Umbilical Cord

Fertiliz ation Also called conception, the union of a sperm and egg

Zygote What the united sperm and egg are called

Blastocyst A hollow sphere of cells

Implantation The attaching of the blastocyst to the uterus wall

Embryo What it is called after implantation

Missed menstrual period is first indication, blood or Pregnancy Testing Urine test done to confirm

The attachment that holds the embryo to the wall Placenta of the uterus

The cordlike structure that connects the embryo Umbilical Cord to the placenta

Amniotic Sac The developing embryo is enclosed in this bag of thin tissue

Amniotic Fluid The embryo floats in this fluid in the amniotic sac, it acts as a shock absorber and keeps the temperature constant

Fetus Name given to the developing embryo from the end of the second month of pregnancy until birth

Morning Sickness Attacks of nausea and sometimes vomiting that a pregnant woman may feel Fetal Alcohol Is mental retardation caused by alcohol use, which Syndrome damages the fetus’s brain cells

Prenatal Care Medical care during pregnancy

Obstetrician A doctor specialized in pregnancy and childbirth

Trimesters A pregnancy is divided into three periods

Involves the removal or a small amount of amniotic Amniocentesis fluid from around the fetus

Chorionic villus sampling Doctor removes a small piece of the placenta

Ultrasound High frequency sound waves that are used to make a picture of the developing fetus Labo r The work of pushing the fetus out

Delivery The actual birth of the baby, during which the baby is pushed out through the cervix and vagina

Afterbirth The third stage of labor when the placenta is delivered

Gestational Diabetes Diabetes that develops in pregnant women, marked by high blood sugar levels

Preeclampsia Also called toxemia, characterized by high blood pressure, swelling of wrists and ankles, and high protein in urine When the blastocyst forms and implants in the Ectopic Pregnancy fallopian tube or elsewhere in the abdomen, it results in the death of the embryo and surgery is required Miscarriage Expulsion of a dead zygote, blastocyst, embryo, or Fetus from the uterus – usual cause is a genetic defect

Stillbirth The birth of a dead, full-term fetus

Cesarean Section Is a surgical method of birth

Premature Birth Delivery of a live fetus before it is ready to be born

Lowbirth weight A newborn that weighs less than 5.5 pounds

Identical Twins Develop from the same fertilized egg or zygote, have identical inherited traits and are the same sex

Fraternal Twins Develop when two eggs are released from the ovary and are fertilized by two sperm

Postpartum Begins with delivery and lasts about six weeks. It is a Depression period of adjustment for the parents and their newborn