Arab Board Ob/Gyn Part 1 key terms

The main arterial supply to the uterus, arising from the internal iliac artery and running in the cardinal ligament. It anastomoses with the ovarian artery and is ligated during hysterectomy or managed in postpartum haemorrhage.

Temporary ovarian structure formed from the ruptured follicle after ovulation. It secretes progesterone to support the endometrium and early pregnancy; if pregnancy does not occur it regresses, triggering menstruation.

Glycoprotein hormone produced by syncytiotrophoblast soon after implantation. It maintains the corpus luteum, is detected in urine and serum pregnancy tests, and its level is monitored in suspected ectopic or molar pregnancy.

Embryonic paired ducts that fuse in the midline to form the uterus, cervix and upper vagina. Failure of fusion or resorption produces congenital uterine anomalies such as a septum or bicornuate uterus.

Lipid mediators derived from arachidonic acid that stimulate uterine contraction and cervical ripening. Synthetic analogues such as dinoprostone and misoprostol are used for induction of labour and management of postpartum haemorrhage.

Nonapeptide hormone released from the posterior pituitary that causes uterine smooth muscle contraction and milk let-down. Synthetic oxytocin is used to induce or augment labour and to prevent or treat postpartum haemorrhage.

Feedback loop in which hypothalamic GnRH drives pituitary FSH and LH release, stimulating ovarian follicle growth and steroid production. Oestrogen and progesterone then feed back positively or negatively to modulate the cycle.

Three fetal vascular shortcuts - ductus venosus, foramen ovale and ductus arteriosus - that direct oxygenated blood away from the lungs and liver. They normally close after birth, and persistence causes clinical problems.

New hypertension after 20 weeks' gestation with proteinuria or maternal organ dysfunction. It arises from abnormal placentation and causes maternal and fetal morbidity; delivery is the only definitive treatment, with magnesium sulphate for seizures.

Carbohydrate intolerance first recognised during pregnancy, diagnosed by an oral glucose tolerance test. It increases risks of macrosomia, preeclampsia and neonatal hypoglycaemia, and is managed first with diet and metformin or insulin.

Abnormal placental invasion into the myometrium or beyond, usually after previous caesarean delivery and placenta praevia. It causes severe haemorrhage at delivery and requires planned surgery in a specialist centre.

Blood loss of 500 mL or more after vaginal birth or 1000 mL after caesarean, or any loss causing haemodynamic compromise. Uterine atony is the commonest cause; treatment includes uterine massage, uterotonics, tranexamic acid and surgery.

Obstetric emergency in which the anterior fetal shoulder impacts behind the maternal symphysis after delivery of the head. It requires prompt manoeuvres such as McRoberts' position and suprapubic pressure to avoid fetal hypoxia and brachial plexus injury.

Continuous recording of fetal heart rate and uterine contractions used in labour and antenatal surveillance. Interpretation of baseline rate, variability, accelerations and decelerations guides decisions about fetal wellbeing and the need for intervention.

Intrapartum intravenous penicillin offered to women colonised with group B Streptococcus, or with risk factors, to prevent early-onset neonatal sepsis. Screening by vaginal–rectal swab at 36–37 weeks guides the decision.

Maternal immune response producing anti-D antibodies after exposure to RhD-positive fetal blood. It can cause fetal anaemia and hydrops in later pregnancies; anti-D immunoglobulin and fetal monitoring prevent or manage it.

Delivery before 37 completed weeks of gestation. It is the leading cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality; prevention includes progesterone, cervical cerclage in selected women, and antenatal corticosteroids to improve fetal lung maturity.

Pregnancy raises thrombotic risk through hypercoagulability, stasis and vascular injury. Low molecular weight heparin is used for prophylaxis in high-risk women and for treatment, with dose adjustment and careful peripartum planning.

Presence of endometrial-like tissue outside the uterine cavity, causing cyclical pain, dyspareunia and impaired fertility. Diagnosis is clinical or laparoscopic; treatment includes analgesia, hormonal suppression and surgical excision of lesions.

