female gonads
female sex organs that produce the egg cells; ovaries
ovum
the female sex cell
gestation
the period of development within the uterus; pregnancy; the period during which an embryo develops (about 266 days in humans)
neonatology
the study of the care and treatment of the newborn
cul-de-sac
region in abdominal cavity midway between uterus and rectum
episiotomy
an incision through the skin of the perineum enlarges the vaginal orifice for delivery; the incision is repaired by perineorrhaphy
vulva
external female genitalia; includes the labia, hymen, clitoris, and the vaginal orifice
labia majora
the outer lips of the vagina; two large hair-covered skin folds which extend backwards from the mons pubis
ovarian follicle
thousands of small sacs within each ovary containing an ovum; developing sac enclosing each ovum within the ovary; only about 400 of these sacs mature in a woman's lifetime
corpus luteum
'yellow body'; the remnants of an ovarian follicle after ovulation has occurred; the cells enlarge and begin secreting progesterone, the dominant female hormone during the second half of the menstrual cycle; some estrogen is also secreted
adnexa uteri
accessory structures; made up of the fallopian tubes, ovaries, and supporting ligaments
fimbriae
finger- or fringe-like projections at the end of the fallopian tubes; their role is to catch the mature ovum when it leaves the ovary
uterus
hollow, pear-shaped muscular female organ in which the embryo and fetus develop, and from which menstruation occurs; the upper portion is the fundus; the middle portion is the corpus; and the lowermost neck-like portion is the cervix
fundus
rounded upper portion of the uterus; (anatomy) the base of a hollow organ or that part farthest from its opening
cervix
the narrow, lowermost portion of the uterus; Latin "neck
lactiferous ducts
milk-carrying tubes within breast; milk ducts which carry milk from the mammary glands to the nipple
sinuses
cavities; help lactiferous ducts carry milk to the nipple
areola
dark, pigmented area around the mammary papilla (surrounding the breast nipple)
menarche
beginning of the first menstrual period (menses); occurs at the time of puberty
placenta
a vascular organ that develops in the uterine wall during pregnancy; it serves as a communication between maternal and fetal bloodstreams
amniotic fluid
fluid contained within the amniotic sac surrounding the fetus
human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG)
used in urine pregnancy test kits, presence or absence confirms or denies pregnancy; this hormone stimulates the corpus luteum to continue producing hormones until about the third month of pregnancy, when the placenta takes over the endocrine function and
follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)
secreted by the pituitary gland to stimulate maturation of the egg cell (ovum); in the female, stimulates the secretion of estrogen and the growth of ova (eggs); in the male, stimulates the production of sperm
estrogen
hormone produced by the ovaries; promotes female secondary sex characteristics
perineum
in females, the area between the anus and the vagina
progesterone
hormone produced by the corpus luteum in the ovary and the placenta of pregnant women; this hormone stimulates the building up of the lining of the uterus in anticipation of fertilization of the egg and pregnancy
gynecomastia
female-like breast enlargement in a male
bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy
total hysterectomy with removal or excision of both ovaries and the fallopian tubes; surgery in which both ovaries are removed, along with the fallopian tubes
metrorrhagia
bleeding between menses/menstruations; possible causes include ectopic pregnancy, cervical polyps, and ovarian and uterine tumors;
menopause
gradual ending of menstruations; when all of the ova are used up and secretion of estrogen from the ovaries lessens; premature would be before age 45, delayed occurs after 55
-gravida
pregnant; can be used to designate a pregnant woman, often followed by a number to indicate the number of pregnancies
luteinizing hormone (LH)
hormone produced by the pituitary gland, secreted after the onset of menstruation; promotes ovulation
cephalic presentation
crowning" of the fetus during delivery from the vaginal (birth) canal; parturition (act of giving birth) in which any part of the head emerges first; most common presentation
cephalic version
procedure for turning the fetus so that its head is the presenting part to enter the birth canal first
cervicitis
inflammation of the cervix; can become chronic because the lining of the cervix is not renewed each month as is the uterine lining during menstruation; can be caused by Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae; acute: marked by cervical erosions or
endometriosis
endometrial tissue located outside the uterus; endometrial tissue found in ovaries, fallopian tubes , supporting ligaments or small intestine causes inflammation and scar tissue, with dysmenorrhea, pelvic pain, infertility, and dyspareunia (painful interc
pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)
inflammation and infection of organs in the pelvic region; salpingitis, oophoritis, endometritis, endocervicitis; leading causes are bacterial infections such as gonorrhea and chlamydial infection; repetitive episodes lead to formation of adhesions and sc
