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Deceleration: referring to a decrease in the fetal heart rate noted during monitoring; different types include early, late and variable.

Deep venous thrombosis (DVT): a clot that is usually in the leg causing symptoms of pain, redness and swelling; common causes are in pregnancy or contraceptive use with an underlying clotting disorder, trauma, and cancer; this is an emergency and should be evaluated as soon as possible.

Dermoid cyst or teratoma of the ovary: a cyst that is usually solid and benign, can contain hair, teeth or bone and is kind-of gross! They can be managed with observation, but if symptomatic or large they should be removed and about 10% of the time they are found on both ovaries!

Depo-Provera: an injection that is given every 3 months as birth control or sometimes given to control abnormal uterine bleeding; it CAN indeed cause weight gain so use caution.

DHA: or docosahexaenoic acid, a very important Omega-3 fatty acid that is known to help with the development of the fetal brain and nervous system so I do recommend my pregnant patients to take at least 200mg daily found in most prenatal vitamins, and should continue even in the postpartum period while lactating; women can also find this important fatty acid in foods such as fish (salmon and tuna) and even eggs!

Diabetes: a very common disease that affects 100 million Americans according to the CDC, lifestyle changes such as diet, exercise, and weight loss can decrease your risk or even help you cure diabetes; prediabetes or borderline diabetes is when blood sugar levels don't meet criteria for diabetes but if not treated it can progress to the disease within 5 years.

Diastasis recti: this is the condition to describe when your abdominal muscles separate usually during pregnancy and after you deliver you continue to have that "pooch" that just won't go away; crunches usually don't make it better but going to a physical therapist who specialists in this condition could help and of course surgery but that isn't always the only option mujeres!

Dilation and curettage (D&C): it is a procedure performed to empty the uterine contents during a miscarriage or remove extra tissue in a uterus when a non-pregnant woman has abnormal uterine bleeding.

Donor egg: this refers to an egg that is donated by usually a younger woman and is subsequently fertilized by sperm during in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles when infertility in a couple is due to female factor such as poor egg quality or numbers .

Down syndrome: a genetic condition when chromosome number 21 has three copies instead of only two; risk of having a baby with this syndrome increases with your age, genetic testing can be done such as a nuchal translucency/first trimester screen and/or NIPT to check the risk of your baby; amniocentesis can be recommended if these screening tests are abnormal but it is usually not the first line test.

Dysmenorrhea: the medical term for painful menstrual cycles.

Dyspareunia: pain with intercourse that can be caused by a variety of issues.

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Eclampsia: when a woman has the disease pre-eclampsia along with seizures; prevention is usually a magnesium sulfate IV drip.

Ectopic pregnancy: this is a condition where an embryo implants in any other location other than inside the uterine cavity; this can be a life-threatening emergency because as it grows in the area where it implants, such as a tube or ovary, it can rupture and can lead to massive blood loss; please mujeres, if you are early pregnant and have bleeding, pain or any other concerning symptoms see your doctor to rule this condition out, it could save your life!

Episiotomy: an incision at the vaginal opening including the perineum, that is made by your delivering provider to allow more room for the delivering head of your baby; honestly mujeres this is old school and I don't routinely perform these nor do most OBGYNs now so don't worry.

Endometrial ablation: a cautery or burning of the uterine lining to destroy the tissue and help minimize heavy flow during periods; everyone is not a candidate so don't jump on the "Period-free Train" until you know if you meet criteria for this procedure.

Endometrial biopsy (EMB): a biopsy performed to check the cells inside the uterus and to rule out uterine hyperplasia/precancerous cells or cancerous cells; usually performed for mujeres with abnormal uterine bleeding, abnormal discharge or changes in cycles, the procedure takes 2-3 minutes and it does hurt some women so taking ibuprofen or Tylenol before the procedure can reduce pain and cramping.

Endometrial carcinoma: this cancer mainly affects post-menopausal women, it can usually be found early because the number one symptom is postmenopausal bleeding, there are more than 600,000 endometrial cancer survivors in the United States today.

Endometrial polyp: a common growth found in the uterus that can cause abnormal uterine bleeding and can be removed easily via hysteroscopy.

Endometriosis: a chronic gynecological condition that occurs in between 6-10% of reproductive age women, the definitive diagnosis can only can be made by histology of lesions removed at surgery; there is a variety of treatments, medical versus surgical, and there’s even a newer oral medication that appears to be promising but long-term effects are unknown at this time.

Endometrium: the lining of the uterus.

Estrogen: a female hormone produced in the ovaries that stimulates the growth of the lining of the uterus.

Endometrial hyperplasia: precancerous cells of the endometrium; there are four different types of hyperplasia, ranging from simple without atypia (cell changes), simple with atypia, complex without atypia and complex with atypia; if not treated it can progress to endometrial cancer.

Essure procedure: a procedure that involved insertion a metal coil into the tubes to cause occlusion or blocking of the tube to prevent pregnancy; it was taken off the market in 2018 due to several reported complications, but I personally saw many patients do well with it and not have complications but I have seen patients who did have issues as well.

Estimated due date (EDD): this is usually based on the first day of your last menstrual period or if unsure by an early ultrasound, your EDD will hardly ever be changed during your pregnancy and this is the date when you hit the 40 week mark of pregnancy which is actually 10 months so I’m not sure why everyone says 9 months but it is real is 10!

Evening primrose oil: it is a therapy for breast pain or mastalgia, it is recommended to take up to 3 grams per day, common side effects include nausea, stool softening and indigestion.

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Factor V Leiden mutation: an inherited thrombophilia that can cause blood clots, if you have this condition your risk of clots can be increased with hormonal birth control or pregnancy.

Foremilk/Hindmilk: foremilk is the more watery milk that comes out first during a feed followed by the thicker and fattier hindmilk; you can notice more green and watery stools if babies are only taking in foremilk so make sure your feed or pump time is sufficient so baby gets the good fatty stuff!

Fetal fibronectin testing (FFN): this is a test used to determine if a pregnant mujer has a risk of delivering preterm; a swab is used to collect cervical secretions and it is run in a lab to see if the secretions contain the protein fibronectin which helps to keep the amniotic sac "glued" to the uterus, if it does that means you are at risk for delivering early, recent intercourse or blood could give you a false-positive test.

Fetal lung maturity: this is a term used for when a baby has reached a certain gestational age and the lungs are mature enough to breathe on his own; we know from studies that babies are considered full term after 37 weeks gestation but we can be more certain that fetal lung maturity is best after 39 weeks gestation; steroids given to the mom can help maturity if baby is at risk of preterm delivery or <36 weeks.

Fever: how high is a true fever? Most physicians consider 100.4F to be a true fever.

Fibroid (myoma): term for a usually benign growth in the muscle layer of the uterus that occur in up to 80% of women, more commonly if you have a family history or are African-American, these are those pesky things that cause a lot of female problems but thankfully there are a lot of different options for treatment.

Folate or folic acid: the daily requirement starting at least three months before pregnancy is at least 400mcg but most prenatal vitamins have more, this is to prevent a neural tube defect and if you have had a pregnancy affected by a neural tube defect you should take at least 4mg per day.

Foley catheter: a drain that is placed inside your bladder to empty it usually during labor if you have an epidural, during a cesarean delivery or after a major gynecological procedure, it usually can be removed easily without difficulty.

Forceps assisted operative delivery: they are a special instrument that goes on the sides of a baby’s head, used in the emergent case of needing to deliver a fetus as soon as possible usually due to fetal heart decelerations and/or maternal exhaustion; if performed by a highly skilled and trained OB they can help avoid cesarean delivery or other complications to a baby and mom, I personally love them!

Fundus: funny name but you may hear it during your pregnancy and it refers to the top portion of your uterus, when your OB/GYN measures your uterus during your office visits it is the measurement is from your pubic bone to the fundus and usually correlates with your weeks of pregnancy; it is also the portion of your uterus that will be massaged after birth to prevent bleeding, I know we all remember that! Ouch!

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Gastroschisis: it is a congenital anomaly where the anterior abdominal wall doesn't close during fetal development and the intestines are protruding out of the body at birth, it can be detected on ultrasound before delivery and it can be corrected with surgery in the first week of life.

Genetic diseases and testing: I am big on genetic testing because if I can prevent a mujer from getting cancer due to knowing her risk then I have potentially saved a life; testing can be done via blood to determine if your DNA includes a gene that increases your risk.

Genital warts: are lesions that can be found in the genital area that are usually caused by low-risk HPV types transmitted via sexual intercourse and are flesh-colored and do not cause pain; they can be treated or removed with TCA which is an acid treatment applied by your provider, a freezing method or a topical method you apply called Aldara.

Gestational diabetes: a condition diagnosed during pregnancy usually between 24- 28 weeks of pregnancy via a 1 hour glucose tolerance test, if elevated the patient usually has to do a 3 hour confirmatory test; patients can have risk factors but it is ultimately a disease caused by the placenta; much more on this common condition in pregnancy in the blog!

Gestational thrombocytopenia: a condition that occurs in about 8% of pregnancy, usually no symptoms and platelets levels usually dip to <150,000, if they decline a lot lower then sometimes you can't get an epidural during labor; platelet levels are usually normal again within three months after delivery.

Gonorrhea: a common sexually transmitted infection (STI) that is transmitted via sexual intercourse only, it can live in your bladder and throat as well, can be treated with antibiotics but if you get it once, don't have sex with that partner again until they are treated! Just because it is curable though doesn't mean it can't have future consequences especially if it moves to your fallopian tubes, it can make you infertile. Be careful!

Group B Strep: a naturally occurring bacteria in the vagina or rectum that about 30% of women carry and cause no symptoms, it mom is a carrier it can pass to the baby during labor and cause infection, pneumonia or other life-threatening conditions, therefore, IV antibiotics (usually penicillin) is given to prevent that transmission, we will screen every pregnant woman around 36 weeks of pregnancy, don't freak out though if you are positive! More in the blog!

Gynecology-Oncology: this is a specialty of Gynecology that requires 4 extra years of training after residency and are surgeons that specialize in the management and treatment of gynecological cancers; sometimes if a patient has a more complicated condition that requires surgery, they can be sent to these physicians for their expertise (shout out to Dr. Wingo xoxo).

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HELLP Syndrome: named for three features in a rare disease in pregnancy: Hemolysis, Elevated liver enzymes, and Low platelets. usually on the spectrum of pre-eclampsia but a more life-threatening condition; treatment usually requires delivery of the baby and then management of the mom's symptoms and blood disorders

Hepatitis B: can be transmitted via sexual intercourse or sharing needles, most people are vaccinated against this virus during their lifetime, but if a mom has infection during her pregnancy, she and the baby can be treated at delivery to decrease transmission to the baby; there is no contraindication to breastfeeding for moms that have Hepatitis B

Hepatitis C: can be transmitted via sexual intercourse or sharing needles, there are new treatments for the cure of Hepatitis C; the risk of transmission to the fetus occurs during labor and is less than 10%; there is no contraindication to breastfeed for moms that have Hepatitis C.

Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV): about 45 million American adults are infected but only 5-15% report recognition of infection; transmission to the fetus can be life-threatening so if you have an active infection or prodromal symptoms such as vulvar burning or pain during labor, it is recommended to have a cesarean delivery; women who have a history of genital herpes will be given suppression starting at 36 weeks to decrease the risk of active infection at time of delivery; much more on posts in blog!

Hirsutism: a condition when hair grows in a male type distribution on the face, chin, sideburns, around the areola, lower abdomen, and inner thighs, can be seen in conditions such as PCOS or other conditions that can increase androgens.

Hormone: a substance made in the body that controls the function of cells or organs.

Hormone therapy: no longer called hormone replacement therapy, most commonly used for peri-menopausal or menopause women in the treatment of hot flashes, night sweats, low libido, mood swings, etc; traditionally increases estrogen or estrogen and progesterone if a woman still has an intact uterus, of course, there are risks vs benefits and your personal history will help determine if they are right for you; so much more information in the blog!

Hot flashes: usually experienced by peri-menopausal or menopausal women and described as a sensation of heat, sweating, flushing, dizziness, palpitations, irritability and/or panic, usually treated with hormone therapy or over the counter medications that mimic estrogen, they usually last 1-5 years but may last up to 15 years (sorry ladies I know you don’t want to hear this!)

Human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) level: the hormone of pregnancy that is detected in a urine or blood test to determine if you are pregnant or not, urine tests can detect levels as low as 25 and these levels are sometimes monitored if the viability or location of the pregnancy is unknown.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV): it is the virus that can lead to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome or AIDS if not treated. Unlike some other viruses, the human body can’t get rid of HIV completely, even with treatment. So once you get HIV, you have it for life; condoms can help reduce your risk a lot but also pre- and post-exposure prophylaxis which are anti-viral medications that can be taken before or after intercourse to minimize your risk.

Human papillomavirus (HPV): about 80 million people in America are infected with this virus, there are several different types including low-risk which can cause genital warts and high-risk which can cause cervical dysplasia/cell changes on Pap smears or even cervical cancer if not treated but vaccines against the virus have shown promise and should be administered for prevention or even if you already have HPV; expect a lot of posts regarding this darn virus!

Hydrocephalus: an anomaly that can be detected in utero where there is an overproduction of cerebrospinal fluid around the brain and can cause damage to the brain; women most likely will have a cesarean delivery if their baby has this condition due to difficulty with delivering vaginally.

Hyperprolactinemia: an increase in prolactin levels, can cause anovulation, amenorrhea, galactorrhea, and infertility; most common cause of elevated prolactin are due to prolactinomas which are tumors of the pituitary gland.

Hypertension: this can be a silent killer for women, just because you don't feel bad that doesn't mean your organs aren't feeling it; according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute a new guideline now defines high blood pressure to be anyone with a systolic blood pressure (SBP) ≥ 130 mm Hg or diastolic blood pressure (DBP) ≥ 80 mm Hg; please take it serious mujer!

Hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD): recurrent or persistent deficiency or absence of sexual fantasies and thoughts as well as a lack of receptivity to sexual activity that causes personal distress.

Hysterectomy: a common procedure performed for a variety of gynecological conditions, now with advancing technology though this is usually the last option for a lot of women, it can be done vaginally, laparoscopically, robotic-assisted or abdominally; please refer to it as a hysterectomy with removal of ovaries or without removal of ovaries, most Gynecologists don't use the terms total or partial :)

Hysterosalpingogram (HSG): a procedure performed to check the patency of your tubes and evaluate your uterine cavity, commonly done with an infertility workup; involves a speculum being placed and dye is inserted into your cervix while x-rays are taken in real-time; it can be painful.

Hysteroscopy: a very common procedure that involves placing a camera to look inside your uterus and can help with diagnosis of abnormal uterine bleeding or be therapeutic by using an extra instrument to remove a polyp or fibroid within your cavity; can be done with local anesthesia or sedation in the office or as an outpatient procedure at the hospital depending on your risk factors.

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Incompetent cervix: a condition defined as the weakening of a cervix during pregnancy that can cause woman to delivery prematurely and is usually painless; if you have a history of this then your cervix can be monitored during your next pregnancy early on and you can even have a cerclage placed to help strengthen the cervix and possibly prevent another premature delivery.

Incontinence, urinary: term for losing urine or peeing in your panties involuntarily, can be due to stress from things like coughing, sneezing and jumping, or urgency which is usually when a woman loses urine if you don’t make it to the bathroom on time or sometimes you can have a mix of the two (great!); ladies this is common but not normal and there are options for treatment that don’t just include Kegel exercises, don’t be embarrassed and let your doctor know if you are experiencing symptoms!

Induction or augmentation of labor: when you are given medication either vaginally, orally or in your IV or a combination of all to start contractions to help "induce" or "augment" labor; this can be done if you are passing your estimated due date or if it is medically indicated, you and your doctor can decide together if this is the correct approach for you; I was given pitocin with two of my deliveries and everything went fine!

Influenza: a contagious respiratory illness with two types, A and B; I recommend all patients get the vaccines annually especially if you are in the higher-risk categories such as pregnant women or young children since there can be life-threatening sequelae, and you DON'T get the flu from the vaccines so please consider vaccination! Flu season usually starts in September and can continue until the following March.

Infertility: the failure to conceive after one year of unprotected intercourse, the causes could be due to the female in 30% of cases, due to the male in 30% of cases, or unexplained causes after the workup is complete; it can take about 80-90% of healthy couples up to 6 months to conceive; definitely more on this in the blog!

Interstitial cystitis (IC): a chronic condition that causes pelvic pain, pressure, or discomfort in the bladder and pelvic region, often associated with urinary frequency (needing to go often) and urgency (feeling a strong need to go), this is not a UTI so should be evaluated if your symptoms continue after several months and no improvement after antibiotics or no growth on urine cultures, more on this in the blog!

Intrauterine device (IUD): a device that is placed inside the uterus mostly for contraception and there is one that is FDA approved for abnormal uterine bleeding treatment; there are two kinds- hormone-containing which include Mirena, Kyleena, Skyla and Liletta or non-hormonal which consists of copper called the Paragard; I put at least one of these in a day and I love them for the right patient, more on these in the blog!

Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR): this refers to a fetus that usually measures at less than the tenth percentile of growth, it can occur due to fetal, maternal or placental factors; if you baby is IUGR you will have extra antenatal testing during your pregnancy and sometimes have to be delivered before 39 weeks

In vitro fertilization (IVF): most common assisted reproductive technology, has been used in the United States since 1981, involves ovulation induction, oocyte retrieval, fertilization of the oocytes in the laboratory and once ready for transfer those embryos are placed into the uterine cavity under ultrasound guidance. AMAZING!

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Jaundice: a condition when bilirubin builds up in an infant's bloodstream because the baby's liver is not mature enough to get rid of it, it can be common in premature babies or breastfed babies; the best prevention is adequate feeds and enough poopy diapers, but if you have concerns for yellowing of your baby's skin or the whites of the eyes, make sure your baby is seen as soon as possible; putting the baby in indirect sunlight can also help to breakdown the bilirubin!

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Kegel exercises: so I'm sure most of you mujeres have heard of these little things, but believe me if you do them right they can actually make a big impact on your pelvic floor; these exercises strengthen the pelvic floor muscles, which support the uterus, bladder, small intestine, and rectum, but as we age and gravity takes a toll or we have kids this support weakens; these exercises can decrease incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse, so I have patients do 10 Kegels three times per day which is a quick squeeze and release of the same muscles you use to hold your pee, heck I do a few every time a patient mentions incontinence in the office! It's ok if you are trying to do a few right now! Yay!

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Labor: each labor with every baby is different, sometimes labor includes no interventions, necessary interventions or require a cesarean delivery, but no matter what your labor story includes, the most important outcome is a healthy mom and healthy baby!

• latent/early phase: the latent phase is defined as the initial phase of labor when the rate of cervical dilation is typically slow until you reach between 4 to 6cm depending on who you ask, latent labor can last for a few hours to sometimes even several days

• active phase: when a pregnant mama is having regular, frequent contractions causing faster cervical change starting between 4 to 6cm of dilatation, if you are a multiparous woman and you are in active labor you can go from 6cm to ready to push sometimes in one hour or less, Seriously!

• false labor: usually due to Braxton-Hicks contractions defined as regular or irregular painful contractions that are not associated with cervical dilation

Laparoscopy: a very common procedure performed by a Gynecologist to diagnosis or treat gynecological conditions, it involves filling your abdominal cavity with CO2 gas and using a laparoscope to look inside your pelvis via small incisions, it usually entails a quick recovery and is an amazing technology! Yay for medical advances!

Latch: a very important word in the breastfeeding world! This "latch" or the way the baby grabs your areola with his mouth is so important because it can make or break your breastfeeding relationship, so if nursing hurts or your nipple looks like the shape of a lipstick tube that can mean a wrong latch so please get help! Breastfeeding is not always easy, so seek a lactation consultant if you need extra help, I did!

Let-down reflex: occurs when you baby starts nursing or even just thinking about your baby or hearing your baby cry, it feels like a weird pins-and-needles sensation in your breasts and for some mamas, it can be painful; it is an amazing reflex that was created to assist in the feeding of your baby! Wow!

Lichen sclerosus: a condition of the vulva that causes itching and can cause your genital skin to be hypopigmented or white, a thinning of the skin and/or a wrinkled appearance, this condition can be treated with topical steroids by the direction of your provider; it can also cause vulvar skin cancer so patients should be examined annually.

Linea nigra: that darker line that runs from your lower abdomen to your belly button or above, it's just your hormones making your skin do funny things during pregnancy; and no I did not put that line on your belly from my measuring tape as one of my funny patients pointed out in residency, hey at least she thought about it! 🙂

Listeria: a bacterial food-borne infection that can cause fever, chills, and back pain; infection in pregnant women can lead to fetal death, premature birth, or infected newborns; during pregnancy, avoid unpasteurized (raw) milk and dairy products; soft cheese made with unpasteurized milk, such as queso fresco, feta cheese, brie; raw fruits and vegetables, such as sprouts and sausages or hot dogs.

Lochia: it is the name for the blood/discharge that is expelled after delivery and can last up to 6 weeks, it usually goes from a red to brownish to a yellowish-white color over this time frame; just your body cleaning everything up inside your uterus!

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Magnesium sulfate: usually given as an IV drip but can also be given as a shot in your butt as a treatment for pre-eclampsia to prevent seizures or eclampsia and can make you feel hot and/or have a weird taste in your mouth.

Mammogram: an x-ray that is recommended to be performed annually starting at age 40 or sooner if indicated for the screening of breast cancer.

Mastalgia: the medical term for breast pain, usually not associated with breast cancer; please read more on this common complaint in the blog!

Mastitis: an infection of the breast during nursing, occurs in about 2-3% of mamas and if associated with fever will require antibiotics to prevent worsening of symptoms such as a breast abscess; some tips include rest, ibuprofen or Tylenol for pain, gentle massage to area, continue to nurse on the affected side or continue to pump if baby doesn't want to latch, don't let it linger though, get checked out as soon as you know there's a problem!

Masturbation: Self-stimulation of the genitals.

Maternal Fetal Medicine (MFM): also know as a Perinatologist, this is a subspecialty of OB/GYN that requires 4 years of extra training and is the specialist for high-risk pregnancies, many general obstetricians will send their patients for a consult and/or ultrasound with these physicians depending on the risk factors.

Meconium: the term for the first few poops of a newborn usually green to black in color; sometimes they can poop this meconium inside the amniotic sac prior to labor or during labor and babies can have issues with fetal heart rate decelerations or respiratory issues after delivery; so monitoring the baby during the labor process is very important and most babies are just a little dirtier when they are born!

Melasma: or chloasma, a condition that can occur in pregnancy usually in darker skinned women where you get dark patches on your face and even neck due to hormones, this can also be caused by birth control pills for some women, most of the time it goes away after pregnancy or stopping pills but other times dermatological treatments are required.

Menopause: defined as no menses for one whole year, occurring around the average age of 51 and accompanied by the symptoms we all hate to think about such as hot flashes, night sweats, chills, moodiness, mood swings, low libido, and the list can go on and on; mujeres there are so many treatments for these symptoms ranging from over the counter to prescription drugs to hormonal to non-hormonal options; so if you need help please seek it so your quality of life can improve!

Molar pregnancy: a pregnancy where there is a genetic error during fertilization and it does not result in a live fetus, but rather the growth of abnormal cells; the contents of your uterus should be cleared with a dilatation and curettage or D&C because a certain type of molar pregnancy could lead to a rare form of cancer if not properly monitored and it is recommended to wait at least a year after this type of pregnancy before attempting conception again.

Mucus plug: you do not have to call if you lose this famous thing called the mucus plug! You can notice a white mucus-like substance to slightly bloody discharge that can be lost over several days as your cervix starts to dilate or thin out; you might go into labor that night or you might not, just keep monitoring it and see what your body does over the next few days!

Multiples: the term used for when a women is pregnant with twins, triplets, etc.; these pregnancies are considered high-risk and will need extra monitoring and testing but some women are happy to get two out of one pregnancy!

Myomectomy: a procedure that can be performed open or laparoscopically to remove fibroids only and maintain the uterus, patients who desires future fertility can have this procedure performed but may need a cesarean delivery with subsequent pregnancies.

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Neural tube defect (NTD): a birth defect of the brain, spine or spinal cord that can be detected on ultrasonography prenatally such as spina bifida, a patient can also have an elevated alpha-fetoprotein serum level if there is a risk of this birth defect; this is the reason why we advise you to take folic acid starting at least 3 months before and during pregnancy to prevent these defects; pregnant mujeres should take at least 400mcg daily, but if you have had a previous baby born with a NTD you should take 4000mcg/4mg daily.

Nexplanon: a contraceptive device that is inserted into the inner portion of your arm and releases a progesterone to prevent pregnancy, it lasts for three years; it can cause such bleeding disturbances but it can also take your period away which is nice and it is the most effective method of birth control even more so than a tubal ligation with quick return to fertility after removal.

Non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT): a maternal serum test that can screen your baby for chromosomal conditions such as Down syndrome (trisomy 21) as early as week 10 of pregnancy, it also tests for Edwards syndrome (trisomy 18) or Patau syndrome (trisomy 13) which are also trisomy conditions; this test can also include the testing for fetal sex but should not be done just to find out if you are having a boy or girl! I know you want to do your gender party reveal ASAP, but remember the main purpose of this testing is to screen for chromosomal anomalies!

Non-stress test (NST): a part of antenatal testing that is performed usually twice a week towards the end of pregnancy for fetal well being for certain conditions in pregnancies such as gestational diabetes, gestational hypertension or if you pass your due date; it involves two monitors being placed on your abdomen to check the fetal heart rate and your contraction pattern and usually lasts about 20-30 minutes; you can compare this to the monitoring that you get during labor but this is a snapshot for a limited period of time.

Nuchal translucency: a test performed between 11 and 14 weeks that involves measuring the thickness of the fluid behind the fetal neck via ultrasound; this measurement and the results from a blood test can give you a risk for chromosomal problems with the fetus; this also allows for view of early anatomy of the fetus and I did this test with all three of my boys.

NuvaRing: a contraceptive method that has estrogen and progesterone and involves a mujer placing a ring into her vagina for three weeks and removing it for a week to have a withdrawal bleed and repeating that cycle every month, it can be very effective because it takes the daily use of a pill out of the mix but you can't forget to take it out! Ladies, it can't get lost either, it is either in your vagina or on not and if you don't feel it after putting it in, it is in the right spot. I love this ring!

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Oral contraceptives: the most commonly used method of birth control in the United States, they can contain either a combination of estrogen or progesterone or only progesterone, which is used in lactating women or certain female populations; pills are cool because nowadays the dose to so low down to 10mcg from when they first came out at 50mcg! They can treat many gynecological conditions, prevent pregnancy and you can manipulate them to not get a period! Girl power!

Orgasm: the feelings of physical pleasure that can happen during sexual activity.

Orgasmic disorder: recurrent or persistent difficulty, delay in or absence of attaining orgasm after sufficient sexual stimulation and following normal sexual arousal, which causes personal distress.

Osteopenia: it is a condition that occurs usually in menopause when your bones start thinning, and if not treated can progress to osteoporosis; some preventive treatments include weight-bearing exercises such as dancing, jogging, hiking or climbing stairs and increasing your Vitamin D or calcium in your diet or supplementation of these vitamins, discuss with your doctor what dosage is right for you.

Osteoporosis: a condition of bone loss that if not treated can lead to fracture, it is a silent disease until you get a fracture, so women should begin screening at least at age 65 or sooner if you have risk factors such as petite stature, Caucasian or Asian race, family history of osteoporosis, etc; a variety of treatments are available

Ovarian cancer: the risk of a woman developing ovarian cancer is 1 in 78 and accounts for more deaths than any other cancer of the female reproductive system, prevention with annual exam is important and unfortunately there is not a screening test such as the Pap smear for cervical cancer; if you have a close relative that has had ovarian cancer, please consider genetic testing; more in the blog on this important topic!

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Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID): a condition that should have a history of pelvic pain, cervical motion tenderness or pain with movement of cervix on physical exam and pain in the adnexa or where the ovary and tube live; woman can also have fever and abnormal vaginal discharge and is most commonly caused by an ascending infection from Chlamydia or Gonorrhea but not always; true PID can lead to ectopic pregnancies or future infertility.

Pelvic floor physical therapy: one of my favorite therapies that actually can help women just like you! So if you suffer from urinary incontinence, prolapse, chronic pelvic pain, post-op pain, pelvic floor spasms, etc.; these therapists can make a difference and I have seen it help so many women. Shout out to all the PTs that do this work!

Pelvic pain: a condition that could be either acute or chronic depending on the cause and can be due to one issue or more likely a combination of issues; patients with chronic pelvic pain can live with symptoms for many years before a diagnosis is found and treatment is started; pain is a real condition and this is a subspecialty of gynecology that I find fascinating and love to help patients find the answers they need!

Pelvic Pain Specialists: there are actually doctors that specialize in the management and treatment of pelvic pain; if you can’t find answers for your symptoms, you can be referred to one or can seek consultation from a specialist in your area.

Pelvic organ prolapse: a condition that can involve the prolapsing or "falling out" of the pelvic organs including the bladder, uterus, rectum or vagina after a hysterectomy, pelvic floor physical therapy, Kegel exercises, pessaries, and surgical management are options; this is not a life-threatening condition but do not be afraid to discuss your concerns with your doctor!

Perineum: the skin between your vagina and anus, usually where a laceration will be after a vaginal delivery, lacerations can be classified in degrees- first, second, third and fourth.

Pessary: a device usually made of silicone of different shapes and sizes to act as a conservative option for prolapse and/or incontinence in patients that decline surgery, it's an interesting device and can be life-changing for some ladies!

Pitocin: usually called "pit", a synthetic version of oxytocin that is commonly used to start or strengthen contractions either to start labor or to augment labor; BTW IT DOES NOT CAUSE AUTISM!

Placenta accreta/increta/percreta: a potentially life-threatening condition when the placenta grows into the wall of the uterus with the worst case being a percreta since it involves adjacent organs such as the bladder; management depends on the severity of the invasion and the risk increases with the number of cesarean deliveries.

Placenta encapsulation: so this is the new thing out there, I never did it, but I'll just tell you about it; so it is believed that consumption of your placenta after birth usually processed into a capsule can have an array of benefits including increased milk production, prevention of postpartum depression and a quicker recovery from birth, but there are also no scientific studies that say that this is true, so try it or don't try it, but if you do let me know what you think!

Placenta previa: it can be classified as partial or complete; it is when your placenta covers your placenta and cause painless vaginal bleeding, so no intercourse or anything in the vagina until you are cleared because a lot of times it can "migrate" or move out of the way, but if it doesn't you would have to have a cesarean delivery.

Placental abruption: when the placenta starts detaching from the uterine wall and can either be concealed causing no vaginal bleeding but with evidence of maternal and fetal instability, or if the bleeding is apparent it is one cause of painless vaginal bleeding in pregnancy.

Polycystic ovarian syndrome: a condition that involves two of the three following symptoms: 1. menstrual abnormalities ranging from heavy, irregular, infrequent or absent menstrual cycles, 2. excess hair on your face, chin, lower abdomen, etc or in other words excess androgens or increase in male hormones or 3. one or two polycystic ovaries depending on the number of follicles or volume of ovary per ultrasound; there are 4 different types of PCOS patients and I see patients with this condition every day! More info in the blog!

Postmenopausal bleeding: menopause is defined as one year without menses and if women experience any bleeding after that year it is considered postmenopausal and should be evaluated with at the least with an endometrial biopsy.

Postpartum hemorrhage: this is an obstetrical emergency and is the leading cause of maternal mortality, this is when women have severe bleeding after having a baby usually within the first 24 hours but can be up to 3 months postpartum.

Preeclampsia: a condition experienced during pregnancy that can involve symptoms of headache, upper abdominal pain or vision changes; severe range blood pressures and signs of damage to organs such as the liver or kidneys, usually a 24 hour urine is performed to see how much protein your kidneys are spilling in 24 hours; the key to treatment is delivery!

Progesterone: a female hormone that is made in the ovaries and prepares the lining of the uterus for pregnancy.

Pulmonary embolism: a life-threatening condition when a blood clot moves to the vessels in your lungs and symptoms can include shortness of breath, chest pain, palpitations and/or leg pain since most clots start in the leg and move to the lungs; occurs in women who have a condition that makes them more prone to blood clots especially after trauma, long periods of immobility, while using birth control that contains estrogen or during pregnancy and/or the postpartum period.

PUPPP: the long technical term is Pruritic Urticarial Papules and Plaques of Pregnancy; this usually occurs towards the end of pregnancy and women can get hives mainly on the abdomen and chest that cause intense itching; treatment can usually include Benadryl, an anti-itch pill called Atarax or topical or oral steroids, and at times in severe cases induction of labor can be offered.

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Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility (REI): a subspecialty of OB/GYN that requires 4 extra years of training after residency and is the specialist for patients with endocrinology disorders and mainly for women who need assistance with conceiving.

Round Ligament Pain: a very common sensation experienced by pregnant women when the ligament that attaches from the uterus to the pelvic sidewall near groin is stretched usually by certain movements such as stepping into a car, your baby moving, etc; it can be felt in the lower abdomen usually on one side at a time and can be very painful for some women.

Rubella: can cause a congenital infection that can affect all organs if a mother is not immunized and infected during pregnancy, this is the reason we check a mom's immunity during the beginning of pregnancy and will be vaccinated before she leaves the hospital if not immune to prevent issues with the next pregnancy.

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Subchorionic bleed or hemorrhage: an abnormal accumulation of blood between the gestational membranes and the wall of the uterus usually found on a first-trimester ultrasound, does not always cause vaginal bleeding and does not mean you will have a miscarriage; most will resolve by the end of the first trimester or during the second trimester.

Shoulder dystocia: an obstetrical emergency that involves the baby's shoulder getting lodged underneath the mom's pubic bone making it difficult for delivery of the baby; this can be more common in diabetic mom's but can also happen if you don't have risk factors.

Stripping of the membranes: a procedure that can be done by your provider that helps to separate the bag of water from the uterus and can release compounds that can help a woman go into labor in the next 24-48 hours; it doesn't always work but it worked with me for my first son and I had him the next day within 4 hours; your doctor will let you know if you are a good candidate for this or not.

Syphilis: caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum, syphilis cases reached a historic low in 2000 and 2001, but has increased almost every year since then so it is important to use condoms! Primary symptoms include painless sores at the original site of infection, symptoms of secondary syphilis include skin rash, swollen lymph nodes, and fever and tertiary syphilis is associated with severe medical problems; if syphilis is passed to a baby during pregnancy it can cause harm to the fetal bones, teeth or skin and in severe cases can cause fetal demise; we check all pregnant moms for syphilis at the beginning of pregnancy and around 28 weeks.