Infection of the upper genital tract, usually ascending from the cervix and often caused by Chlamydia trachomatis or Neisseria gonorrhoeae. It can lead to tubal damage, infertility and ectopic pregnancy; broad-spectrum antibiotics are given promptly.

Vaginal dysbiosis with loss of lactobacilli and overgrowth of anaerobes such as Gardnerella vaginalis, producing thin grey discharge and a fishy odour. It is diagnosed by Amsel criteria or Nugent score and treated with metronidazole.

Pre-invasive squamous abnormality of the cervix graded by the proportion of epithelium involved. Persistent high-risk HPV infection drives it; colposcopy, excision or ablation prevents progression to invasive cervical cancer.

The commonest malignant ovarian tumour, often presenting at an advanced stage with ascites and pelvic mass. Risk factors include nulliparity and BRCA mutations; treatment combines cytoreductive surgery with platinum-based chemotherapy.

Technique in which dye or radiolabelled tracer identifies the first draining lymph node from a tumour. In early breast cancer and vulval cancer it assesses nodal spread while avoiding routine full lymphadenectomy and its morbidity.

Common endocrine disorder diagnosed by Rotterdam criteria: oligo-ovulation, clinical or biochemical hyperandrogenism, and polycystic ovaries, with two of three required. It causes irregular menses, infertility and metabolic risk, managed with lifestyle, metformin or clomiphene.

Contraceptive failure rate expressed as pregnancies per 100 woman-years of exposure. It allows comparison between methods, though it is influenced by adherence; typical-use and perfect-use figures differ substantially.

Assisted reproduction in which oocytes are collected after ovarian stimulation and fertilised with sperm in the laboratory, then an embryo is transferred to the uterus. Intracytoplasmic sperm injection is used for severe male factor infertility.

Methods used to prevent pregnancy after unprotected intercourse, including copper intrauterine devices and oral levonorgestrel or ulipristal. The copper device is the most effective; oral methods work mainly by delaying ovulation and are less effective with increasing body weight.

Oestrogen with or without progestogen given to relieve vasomotor symptoms and prevent bone loss after menopause. Combined therapy is required for women with a uterus to avoid endometrial hyperplasia; risks include venous thromboembolism and breast cancer.

Standardised pelvic organ prolapse staging system that measures six defined vaginal points relative to the hymen during Valsalva. It produces stage 0–IV and allows objective comparison between examinations and treatments.

Involuntary urine leakage on effort, coughing or sneezing due to urethral sphincter weakness. It is common after childbirth; management includes pelvic floor muscle training, continence devices, bulking agents and midurethral sling surgery.

Syndrome of urinary urgency, usually with frequency and nocturia, with or without urgency incontinence, in the absence of infection. Treatment begins with bladder training and fluid advice, then antimuscarinic or beta-3 agonist drugs.

Proportion of people with the disease who correctly test positive. A test with high values is useful for ruling out disease when negative, and the value depends on the chosen cut-off.

Number of patients who must receive an intervention for one additional person to benefit. It is the reciprocal of the absolute risk reduction; a smaller value indicates a more effective treatment.

Analysis that includes every randomised participant in the group to which they were allocated, regardless of adherence. It preserves randomisation, avoids bias from dropouts and reflects real-world effectiveness, though it may underestimate efficacy.

Ethical and legal process in which a competent patient authorises treatment after receiving information about its nature, benefits, risks and alternatives. It must be voluntary and documented, and is central to respecting patient autonomy.

Approach to patient safety that distinguishes human error, at-risk behaviour and reckless conduct, responding supportively to the first two and with accountability to the third. It encourages incident reporting and learning rather than blame.

Quality improvement cycle comparing current practice with agreed standards, then implementing change and re-auditing. Unlike research, it does not test new hypotheses but measures whether known best practice is being delivered.

Implantation of the conceptus outside the uterine cavity, most often in the fallopian tube. It can rupture causing life-threatening haemorrhage; diagnosis uses serial hCG and transvaginal ultrasound, and treatment is surgical or medical with methotrexate.