AOBOG OB-GYN key terms

The total number of times a woman has been pregnant, including the current pregnancy and regardless of whether the pregnancies ended in birth, miscarriage, or abortion.

The number of pregnancies a woman has carried to a point of viability, conventionally counted from 20 weeks of gestation; twins count as a single parous pregnancy in most notations.

A shorthand system recording pregnancy history, typically as gravida, para, abortions, and living children, used to summarize a woman's obstetric history at intake.

The time elapsed since the first day of the last menstrual period, expressed in completed weeks and days; the standard clock used to time screening, testing, and delivery decisions.

The projected calendar date of birth, calculated as 280 days from the last menstrual period or derived from first-trimester ultrasound when dating is uncertain.

The measurement of an embryo or fetus from head to buttocks on ultrasound, used in the first trimester as the most accurate single predictor of gestational age.

A fluid-filled space behind the fetal neck measured by ultrasound between roughly 11 and 14 weeks; increased thickness raises the risk of aneuploidy and structural anomalies.

Prenatal testing that estimates the probability of chromosomal abnormalities such as trisomy 21 using maternal serum markers, ultrasound findings, or cell-free fetal DNA.

Placental DNA fragments circulating in maternal blood that can be sequenced to screen for common aneuploidies with high sensitivity, typically offered from 10 weeks onward.

A first-trimester diagnostic procedure that obtains placental tissue, usually transcervically or transabdominally, for karyotype or genetic testing of the fetus.

A diagnostic procedure, generally performed after 15 weeks, in which a needle aspirates amniotic fluid containing fetal cells for chromosomal or genetic analysis.

A pregnancy-specific disorder of new hypertension after 20 weeks with proteinuria or other maternal organ dysfunction, posing risks of seizure, stroke, and fetal growth restriction.

The occurrence of generalized seizures in a woman with preeclampsia, without another identifiable cause; a life-threatening obstetric emergency requiring immediate magnesium therapy and delivery planning.

A severe variant of preeclampsia characterized by hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelets, often presenting with right upper quadrant pain and requiring urgent obstetric management.

A parenteral medication used to prevent or treat eclamptic seizures and for fetal neuroprotection in imminent preterm birth; toxicity is monitored by reflexes, respiration, and urine output.

Glucose intolerance first recognized during pregnancy, diagnosed by oral glucose tolerance testing and associated with macrosomia, preeclampsia, and later maternal type 2 diabetes.

Excessive fetal growth, commonly defined as an estimated birth weight above 4000 to 4500 grams, which increases the risk of prolonged labor and shoulder dystocia.

A delivery emergency in which the fetal anterior shoulder becomes impacted behind the maternal pubic symphysis after the head is delivered, requiring sequential maneuvers to free the shoulder.

Damage to the nerves supplying the fetal arm, often associated with shoulder dystocia or traction during delivery; many cases resolve, but persistent weakness requires specialist evaluation.

Rupture of the fetal membranes before 37 weeks and before the onset of labor, a leading cause of preterm birth, infection, and neonatal morbidity.

Infection of the chorion and amnion, usually ascending from the vagina, presenting with maternal fever, uterine tenderness, and fetal tachycardia and prompting antibiotics and delivery.

Excessive blood loss after delivery, conventionally more than 500 mL after vaginal birth or 1000 mL after cesarean, most often caused by uterine atony.

Failure of the uterus to contract firmly after delivery of the placenta, the most common cause of postpartum hemorrhage, managed with massage and uterotonic drugs.

A consumptive coagulopathy with widespread activation of clotting and fibrinolysis, causing bleeding and thrombosis; in obstetrics it accompanies abruption, hemorrhage, or severe preeclampsia.

Premature separation of a normally implanted placenta from the uterine wall, presenting with vaginal bleeding, uterine pain, and fetal distress, and risking maternal and fetal compromise.

Implantation of the placenta over or very near the internal cervical os, causing painless third-trimester bleeding and usually requiring cesarean delivery.

Fetal blood vessels running through the membranes across the cervical os ahead of the presenting part, which can rupture at membrane break and cause rapid fetal exsanguination.

Infection of the uterine lining after delivery or instrumentation, presenting with fever, lower abdominal pain, and foul lochia, treated with broad-spectrum antibiotics.