mastectomy
removal (excision) of a breast; surgical removal of a breast to remove a malignant tumor
alpha-fetoprotein (AFP)
high levels in amniotic fluid of fetus or maternal serum indicate increased risk of neurologic birth defects in the infant; an abnormally large amount of this fetoprotein in the fetus can signal an abnormality of the neural tube (as spina bifida or anence
fibrocystic disease
Numerous small sacs of fibrous connective tissue and fluid in the breast; women with this common benign condition notice a nodular (lumpy) consistency of the breast, often associated with premenstrual tenderness and fullness; mammography and surgical biop
abruptio placentae
premature separation of the implanted placenta; occurs because of trauma, such as a fall, or secondary to vascular insufficiency resulting from hypertension or preeclampsia; signs and symptoms of acute abruption include sudden searing (burning) abdominal
placenta previa
implantation of the placenta over the cervical opening or in the lower region of the uterus; this condition can result in less oxygen supply to the fetus and increased risk of hemorrhage and infection for the mother; maternal signs and symptoms include pa
preeclampsia
abnormal condition associated with pregnancy, marked by high blood pressure, proteinuria, edema, and headache; when mild it can be managed by bed rest and close monitoring of blood pressure; if severe women need treatment with medications such as magnesiu
hyaline membrane disease
acute lung disease commonly seen in the premature newborn; also called respiratory distress syndrome of the newborn (RDS), caused by deficiency of surfactant, a protein necessary for proper lung function; surfactant can be administered to the newborn to c
hydrocephalus
accumulation of fluid in the spaces of the brain; in an infant, entire head can enlarge because the bones of the skull do not completely fuse together at birth; infants normally have a soft spot (fontanelle) between the cranial bones that allows for some
pelvic exenteration
removal of internal organs within a cavity; removal of the organs and adjacent structures of the pelvis
conization
removal of a cone-shaped section (cone biopsy) of the cervix; physician resects the tissue using a LEEP (loop electrocautery excision procedure), or with a carbon dioxide laser or surgical knife
dilation (dilatation) and curettage, D & C
widening of the cervix and scraping off the endometrial lining of the uterus to obtain a uterine wall sample; dilation is accomplished by inserting a series of probes of increasing size; a curet (metal loop at the end of a long, thin handle) is then used
chorionic villus sampling
sampling of placental tissues (chorionic villi) for prenatal diagnosis; the sample of tissue is removed with a catheter inserted into the uterus; procedure can be performed earlier than amniocentesis, at about 9 to 12 weeks of gestation
Para (example: pg 288)
a woman's reproductive history: 2-0-1-2, 2 full-term infants, 0 preterm, 1 abortion, and 2 living children
flagellum
hair-like projection on a sperm cell that makes it motile (able to move) and makes it look somewhat like a tadpole
fraternal twins
two infants born of the same pregnancy from two separate egg cells fertilized by two different sperm cells
identical twins
two infants resulting from division of one fertilized egg into two distinct embryos; conjoined twins are incompletely separated identical twins
testosterone
hormone secreted by the interstitial tissue of the testes; responsible for male sex characteristics
male gonads (testes)
testicles; that produces spermatozoa and the hormone testosterone; develop in the abdomen at about the level of the kidneys before descending during embryonic development into the scrotum
scrotum
external sac that contains the testes and associated structures
seminiferous tubules
narrow, coiled tubules that produce sperm in the testes; these are in the interior of a testis and are composed of a large mass of narrow, coiled tubules that contain cells that manufacture spermatozoa
interstitial cells
in the testes, these cells lie between the seminiferous tubules and produce testosterone
parenchymal tissue
the essential distinctive cells of an organ; in the testis, the seminiferous tubules that produce sperm; functional essential tissue of an organ
stroma (stromal tissue)
supportive, connective tissue of an organ, as distinguished from its parenchyma; organs contain supportive, connective, and framework tissue, such as blood vessels, connective tissues, and sometimes muscles as well
vas deferens
narrow tube (one on each side) that carries sperm from the epididymis into the body and tward the urethra; also called ductus deferens
semen
spermatozoa (sperm cells) and seminal fluid, prostatic and seminal vesicle secretions; fluid discharged at ejaculation; secretions from the prostate gland, seminal vesicles, and bulbourethral glands
prostate gland
exocrine gland at the base of the male urinary bladder; it secretes the fluid part of semen into the urethra during ejaculation
prepuce
foreskin; fold of skin covering the tip of the penis
bulbourethral glands
a pair of exocrine glands near the male urethra; they secrete fluid into the urethra; also called Cowper glands
