HUMAN DEVELOPMENT KEY TERMS

Infertility

Subfertility (infertility) = inability to achieve a clinical pregnancy (conceive)

after 12 months of regular unprotected sexual intercourse

Primary Infertility = when a woman is unable to ever bear a child, either

due to the inability to become pregnant or the inability to carry a pregnancy to
a live birth. Includes miscarriages, ectopics, abortions and stillborns.

Secondary Infertility = when a woman is unable to bear a child (inability

to become pregnant or inability to carry a pregnancy to a live birth) following
a previous pregnancy.

Polycystic ovaries = > 12 follicles per ovary on ultrasound

Polycystic ovarian syndrome = hyperandrogenaemia + oligomenorrhoea +

polycystic ovaries

Intrauterine Growth Restriction

Fetal Growth Restriction (FGR/IUGR) = failure to achieve normal rate of

fetal growth (e.g from uteroplacental insufficiency or fetal infection)

Symmetric (primary) IUGR = all internal organs are reduced in size (20-25%
of cases)

Asymmetric (secondary) IUGR = head and brain are normal size, but the
abdomen is smaller

Symphysis-fundal height = measurement from the top of the uterine fundus

to the top of the symphysis pubis using a tape measure. The height in cm
roughly corresponds to the gestational age in weeks.

Small-for-gestational-age = baby which weighs less than the 10th centile for
the appropriate gestation at birth

Eclampsia = a condition in which one or more convulsions occur in a pregnant

woman suffering from high blood pressure, often followed by coma. A threat to
the health of mother and baby.

Pre-eclampsia = when a pregnant woman has high blood pressure and

proteinuria, usually occurring at any point after week 20. Occurs in 5-8% of
women.

Pregnancy / Labour

Primigravida = woman with pregnancy

Multigravida = woman with one or more previous pregnancies

Foetal macrosomia = birth weight greater than 4000g or than 90% centile for
gestational age

Polyhydramnios = excess of amniotic fluid in the amniotic sac

Ventouse = a vacuum extractor that attaches to the babys head and helps
with delivery

Cardiotocography = a technical means of recording foetal heartbeat and

uterine contractions during pregnancy

Type 2 dips = late decelerations in foetal heart rate which persist after the
contraction

Meconium = the early faeces (stool) passed by a newborn soon after birth

Asphyxia = pulseless with the tissue suffering hypoxaemia and ischaemia

Antepartum = before labour (early < 24 wk, late > 24 wk)

Intrapartum = in labour

Postpartum = from delivery of foetus to 6 wk later

Miscarriage = foetus dies or is delivered dead < 24 weeks

Recurrent miscarriage = 3+ consecutive miscarriages

Cervical incompetence = cervix fails to retain the pregnancy

Ectopic pregnancy = embryo implants outside the uterine cavity

Infancy

Faltering growth = suboptimal weight gain in infants and toddlers.

Gastroenteritis = inflammation of the digestive tract that results in vomiting,

diarrhoea, or both, and is sometimes accompanied by fever or abdominal
cramps

Puerperium = time from delivery until 6 weeks

Medium Chain Acyl-CoA Dehydrogenase Deficiency (MCADD) = disorder

of fatty acid oxidation which can closely mimic that of sudden infant death
syndrome.
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome = sudden and unexpected death of an
infant or young child for which no adequate cause is found after a thorough
post-mortem examination.