stress test: test to measure fetal heart rate and movement in the latter stages of pregnancy
vaginal birth after cesarean section: delivering a baby vaginally after having a previous cesarean section
zygote intrafallopian transfer: injection of a zygote into a fallopian tube, after which implantation in the uterus may occur (see Figure 16.3)
Abbreviations Commonly Used with the Organ System
AB: abor