Here are some medical words and what they mean. You may hear many of these words a lot when you're pregnant. You may want to print out this list and keep it handy during your pregnancy.

17P: See progesterone.

Alcohol (AL-kuh-hol): Beer, wine, wine coolers or liquor. These drinks are not safe to have during pregnancy.

Allergy (AL-er-jee): A reaction to something you touch, eat or breathe in that makes you sneeze, itch, get a rash, or have trouble breathing.

Amnio (AM-nee-oh): See amniocentesis.

Amniocentesis (am-nee-oh-sen-TEE-siss): A test that checks your amniotic fluid for birth defects, like problems with the baby's brain or spine. The test also checks for Down syndrome. You can get this test at 15 to 20 weeks of pregnancy. Also called amnio. For more information, read the fact sheet on this test.

Amniotic fluid (am-nee-OT-ik FLOO-id): The fluid that surrounds your baby in your uterus.

Bed rest (bed rest): Reducing your activities while you're pregnant. Bed rest may mean staying in bed all day or just resting a few times a day.

Bladder (BLAD-ur): Where your body holds urine.

Bloody show (BLUHD-ee shoh): Bleeding from your vagina. Bloody show is a sign that you are in labor. For more information, read the article about bleeding during pregnancy.

Breastfeed (BREST-feed): Feeding your baby milk that comes from your breasts. For more information, read the article about breastfeeding.

Breastmilk (BREST-milk): Milk that comes from your breasts. Breastmilk is the best food for a baby. For more information, read the article about breastfeeding.

Caffeine (kaf-EEN): A drug that is found in things like coffee, tea, sodas, chocolate and some medicines. For more information, read the article about caffeine during pregnancy.

Cerclage (sir-KLAHJ): A stitch that your provider puts in your cervix. The stitch may help keep your cervix closed so that the baby will not be born too early. For more information, read the article about cerclage.

Cervix (SUR-viks): Opening to the uterus that sits at the top of the vagina.

Cesarean birth (suh-ZAYR-ee-un burth): Also called c-section. Your baby is born through a cut that your doctor makes in your belly and uterus. Also called c-section. For more information, read the article about cesarean birth.

CF: See cystic fibrosis.

Childbirth classes (CHILD-burth KLASS-is): Classes where you and your partner learn about what happens during the birth of a baby. For more information, read the article about these classes.

Chorionic villus sampling (KOR-ee-on-ik VIL-us SAM-pling): Also called CVS. A test that checks for birth defects, like Down syndrome. You can get CVS at 10 to 12 weeks of pregnancy. For more information, read the fact sheet on this test.

Colostrum (kuh-LOSS-struhm): Liquid that comes out of your breast before your breastmilk comes in. It is clear and sticky. Your body starts making it during the last few months of pregnancy.

Constipation (KON-sti-pay-shun): When it's hard to have a bowel movement.

Contraction (kuhn-TRAK-shun): When the muscles of your uterus get tight and then relax.  Contractions help push your baby out of the uterus. For more information, read the article about contractions.

C-section (c-SEK-shun): See cesarean birth.

CVS: See chorionic villus sampling.

Cystic fibrosis (SIS-tik FYE-broh-siss): Also called CF. A disease that parents can pass on to their children that affects breathing and digestion. For more information, read the fact sheet on this disease.

Decaffeinated (dee-KAF-uh-nay-tid): Food or drinks that have had caffeine taken out of them. Many coffees, teas and sodas are decaffeinated.

Diabetes (dye-uh-BEE-teez): Having too much sugar in your blood. Too much sugar in your blood can damage organs in your body, including blood vessels, nerves, eyes and kidneys. For more information, read the fact sheet on this disease during pregnancy.

Dilate (dye-LAYT): Open up. Your cervix dilates (opens up) to let the baby out.

Down syndrome (down SIN-drohm): A disorder that includes a combination of birth defects, such as mental retardation, heart defects, certain facial features, and hearing and vision problems. For more info, read the fact sheet on this disorder.