A numeric assessment of cervical dilation, effacement, consistency, position, and fetal station used to predict the success of labor induction.

The process of softening and dilating the cervix before induction using prostaglandins or mechanical dilators, especially when the Bishop score is unfavorable.

The artificial initiation of uterine contractions before spontaneous labor, undertaken for maternal or fetal indications such as post-term gestation, hypertension, or ruptured membranes.

Beat-to-beat fluctuation in the fetal heart rate baseline on electronic monitoring; moderate variability is reassuring, while absent or minimal variability may signal hypoxia or drug effect.

A repetitive slowing of the fetal heart rate that begins after the peak of a uterine contraction and recovers afterward, suggesting uteroplacental insufficiency and fetal hypoxia.

Antepartum fetal surveillance that records the heart rate for about 20 minutes; accelerations with fetal movement indicate a reactive, reassuring result.

Embryonic paired ducts that fuse and canalize to form the fallopian tubes, uterus, cervix, and upper vagina; failed fusion or resorption produces uterine anomalies.

A congenital malformation of the uterus or vagina arising from abnormal development of the Müllerian ducts, such as a septate or bicornuate uterus, often linked to pregnancy loss.

Presence of endometrial-like tissue outside the uterine cavity, causing pelvic pain, dysmenorrhea, and infertility; diagnosis is confirmed surgically or by imaging.

Presence of endometrial glands and stroma within the myometrium, producing an enlarged, tender uterus with heavy menstrual bleeding and dysmenorrhea.

A benign smooth-muscle tumor of the uterus (fibroid) that may cause heavy bleeding, bulk symptoms, or infertility depending on size and location.

Surgical removal of uterine leiomyomas while preserving the uterus, offered to women with symptomatic fibroids who wish to retain fertility.

Surgical removal of the uterus, performed abdominally, vaginally, or laparoscopically for conditions such as fibroids, bleeding, prolapse, or malignancy.

Precancerous change of the cervical squamous epithelium graded by the depth of involvement, detected by cytology and colposcopy and treated by excision or ablation.

Magnified examination of the cervix, vagina, and vulva after application of acetic acid or iodine, used to localize abnormal epithelium and guide biopsy.

A sexually transmitted virus whose high-risk types cause most cervical cancers; vaccination and screening programs target it to prevent cervical neoplasia.

A common endocrine disorder defined by ovulatory dysfunction, hyperandrogenism, and polycystic ovaries, associated with infertility, insulin resistance, and endometrial hyperplasia.

Failure of the ovary to release an oocyte during a menstrual cycle, a frequent cause of infertility and irregular bleeding and often linked to hormonal disorders.

Overgrowth of the endometrial lining, often due to unopposed estrogen, which can progress to endometrial carcinoma and typically presents with abnormal uterine bleeding.

Implantation of a fertilized ovum outside the uterine cavity, most commonly in the fallopian tube, which can rupture and cause life-threatening hemorrhage.

A folate antagonist used medically to treat selected early ectopic pregnancies and to manage gestational trophoblastic disease, with monitoring of beta-hCG levels.

A spectrum of placental tumors arising from pregnancy, ranging from benign hydatidiform mole to choriocarcinoma, monitored and treated with serial beta-hCG measurements.

Two or more consecutive or three or more total spontaneous pregnancy losses, prompting evaluation for chromosomal, uterine, endocrine, and thrombophilic causes.

Painful menstruation, classified as primary when no pelvic pathology is found and secondary when caused by conditions such as endometriosis or fibroids.

Descent of the uterus, bladder, rectum, or vaginal walls through the vaginal introitus due to weakened pelvic support, often after childbirth or with aging.

Involuntary loss of urine, commonly stress incontinence from urethral support loss or urge incontinence from bladder overactivity, both prevalent after childbirth and menopause.

Twisting of the ovary and its vascular pedicle, causing acute pelvic pain and threatening ovarian viability; prompt surgical detorsion is required.

The permanent cessation of menstruation due to loss of ovarian follicular activity, diagnosed retrospectively after 12 months of amenorrhea and often accompanied by vasomotor symptoms.

Systemic estrogen with or without a progestogen used to relieve menopausal symptoms and prevent bone loss, with risks weighed against benefits for each woman.

Reduced bone mineral density with increased fracture risk, accelerated by estrogen deficiency after menopause and assessed by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry.