disease - trimester, trisomy

Coronary Artery Disease

trimester - A typical pregnancy is 9 months long. Pregnancy is divided into three time periods, or trimesters, that are each about three months in duration - the first, second, and third trimesters.

triple screen - blood test that indicates if there’s an increased risk of a birth defect, or a condition like Down Syndrome, in the fetus. This test can also show twins.

trisomy 18 - A condition in which a baby is conceived with three copies instead of the normal two copies of chromosome #18. Children with this condition have multiple malformations and mental retardation due to the extra chromosome #18. Some of the problems include: low birth weight, small head, small jaw, malformations of the heart and kidneys, clenched fists with abnormal finger positioning, and malformed feet. The mental retardation is severe. Ninety five percent of children with this condition die before their first birthday.

ultrasound - a painless, harmless test that uses sound waves to produce images of the organs and structures of the body on a screen. Also called sonography.

umbilical cord - connected to the placenta and provides the transfer of nutrients and waste between the woman and the fetus.

urethra - the tube that releases urine from the body.

urinalysis - a test that looks at urine to find out its content. Can be used to detect some types of diseases.

urinary tract infection - an infection anywhere in the urinary tract, or organs that collect and store urine and release it from your body (the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra). An infection occurs when microorganisms, usually bacteria from the digestive tract, cling to the urethra and begin to multiply.

uterine contractions - During the birthing process, a woman's uterus tightens, or contracts. Contractions can be strong and regular (meaning that they can happen every 5 minutes, every 3 minutes, and so on) during labor until the baby is delivered. Women can have contractions before labor starts; these are not regular and do not progress, or increase in intensity or duration.

uterine fibroids - common, benign tumors that grow in the muscle of the uterus, or womb. Fibroids often cause no symptoms and need no treatment, and they usually shrink after menopause. But sometimes fibroids cause heavy bleeding or pain, and require treatment.

uterus - a woman's womb, or the hollow, pear-shaped organ located in a woman's lower abdomen between the bladder and the rectum.

vaccine - medicine that protects the body from the disease.

vagina - The muscular canal that extends from the cervix to the outside of the body. Its walls are lined with mucus membranes and tiny glands that make vaginal secretions.

viruses - small microscopic organisms that often cause disease.

voyeurism - looking at sexual acts or naked people, often without their knowledge.

vulva - opening to the vagina.

wheezing - breathing with difficulty, with a whistling noise. Wheezing is a symptom of asthma.

yeast infections - a common infection in women caused by an overgrowth of the fungus Candida. It is normal to have some yeast in your vagina, but sometimes it can overgrow because of hormonal changes in your body, such as during pregnancy, or from taking certain medications, such as antibiotics. Symptoms include itching, burning, and irritation of the vagina; pain when urinating or with intercourse; and cottage cheese-looking vaginal discharge.