androgen
hormone that stimulates development of male secondary sex characteristics, such as beard growth and deepening of voice
balanitis
inflammation of the glans penis; usually caused by overgrowth of organisms, yeast and bacteria
cryogenic surgery
technique for prostate cancer treatment using freezing temperatures to destroy cancer cells; use of extremely cold temperatures to freeze or destroy tissue
cryptorchism
congenital condition in which one or both testicles do not descend, by the time of birth, into the scrotal sac from the abdominal cavity; one or both testes fail to descend from the abdomen in the scrotal sac near the time of birth
epididymitis
inflammation of an epididymis; usually caused by bacteria; symptoms are fever, chills, pain in the groin, and tender, swollen epididymis
orchiectomy
removal, excision, of a testis; castration in males
azoospermia
lack of live spermatozoa in the semen; causes include testicular dysfunction, chemotherapy, blockage of the epididymis, and vasectomy
orchitis
inflammation of a testis; caused by injury or by the mumps virus, which also infects the salivary glands
prostatitis
inflammation of the prostate gland; bacterial (e. coli) prostatitis often is associated with urethritis and infection of the lower urinary tract
spermolytic
pertaining to destruction of sperm cells
orchiopexy
surgical fixation of an undescended testis in the scrotum; a surgical procedure to correct cryptorchidism
vasovasostomy
new opening (anastomosis) of the ends of a severed vas deferens; reversal of vasectomy; a urologist rejoins the cut ends of the vas deferens
seminoma
malignant tumor within a testis; most common tumor of testes that arises from embryonic cells in the testes; pale, homogeneous mass
teratoma
malignant tumor of a testis or ovary; composed of embryonic cells that develop into different types of tissue; usually a benign tumor occurring in the testes or ovaries composed of different types of tissue, such as bone, hair, cartilage, and skin cells;
testicular torsion
twisting of the spermatic cord and blood vessels of the testes; the rotation of the spermatic cord cuts off blood supply to the testis; torsion occurs most frequently in the first year of life and during puberty; surgical correction within hours of onset
hydrocele
sac of clear fluid in the scrotum; may be congenital or occur as a response to infection or tumors; often idiopathic, can be differentiated from testicular masses by ultrasound; if it doesn't resolve on its own sac fluid is aspirated or hydrocelectomy may
prostate-specific antigen (PSA)
a protein that is secreted by tumor cells into the bloodstream; PSA levels are elevated in prostate cancer patients even at an early stage of tumor growth; normal level is 4.0 ng/mL or less
circumcision
surgical removal of the foreskin (prepuce) surrounding the end of the penis
perineum
external region between the anus and scrotum in the male
GreenLight PVP
procedure uses a green light laser at the end of an endoscope; removal of tissue to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) using a green light laser (laser TURP); minimally invasive procedure in selected cases replaces TURP for treatment of BPh
hypospadias
congenital anomaly in which the opening of the urethra is on the underside of the penis
phimosis
narrowing (stricture) of the opening of the prepuce over the glans penis
sexually transmitted diseases (STDs)
infections transmitted by sexual or other genital contact; occur in both men and women and are some of the most prevalent communicable diseases in the world
chlamydial infection (Chlamydia)
bacterial invasion of the urethra and reproductive tract; within 3 weeks men may experience a burning sensation on urination and notice a white or clear discharge from the penis; infected women may notice a yellowish vaginal discharge but often the diseas
gonorrhea
inflammation of the genital tract mucosa, caused by infection with gonococci (berry shape bacteria); purulent pus discharge from the male urethra; many women are asymptomatic
purulent
pus-filled
herpes genitalis
an infection caused by herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) that is usually transmitted by sexual contact
syphilis
chronic STD caused by a spirochete (spiral-shaped bacterium); sexually transmitted infection caused by a spirochete, which may involve any organ or tissue over time; usually manifests first on the skin with the appearance of small, painless red papules th
semen analysis
microscopic examination of ejaculated fluid, the study of semen, including a sperm count with observation of form and motility; usually performed to rule out male infertility
vasectomy
surgical procedure that removes all or part of the vas deferens (usually as a means of sterilization)
varicocele
dilatation of the veins associated with the spermatic cord in the testes
BPH
benign prostatic hyperplasia/hypertrophy, enlarged prostate
TURP
removal of significant amounts of prostate tissue (as in cases of benign prostatic hyperplasia), transurethral resection of the prostate gland
DRE
Digital Rectal Exam: Insertion of a finger into the male rectum to palpate the rectum and prostate
GU
of or related to the genital and urinary organs or their functions, genitourinary