Doula (DOO-luh): A person who has special training to help you handle labor.

Efface (i-FAYSS): Thin out. Your cervix effaces (thins out) to let your baby move out of your uterus into your vagina.

Epidural (ep-uh-DUR-uhl): Pain medicine that helps numb your lower body during labor. For more information, read the article about epidurals and labor pain.

Fetal fibronectin test (FEE-tul fi-broh-NEK-tin test): Also called fFN test. A test you may get if you have preterm labor. It checks to see how much ffN protein you have in your vagina.

fFN test: See fetal fibronectin test.

Folic acid (FOL-ik ASS-id): A special vitamin that can help protect your baby from some birth defects. Take a multivitamin pill with 400 micrograms of folic acid in it each day before pregnancy and during the first few weeks of pregnancy. For more information, read the fact sheet on folic acid.

Formula (FOR-myuh-luh): A milk product that you feed your baby instead of breastmilk.

Full term (ful turm): A pregnancy that lasts between 37 and 42 weeks.

Group B strep test (groop bee strep test): A prenatal test for Group B strep, an infection that can hurt your baby. The test is like the test you get for your Pap smear. For more information, read the fact sheet on Group B strep.

Health care provider (helth kair pruh-VYE-dur): Also called provider. The person who gives you medical care. Your provider could be a doctor, a nurse, a midwife, a nurse practitioner or another trained medical professional. To read more about providers who care for pregnant women, read the article about choosing a prenatal health care provider.

Heartburn (HART-burn): A burning feeling in your chest caused by stomach acid. For more information, read the article Heart Burn and Indigestion.

Hepatitis B (HEP-uh-tye-tis B): A disease caused by a virus that attacks the liver. Your baby will get a vaccination before he leaves the hospital so he won't get the disease.

High blood pressure (hye bluhd PRESH-ur): When the force of blood against the walls of the blood vessels is too high. For more information, read the article on high blood pressure and pregnancy.

Hormones (HOR-mohns): Chemicals made by the body.

Immune (i-MYOON): Being protected from an infection. If you're immune to an infection, it means you can't get the infection.

Induce labor (in-DOOS LAY-bur): When your provider gives you medicine to make you start labor. For more information, read the article Inducing Labor.

Infection (in-FEK-shun): A sickness you get from bad germs. Examples of infections are the flu, chickenpox,  measles and HIV.

IV: A needle with a small tube attached.

Limb buds (lim budz): The parts of a developing baby that become the arms and legs.

Maternity (muh-TUR-nuh-tee): Having to do with being pregnant or being a mother. For example, pregnant women wear maternity clothes.

Mercury (MUR-kyuh-ree): A metal that is often found in fish. Fish that have a lot mercury in them are swordfish, shark, king mackerel and tilefish. Don't eat these kinds of fish when you're pregnant. For more information, read the article about mercury.

Morning sickness (MOR-ning SIK-niss): Feeling sick to your stomach during the first few months of pregnancy. Even though it is called morning sickness, it can last all day. For more information, read the article about nausea during pregnancy.

Multivitamin (mul-tee-VYE-tuh-min): A pill that contains many vitamins. Vitamins (like vitamins B or C) help the body work and stay healthy.

Narcotic (nar-KOT-ik): A drug that changes how you feel pain. For more information, read the article about narcotics and labor pain.

Neural tube (NOOR-uhl toob): The part of a developing baby that becomes the brain and spinal cord. 

Newborn screening (NOO-born SKREE-ning): Medical tests your baby has before she leaves the hospital to check for certain problems in the blood and other parts of the body. For more information, read the article about newborn screening tests.

Nicotine (NIK-uh-teen): A drug that is found in cigarettes. Nicotine can be harmful to a developing baby.

Nurse practitioner (nurss PRAK-tish-uh-ner): A health care provider. To read more about providers who care for pregnant women, read the article about choosing a prenatal health care provider.

Over-the-counter (OH-ver thuh KOUN-ter): Medicine, like aspirin or cough syrup, that you can buy without a prescription.

