Anesthesia
Anesthesia is the use of medications and monitoring to provide comfort and maintain life during surgery or other medical procedures.

Adhesions
Adhesions are fibrous bands of scar-like tissue that form between two surfaces inside the body.

Amniocentesis
Amniocentesis is a test to analyze the amniotic fluid that surrounds a fetus during pregnancy. A hollow needle is inserted through the abdominal wall and into the uterus to obtain amniotic fluid for the determination of fetal sex, chromosomal abnormalities or other conditions.

Amniotic fluid
The fluid that surrounds and protects the fetus during pregnancy.

Amniotic sac
A thin, tough, membranous sac that encloses the fetus. It is filled with fluid in which the fetus is suspended.

Androgen
A general term for any male hormone.

Antepartum
The period of time before labor and delivery.

Antenatal
The period of time between conception and birth. Antenatal is the same as prenatal.

Artificial insemination
Introducing semen into the uterus or oviduct by artificial methods.

Bariatric surgery
Surgical weight-loss procedures performed on people who are at least 100 pounds overweight, suffer from related health conditions and have unsuccessfully tried other weight-loss methods.

Birthing ball
A large ball used by women to ease the pressures and discomforts of labor.

Bladder
A hollow organ in the lower part of the abdomen. The bladder stores urine until it is passed out of the body.

Bladder hydrodistention
A urogynecologic test in which the bladder is slowly stretching with fluid.

Bone densitometry
An advanced form of x-ray technology used to identify patients who are at risk of bone fractures. Bone densitometry equipment can help detect areas of bone demineralization before they become a serious problem.

Bone demineralization
The gradual loss of calcium and other minerals, causing weakening of bones.

Cesarean section (C-section)
A cesarean section is the surgical delivery of the baby through an abdominal incision. When a cesarean is necessary, it can be a life saving technique for both mother and infant.

Certified nurse-midwife (CNM)
Certified nurse-midwives (CNMs) are licensed health care practitioners educated in the two disciplines of nursing and midwifery. They provide primary health care to women of childbearing age including: prenatal care, labor and delivery care, care after birth, gynecological exams, newborn care, assistance with family planning decisions, preconception care, menopausal management and counseling in health maintenance and disease prevention.

Cervical dysplasia
Cervical dysplasia is a term used to describe the appearance of abnormal cells on the surface of the cervix, the lowest part of the uterus.

Cervix
The cone shaped neck of the uterus that protrudes into the vagina. It is about one inch long, and is penetrated by the cervical canal (the os), which permits the menstrual period and fetus to pass from the uterus into the vagina, and sperm to pass from the vagina into the uterus.

Congenital heart defect
A heart defect that develops in a fetus’s heart prior to birth.

Cysts
Cysts are sacs filled with fluid or a semisolid material that can develop in many parts of the body. In women, they often develop on or within the ovary (ovarian cysts).

Cystic fibrosis
Cystic fibrosis is an inherited disease that affects sodium channels in the body and causes respiratory and digestive problems.

Cystoccopy
A procedure in which a scope is used to view the inside of the bladder and urethra.

Donor egg procedures
A procedures in which a healthy and mature ova (egg) is extracted from an egg donor during a minimally invasive outpatient procedure. The donor eggs can then be fertilized using in vitro fertilization techniques and implanted in the mother’s uterus.

Down syndrome
The most frequent genetic cause for mild to moderate mental retardation and related medical problems. It is caused by a chromosomal abnormality. For an unknown reason, a change in cell growth results in 47 instead of the usual 46 chromosomes. This extra chromosome changes the orderly development of the body and brain.

Ectopic pregnancy
Ectopic pregnancy occurs when the fertilized egg implants in tissue outside of the uterus and the placenta and fetus begin to develop there. The most common site is within a Fallopian tube.

Epidural
A regional anesthesia procedure often used during labor and c-sections. Anesthesia is injected into the epidural space that surrounds the spinal cord.