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Tongue-tie (ankyloglossia): a congenital anomaly in which a baby has a short frenulum, which is the band that connects the underside of your tongue to the base of your mouth, and restricts tongue movement, this is important because it can cause breastfeeding problems and issues for children in the future with speech, eating, etc.; all three of my boys had this and it was corrected with a clipping of the frenulum so you will definitely be hearing more about this!

Toxoplasmosis: can be transmitted to a fetus causing problems of the nervous system if the mother is exposed to this organism by consuming raw meat or handling infected cat feces, so do not touch the litter box while pregnant!

Trichomonas: a sexually transmitted infection that can cause vaginal discharge and irritation and can be treated with an antibiotic; you can see the organisms on the slide swimming around under the microscope when you test for this! Cool!

Tubal ligation: a sterilization procedure that can be performed during cesarean delivery, after vaginal delivery via an incision near the belly button or whenever you want via laparoscopy; this is usually permanent and we discourage patients from having the procedure if she is not sure about wanting more children; it is a safer and quicker procedure though if your husband gets the vasectomy!

Tyrer-Cuzick breast cancer risk assessment: a quiz that most imaging places perform that includes questions regarding a woman's age, height, weight, reproductive history, breast and ovarian cancer family history and ultimately can give a lifetime risk percentage; if a woman is deemed high-risk, extra surveillance can be performed in the hopes that cancer can be detected earlier if present.

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Uterine artery embolization: a minimally invasive procedure for symptomatic fibroids that is performed by an Interventional Radiologist by placing tiny beads via a artery in your groin to arteries feeding fibroids under real-time monitoring; because it can shrink the size of the fibroids, patients notice improvement in heavy menstrual bleeding and/or symptoms such as pelvic pain, urinary frequency, problems with bowel movements, etc.

Uterine inversion: occurs when the uterine fundus collapses into the endometrial cavity, turning the uterus partially or completely inside out during vaginal or cesarean delivery; it can be a life-threatening obstetrical emergency but can be corrected promptly usually with no issues.

Uterine rupture: a rare cause of vaginal bleeding during pregnancy, it usually occurs during labor or as a result of abdominal trauma and can rarely occur without an obvious precipitating cause such as a previous cesarean delivery or history of myomectomy; symptoms include pain and fetal and maternal instability and is an emergency.

Urinary tract infection (UTI): an infection that can cause painful urination, urinary frequency, urgency or hesitancy or in rare cases can be asymptomatic (usually seen in pregnancy on a screening urine culture), to be a true UTI your urine culture should have grown out bacteria but most times you can be treated based on symptoms and if you get better after antibiotics you can presume it was truly a UTI, if not you should be re-evaluated for other conditions such as interstitial cystitis or even vaginal infections.

Urogynecology: a subspecialty of OB/GYN that requires 4 years of extra training and are specialists that deal with urinary conditions such as incontinence, prolapse and sometimes chronic pelvic pain.

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Vacuum assisted operative delivery: it is a special instrument placed on the top portion of baby's head that aids in the delivery of a baby quickly in cases such as fetal heart decelerations and/or maternal exhaustion; if performed by a highly skilled and trained OB they can help avoid cesarean delivery or other complications to a baby and mom.

Vagina: a tube-like structure surrounded by muscles and it leads from the uterus to the outside of the body.

Vaginismus: uncontrolled contractions of the muscles in the lower vagina and makes the penetration of the penis difficult or impossible.

Varicella: the medical term for chickenpox, if mom is not immune or in others words has never had chickenpox then if infected during pregnancy the risk to the fetus is low but can cause possible effects on all organs.

Vasa previa: a condition when fetal blood vessels are present in the membranes covering the cervix, rupture of the vasa previa is an obstetric emergency and may lead to fetal death.

Vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC): also known as a trial of labor after cesarean (TOLAC) when a woman who has had a cesarean delivery for a previous pregnancy and wants to try a vaginal birth with a subsequent pregnancy; there are many factors for a successful VBAC but if you and your provider think you are a good candidate and you understand the risks you should do it!

Vulva: the external female genital area.

Vulvodynia: vulvar discomfort, most often described as burning pain, occurring in the absence of relevant visible findings or a specific, clinically identifiable, neurologic disorder.

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Whooping cough: aka pertussis, according to the Center for Disease Control or CDC, it is a serious disease that can cause respiratory problems even fatal consequences for babies, especially newborn babies; you can decrease your baby's risk of contracting the disease by getting the Tdap or whooping cough vaccine during your third trimester and all adult family members should get it too if they haven't been vaccinated in the last 5 years.

Women's Health Initiative: a very important study published in 2002 that included approximately 27,000 postmenopausal women (mean age 63 years) that showed a number of adverse outcomes, including an excess risk of coronary heart disease, stroke, venous thromboembolism (VTE), and breast cancer causing many experts to not recommend hormone therapy, but what we realized was that all these women in the study were older and not the average or more typical age of symptomatic menopausal patients; newer studies are showing that the initiation of menopausal hormone therapy can be a safe option for healthy, symptomatic women who are within 10 years of menopause or younger than age 60 years and who do not have contraindications to hormones; so if you need them, please take them!

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