Pasteurized (PASS-chur-ized): A food or drink that's been heated to kill bad germs. Milk and juice are often pasteurized.

Pediatrician (pee-dee-uh-TRI-shun): A doctor who has special training in taking care of babies and children.

Pelvic pressure (PEL-vik PRESH-ur): The feeling that your baby is pushing down inside you. Pelvic pressure is a sign of preterm labor.

Placenta (pluh-SEN-tuh): The placenta grows in your uterus and supplies the baby with food and oxygen through the umbilical cord.

Preconception checkup (PREE-kon-sep-shun CHEK-up): A medical checkup you get before you get pregnant.

Premature baby (pree-muh-CHOOR BAY-bee): A baby born too early, before 37 completed weeks of pregnancy.

Premature birth (pree-muh-CHOOR burth): Birth that happens too early, before 37 completed weeks of pregnancy. For more information, read the fact sheet.

Prenatal care (pree-NAY-tuhl kair): Medical care you get during pregnancy. For more information, read the article on prenatal care.

Prenatal tests (pree-NAY-tuhl testz): Tests that you and your baby get during pregnancy. They help your provider find out how you and your baby are doing.

Prenatal vitamins (pree-NAY-tuhl VYE-tuh-minz): Vitamins made for pregnant women.

Prescription (pree-SKRIP-shun): An order for medicine written by a health care provider.

Preterm labor (PREE-turm LAY-bur): Labor that happens too early, before 37 completed weeks of pregnancy. For more information, read the article about preterm labor.

Progesterone (proh-JES-tur-ohn): Also called 17P. 17P is a hormone that can help prevent preterm labor. If you've had preterm labor in the past, you may get 17P in a shot once a week, starting at about 16 weeks of pregnancy. For more information, read the article about progesterone treatment.

Provider: See health care provider.

Risk factor (risk FAK-tur): A known reason why something could go wrong. For example, smoking is a risk factor for having a premature baby. If you smoke, you're more likely than women who don't smoke to have a premature baby.

Safe sex (sayf seks): Using a condom to help make sure you don't get a sexually transmitted infection (STI), like HIV or herpes.

Secondhand smoke (SEK-uhnd-hand smohk): Smoke you breathe in from someone else's cigarette.

Sexually transmitted infection (SEK-shoo-uhl-lee transs-MIT-ted in-FEK-shun):  Also called STI. An infection you can get from having sex with someone who has the infection. Examples of STIs are HIV and herpes.

Spinal block (SPY-nuhl blok): A shot you get in your lower back that numbs your lower body. For more information, read the article about spinal block for labor pain.

STI: See sexually transmitted infection.

Toxoplasmosis (toks-oh-plaz-MOH-sis): An infection you can get from eating undercooked meat or touching cat poop. For more information, read the fact sheet about this infection.

Ultrasound (UHL-truh-sound): Uses sound waves to make a picture of your baby on a computer screen. For more information, read the fact sheet on this test.

Umbilical cord (uhm-BIL-uh-kuhl kord): The cord that connects the baby to the placenta. It carries food and oxygen from the placenta to the baby.

Uterus (YOO-tur-uhss): Also called the womb. Where your baby grows inside you. 

Vaccination (VAK-suh-nay-shun):  A shot that contains a vaccine. To learn more, read the articles about vaccinations and pregnancy and vaccinations for your baby.

Vaccine (VAK-seen): Medicine you or your baby gets that protects against certain diseases. To learn more, read the articles about vaccinations and pregnancy and vaccinations for your baby.

Vaginal birth (VAJ-uh-nuhl burth): Your uterus contracts to help push the baby out through your vagina. This is how most babies are born.

Vaginal birth after cesarean (VAJ-uh-nuhl burth AF-tur suh-ZAYR-ee-un): Also called VBAC. When you have a vaginal birth after already having a cesarean birth in an earlier pregnancy.

VBAC: See vaginal birth after cesarean.

Womb (womb): See uterus.

March 2007