Descriptionary

recessive inheritance inheritance trait requiring genes from both parents.

sonogram an ultrasound picture of the uterus and fetus.

stillbirth birth of a dead fetus.

striae gravidarum stretch marks.

sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) the myste­rious death of an infant thought to be healthy; also known as crib death.

teratogen any substance or factor that harms the fetus.

transition the last phase of the first stage of labor, characterized by full dilation of the cervix and con­tractions arriving every one to three minutes and last­ing 60 to 90 seconds each.

trimester any one of the three-month divisions in the nine months of pregnancy.

ultrasound high-frequency sound waves beamed into and reflected off the body to create pictures.

umbilical cord the cord connecting the placenta and the fetus.

umbilicus the navel.

vernix caseosa a white, fatty substance coating the skin of the fetus up until birth.

zygote the fertilized egg before it divides.

digestive system

alimentary canal collective term for the digestive parts extending from the mouth to the anus, includ­ing the mouth, the pharynx, the esophagus, the stom­ach, and the small and large intestines. Also known as the gastrointestinal tract.

amylase a digestive enzyme found in saliva and pancreatic juices.

anus the outlet for excrement at the end of the ali­mentary canal.

appendicitis inflammation of the appendix.

appendix a wormlike sac attached to the cecum of the colon and whose function is unknown.

bile a substance produced by the liver that aids digestion through emulsification of fats.

bolus a clump of chewed food ready to be swallowed.

carbohydrate sugars, starches, and cellulose.

cholesterol a waxy, fatty substance produced by the liver or ingested in the form of saturated fat.

chyme a soupy mixture of fragmented food particles and stomach chemicals resting in the stomach after a meal and waiting to be moved into the duodenum.

cirrhosis a chronic disease of the liver character­ized by hardening of connective tissue and increased blockage of circulation, usually caused by chronic alcoholism.

colitis inflammation of the colon.

colon the principal portion of the large intestine.

Crohn's disease an inflammation of any part of the GI tract or alimentary canal (usually the ileum) that extends through all the layers of the intestinal wall.

diabetes sometimes called diabetes mellitus or sugar diabetes, a disease characterized by the body's inabil­ity to properly process carbohydrates (sugars and starches), resulting in an excess of sugar in the blood­stream; the main cause is the insufficient production of insulin by the pancreas, which reduces sugar in the blood.

diverticulitis inflammation of the sacs or pouches (diverticula) that have ballooned out through the walls of the colon (usually the sigmoid colon), sometimes causing fatal obstruction, infection, or hemorrhage.

duodenum approximately the first 10 inches of the small intestine.

dysphagia difficulty in swallowing.

emulsification the separation of fat in the form of tiny globules from surrounding fluid food mass.

endoscope an instrument used for examining the alimentary canal.

esophagus the food tube leading from the pharynx to the stomach.

fundus the large curvature of the stomach, border­ing the esophagus.

gallbladder a small, pear-shaped sac under the liver that receives and stores bile made by the liver.

gallstones hardened masses of cholesterol forming in the gallbladder.

gastrectomy the surgical removal of part or all of the stomach.

gastrin a digestive hormone. gastritis inflammation of the stomach. gastroenteritis inflammation of the stomach lining. glucose a simple sugar.

glycogen the form of sugar stored in the liver.

hematemesis vomiting of blood.

hemorrhoids enlarged veins inside or outside the anal canal.

hepatitis a viral infection of the liver causing inflam­mation, characterized by jaundice and fever.

hiatal hernia a disorder in which the lower end of the stomach or esophagus protrudes through the diaphragm.

hydrochloric acid a powerful stomach acid that aids in the digestion of food.

ileocecal valve the point where the small intestine meets the large intestine.

ileostomy the surgical removal of the colon.

ileum between the jejunum and large intestine, the last portion of the small intestine.

inguinal hernia a disorder in which a loop of intes­tine protrudes into the groin, often the result of strain from heavy lifting, coughing, or accidents.