| Amniocentesis (am-nee-oh-sen-TEE-sus) | A test done to determine whether a fetus has birth defects; done by inserting a fine tube into the woman's abdomen in order to obtain a sample of amniotic fluid.
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| Amniotic fluid | The watery fluid surrounding a developing fetus in the uterus.
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| Artificial insemination | Procedure in which sperm are placed into the vagina by means other than sexual intercourse.
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| Braxton-Hicks contractions | Contractions of the uterus during pregnancy that are not part of actual labor.
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| Cesarean section (C-section) | A method of delivering a baby surgically, by an incision in the abdomen.
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| Chorionic villus sampling (CVS) | A technique for prenatal diagnosis of birth defects, involving taking a sample of cells from the chorionic villus and analyzing them.
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| Colostrum | A watery substance that is secreted from the breasts at the end of pregnancy and during the first few days after delivery.
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| Dilation | An opening up of the cervix during labor; also called dilatation.
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| Ectopic pregnancy | A pregnancy in which the fertilized egg implants somewhere other than the uterus.
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| Edema (eh-DEE-muh) | Excessive fluid retention and swelling.
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| Effacement | A thinning out of the cervix during labor.
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| Embryo transfer | A procedure in which an embryo is transferred from the uterus of one woman into the uterus of another.
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| Episiotomy (ih-pee-see-AH-tuh-mee) | An incision made in the skin just behind the vagina, allowing the baby to be delivered more easily.
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| Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) | Serious growth deficiency and malformations in the child of a mother who abuses alcohol during pregnancy.
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| First-stage labor | The beginning of labor, during which there are regular contractions of the uterus; the stage lasts until the cervix is dilated 8 centimeters (3 inches).
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| GIFT | Gamete intrafallopian transfer, a procedure in which sperm and eggs are collected and then inserted together into the fallopian tube.
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| Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) | A hormone secreted by the placenta; it is the hormone detected in pregnancy tests.
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| Hyaluronidase | An enzyme secreted by the sperm that allows one sperm to penetrate the egg.
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| In vitro fertilization (IVF) | A procedure in which an egg is fertilized by sperm in a laboratory dish.
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| Infertility | A woman's inability to conceive and give birth to a living child, or a man's inability to impregnate a woman.
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| Lamaze method | A method of "prepared" childbirth involving relaxation and controlled breathing.
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| Miscarriage | The termination of a pregnancy before the fetus is viable, as a result of natural causes (not medical intervention).
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| Placenta (plah-SEN-tuh) | An organ formed on the wall of the uterus through which the fetus receives oxygen and nutrients and gets rid of waste products.
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| Postpartum depression | Mild to moderate depression in women following the birth of a baby.
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| Preeclampsia | A serious disease of pregnancy, marked by high blood pressure, severe edema, and proteinuria.
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| Primipara | A woman having her first baby.
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| Pseudocyesis | False pregnancy, in which the woman displays the signs of pregnancy but is not actually pregnant.
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| Second-stage labor | The stage during which the baby moves out through the vagina and is delivered.
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| Teratogen | A substance that produces defects in a fetus.
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| Third-stage labor | The stage during which the afterbirth is expelled.
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| Transition | The difficult part of labor at the end of the first stage, during which the cervix dilates from 8 to 10 centimeters (3 to 4 inches).
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| Umbilical cord | The tube that connects the fetus to the placenta.
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| Zygote | A fertilized egg.
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