Eclampsia
The occurrence of seizures (not attributed to another cause) during pregnancy. The condition is not well understood. Eclampsia may follow pre-eclampsia if that condition is not controlled.

Embolization
A treatment that intentionally clogs small blood vessels to block the flow of blood to a fibroid or tumor.

Embryo
An embryo is the developing baby during the early stages of pregnancy, from the time of implantation in the uterus to the end of the eighth week after conception.

Emptying Disorders
Any disorder causing difficulty urinating or moving bowels.

Endometrium
The lining of the uterus.

Endometrial Ablation
A procedure that destroys the endometrial lining of the uterus. These procedures can be very effective in controlling abnormally heavy menstrual bleeding.

Endometriosis
A condition in which the tissue that normally lines the uterus (endometrium) grows in other areas of the body, causing pain, irregular bleeding, and frequently infertility.

Episiotomy
This is a procedure where an incision is made in the perineum (area between the vagina and the anus) to make the vaginal opening larger in order to prevent the area from tearing during delivery.

Essure®
A highly effective, permanent birth control procedure. During the outpatient procedure, flexible micro-inserts are placed into each fallopian tube through the uterus via the vagina and cervix. The inserts expand in the tubes and work with your body to create a natural scar tissue barrier that blocks the fallopian tubes and prevents sperm from reaching the eggs.

Estrogen
A group of female hormones that are responsible for the development of breasts and other secondary sex characteristics in women. Estrogen is produced by the ovaries and other body tissues. Estrogen, along with progesterone, is important in preparing a woman's body for pregnancy.

Fallopian tube
The slender ducts through which ova (eggs) pass from the ovaries to the uterus in the female reproductive system.

Fetus
A developing baby from approximately three months after conception to birth.

Fetal alcohol syndrome
A collection of specific growth, mental, and physical birth defects associated with a mother's high levels of alcohol use during pregnancy.

Fetal echocardiography
A specialized ultrasound test that gives physicians a clear view of the unborn baby’s heart. Fetal echocardiography is extremely useful in detecting heart defects before the baby is born.

FIRST Trimester Screening
An early screening for Down syndrome and trisomy 18. FIRST stands for First trimester Integrated Risk Screening for Trisomy. The test gives physicians and patients valuable information about the health of the fetus as early as 12 weeks gestation. The test is performed using a combination of ultrasound and blood tests. Research shows the test detects over 80 percent of pregnancies with Down syndrome and 90 percent of pregnancies with trisomy 18.

Fibroids
Growths on the smooth muscle of the uterus that are extremely common. Can cause pain and bleeding, or may cause no symptoms at all.

Folic acid
A vitamin that reduces the risk of certain birth defects when taken daily from 1 month before conception through the first trimester of pregnancy.

Gynecology
The medical specialty that deals with diseases and care of the female reproductive system.

Hematology
The study of the blood and blood-forming organs.

High-risk pregnancy
High-risk patients include women with serious medical conditions such as asthma, high blood pressure and diabetes. Women who are over 35 are at a higher risk of complications – including fetal abnormalities – during pregnancy.

Hormone therapy
The therapeutic use of hormones to minimize symptoms like hot flashes and mood swings during menopause.

Hot flashes
Sudden feelings of heat, usually in the upper body, that are most common in the first year or two before and after a woman’s period stops. Hot flashes usually last from 30 seconds to five minutes.

Humanpapilloma virus (HPV)
A virus that causes cervical cancer. HPV is a very common infection that can be spread from person to person. Some types of HPV are spread through sexual contact.

HydroThermablation (HTA) therapy
A minimally invasive procedure to control abnormal uterine bleeding. During this outpatient procedure, a hysteroscope is inserted into the uterine cavity while a hot saline solution is delivered into the uterus through a tube inserted into the cervix. The water destroys the lining of the uterus in about 10 minutes.

Hypoxia
Low oxygen levels in blood.

Hysterectomy
The surgical removal of the uterus. This procedure can be performed with an open surgical procedure, a minimally invasive laparoscopic procedure or a hysteroscopic (vaginal) procedure.

Hysteroscope
A flexible fiber-optic scope which can be inserted into the uterus through the vagina and cervix. Through this approach, the physician can remove fibroids, polyps and lesions using special surgical tools fitted to the scope.

Incontinence
Loss of bladder or bowel control and leakage of urine or feces.

Infertility
A condition in which a couple has problems conceiving, or getting pregnant, after one year of regular sexual intercourse without using any birth control methods. Infertility can be caused by a problem with the man or the woman, or both.

Interstitial Cystitis
A chronic, inflammatory condition of the bladder wall. Symptoms include severe pain and urinary frequency.

Intracytoplasmic sperm injections (ICSI)
If the number or quality of sperm is insufficient to allow traditional in vitro fertilization, individual sperm may be injected directly into the mother’s eggs with intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).

Intrauterine devices (IUDs)
Small flexible devices made of metal or plastic which prevent pregnancy when inserted into the uterus. IUDs can be used for up to 10 years and are highly effective.

In vitro fertilization
A technique for conception of an embryo outside the body. Eggs (ova) are removed from the mother's body and combined with the father’s sperm in a laboratory. If fertilization occurs, the fertilized egg is implanted in the mother's (or a surrogate mother's) body for normal development in the uterus. Fertilized ova can also be frozen for later implantation.

Irritable bowel syndrome
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common disorder of the intestines that causes pain, gassiness, bloating, and changes in bowel habits.

Lactation
The period of time when a mother secretes breast milk.

Laparoscopic
Laparoscopic procedures use a long, slender device called a laparoscope. Instead of making a large incision, the physician inserts a laparoscope through a small incision in the patient’s abdomen. The scope displays images of the internal organs on a TV monitor. While watching on the monitor, the physician inserts surgical instruments through other small incisions.

Lycopene
A naturally occurring compound found in tomatoes that may help prevent uterine fibroids.

Mammogram
An x-ray image of the breast that can show irregularities and help to detect cancer in its early stages.

Maternal Special Care Unit
An intensive care unit for pregnant women. Hutzel Women’s Hospital is home to the only Maternal Special Care Unit in Michigan.

Menopause
This is the time when women cease having their menstrual cycles. Menopause usually begins between the ages of 45 and 55.

Menstrual Cycle
Menstruation is part of the menstrual cycle, which helps a woman's body prepare for the possibility of pregnancy each month. A cycle starts on the first day of a period. The average menstrual cycle is 28 days long. However, a cycle can range anywhere from 23 days to 35 days.

Menstruation
Menstruation is a woman's monthly bleeding. It is also called menses, menstrual period, or period. The menstrual blood is partly blood and partly tissue from the inside of the uterus. It flows from the uterus through the small opening in the cervix, and passes out of the body through the vagina.

Miscarriage
The expulsion of a nonviable fetus from the uterus in the first 20 weeks of pregnancy.

Myomectomy
A surgical procedure that removes fibroids but leaves the uterus intact.

Neonatal
Pertaining to the first four weeks after birth.

Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)
An intensive care unit for newborns.

Obstetrics
The medical specialty that provides care for women during pregnancy, childbirth and the period of time immediately after childbirth.

Osteoporosis
A gradual loss of calcium that causes bones to become thinner and more fragile. The condition often affects women after menopause – making bone fractures more likely, even after seemingly mild trauma.

Ova
The eggs produced in a woman’s ovaries.

Ovaries
Part of a woman's reproductive system, the ovaries produce her eggs. Each month, through the process called ovulation, the ovaries release eggs into the fallopian tubes, where they travel to the uterus, or womb. If an egg is fertilized by a man's sperm, a woman becomes pregnant and the egg grows and develops inside the uterus. If the egg is not fertilize, the egg and the lining of the uterus is shed during a woman's monthly menstrual period.

Overactive Bladder
Frequent need to urinate, uncomfortable bladder pressure, urge incontinence and difficulty holding a full bladder.

Ovulation
The release of a single egg from a follicle that developed in the ovary. It usually occurs regularly, around day 14 of a 28-day menstrual cycle.

Papanicolaou (Pap) smear
A simple, painless test where a speculum is placed in the vagina and a small sample of cells are removed from the cervix with a scraper and a swab. The sample is sent to the lab to look for abnormal cells, including cells that may lead to cancer. The test has contributed greatly to the early detection of cervical cancer and has been credited with reducing its mortality rates.

Pelvic adhesions
Fibrous bands of scar-like tissue that form between two surfaces inside the body.

Pelvic floor
Consists of the muscles, ligaments, connective tissue and nerves that support and control the rectum, uterus, vagina, and bladder. This “floor” can be damaged by childbirth, repeated heavy lifting, chronic disease or surgery.

Pelvic Floor Reconstruction
Sometimes incontinence is a symptom of pelvic organ prolapse. When the muscles of the pelvic floor are damaged or become weak – often due to childbirth or low estrogen levels – they are sometimes unable to support the weight of some or all of the pelvic organs. If this occurs, one or more of the organs may drop (prolapse) below their normal positions, causing symptoms ranging from mild discomfort to significant pain.

Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)
An infection of the female reproductive organs that are above the cervix, such as the fallopian tubes and ovaries. It is the most common and serious problem caused by sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). PID can cause ectopic pregnancies, infertility, chronic pelvic pain, and other serious problems.

Pelvic Pain
Discomfort, burning or other uncomfortable pelvic symptoms, including bladder or urethral pain.

Pessary
A device that can prevent incontinence by supporting the pelvic organs and pressing against the urethra. This simple device is specially fitted for each patient and can be inserted by the patient or by the physician.

Perinatal
The period during before (usually five months before) and immediately following childbirth.

Perimenopause
The 2 to 10-year period before menopause. Hormonal changes during this time period can cause many menopausal symptoms.

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)
Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) is a fairly common medical problem affecting approximately 5 to 10 percent of women of reproductive age. It can cause women to have difficulty getting pregnant and can also have serious medical consequences. If left untreated, it may cause cardiovascular disease, diabetes, abnormal growth of the endometrial lining and even endometrial cancer.

Postpartum depression (PPD)
A serious condition that requires treatment from a health care provider. With this condition, feelings of the baby blues (feeling sad, anxious, afraid, or confused after having a baby) do not go away or get worse.

Preeclampsia
A serious condition which occurs during pregnancy and is marked by high blood pressure, weight gain, and protein in the urine.

Preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD)
An advanced procedure used in combination with in vitro fertilization (IVF) to select embryos free of chromosomal abnormalities and specific genetic disorders. These genetic conditions can interfere with embryo implantation, result in pregnancy loss, or in the birth of a child with physical problems, developmental delay or mental retardation.

Premature menopausev
This is when a women stops having a menstrual cycle before the age of 40. Premature menopause (or premature ovarian failure) can be caused by medical conditions or surgical removal of the ovaries.

Pre-term deliveries
Prolapse – Descent of pelvic organs including dropped uterus, bladder, vagina or rectum. About 35 percent of women will develop some form of pelvic organ prolapse.

Semen
The fluid (which contains sperm) a male releases from his penis when he becomes sexually aroused or has an orgasm.

Sickle cell anemia
A blood disorder passed down from parents to children. It involves problems in the red blood cells. Normal red blood cells are round and smooth and move through blood vessels easily. Sickle cells are hard and have a curved edge. These cells cannot squeeze through small blood vessels. They block the organs from getting blood. Your body destroys sickle red cells quickly, but it can’t make new red blood cells fast enough-- a condition called anemia.

Sonographer
A healthcare professional who is trained in performing ultrasound examinations.

Special Care Nursery
A hospital nursery for newborns who need specialized attention and medical care. A step below the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

Spina bifida
The most common of all birth defects. Its name means "clef spine," or a failure of a fetal spine to close the right way when it is developing before birth. It occurs very early in pregnancy, roughly three to four weeks after conception, before most women know that they are pregnant. Any woman can have an affected pregnancy. Most women who bear a child with spina bifida have no family history of it.

Supracervical hysterectomy
A hysterectomy procedure in which the cervix is left in tact. This procedure can be performed with traditional, open surgery or with minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery.

Tay-Sachs disease
A fatal genetic disorder in which harmful quantities of a fatty substance called ganglioside GM2 build up in the nerve cells in the brain and damage the cells. In children, this begins in the fetus early in pregnancy. By the time a child with Tay-Sachs is three or four years old, the nervous system is so badly affected that death usually results by age five.

Tubal ligation
Known to many as “having your tubes tied” – the fallopian tubes are occluded (blocked or cut) to prevent sperm from fertilizing an egg.

Transvaginal tape
A minimally invasive procedure to treat urinary incontinence. A synthetic mesh tape is placed under the bladder neck (urethra). This tape functions as a "hammock" supporting the urethra in times of stress, such as coughing, sneezing, laughing, and jumping.

Transobturator tape
A minimally invasive procedure to treat urinary incontinence. A synthetic mesh tape is placed under the bladder neck (urethra). This tape functions as a "hammock" supporting the urethra in times of stress, such as coughing, sneezing, laughing, and jumping.

Triple screen
Blood test that indicates if there’s an increased risk of a birth defect, or a condition like Down Syndrome, in the fetus. This test can also show twins.

Trisomy 18
A condition in which a baby is conceived with three copies instead of the normal two copies of chromosome #18. Children with this condition have multiple malformations and mental retardation due to the extra chromosome #18. Some of the problems include: low birth weight, small head, small jaw, malformations of the heart and kidneys, clenched fists with abnormal finger positioning, and malformed feet. The mental retardation is severe. Ninety five percent of children with this condition die before their first birthday.

Ultrasound
A painless, harmless test that uses sound waves to produce images of the organs and structures of the body on a screen. Also called sonography.

Urinary incontinence
The leakage of small amounts of urine or frequent and sometimes uncontrollable urination.

Urinary tract infection
An extremely common condition that occurs in the urethra, bladder, or kidneys. These infections are usually caused by bacteria originating in the bowels.

Uterine Artery Embolization
Also known as uterine fibroid embolization, this minimally invasive procedure blocks the arteries that supply blood to uterine fibroids. Using a catheter, small particles are injected into the uterine arteries. The particles block the arteries that feed the fibroids and cause degeneration of the fibroids.

Uterine Balloon Therapy
This innovative procedure is an alternative to hysterectomy for women who suffer from excessive menstrual bleeding and do not have cancer. During the procedure, a balloon is inserted through the vagina and used to remove the endometrial lining of the uterus.

Uterine fibroids
Growths on the smooth muscle of the uterus that are extremely common. Can cause pain and bleeding, or may cause no symptoms at all.

Uterus
A woman's womb, or the hollow, pear-shaped organ located in a woman's lower abdomen between the bladder and the rectum.

Urethra
The canal that carries urine from the bladder.

Urodynamics
The study of how the body stores and releases urine. Urodynamic tests help your doctor see how well your bladder and muscles work and can help explain symptoms of incontinence.

Urogynecology
The study and treatment of female pelvic medicine and pelvic floor reconstruction.

Vagina
The female organ for the discharge of menstrual flow, for intercourse, and the passageway through which the fetus is delivered.

Women’s Health Initiative
A major 15-year research program to address the most common causes of death, disability and poor quality of life in postmenopausal women – cardiovascular disease, cancer, and osteoporosis.

Yeast infections
A common infection in women caused by an overgrowth of the fungus Candida. It is normal to have some yeast in your vagina, but sometimes it can overgrow because of hormonal changes in your body, such as during pregnancy, or from taking certain medications, such as antibiotics. Symptoms include itching, burning, and irritation of the vagina; pain when urinating or with intercourse; and cottage cheese-looking vaginal discharge.

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