The following are health and medical definitions of terms that appear in the Endometrial Biopsy article.
Abnormal: Not normal. Deviating from the usual structure, position, condition, or behavior. In referring to a growth, abnormal may mean that it is cancerous or premalignant (likely to become cancer).
Anesthesia: Loss of feeling or awareness. A general anesthetic puts the person to sleep. A local anesthetic causes loss of feeling in a part of the body such as a tooth or an area of skin without affecting consciousness. Regional anesthesia numbs a larger part of the body such as a leg or arm, also without affecting consciousness. The term "conduction anesthesia" encompasses both local and regional anesthetic techniques. Many surgical procedures can be done with conduction anesthesia without significant pain. In many situations, such as a C-section, conduction anesthesia is safer and therefore preferable to general anesthesia. However, there are also many types of surgery in which general anesthesia is clearly appropriate.
Anesthetic: A substance that causes lack of feeling or awareness. A local anesthetic causes loss of feeling in a part of the body. A general anesthetic puts the person to sleep.
Biopsy: The removal of a sample of tissue for purposes of diagnosis. (Many definitions of "biopsy" stipulate that the sample of tissue is removed for examination under a microscope. This may or may not be the case. The diagnosis may be achieved by other means such as by analysis of chromosomes or genes.) See the entire definition of Biopsy
Cancer: An abnormal growth of cells which tend to proliferate in an uncontrolled way and, in some cases, to metastasize (spread). See the entire definition of Cancer
Cervical: Having to do with any kind of neck including the neck on which the head is perched and the neck of the uterus. The word "cervix" in Latin means "neck". That is why cervical vertebrae and cervical cancer involve quite disparate parts of the anatomy joined only by the meaning of the word "cervix".
Cervix: The cervix is the lower, narrow part of the uterus (womb). The uterus, a hollow, pear-shaped organ, is located in a woman's lower abdomen, between the bladder and the rectum. The cervix forms a canal that opens into the vagina, which leads to the outside of the body.
Curettage: The removal of growths or other material from the wall of a cavity or other surface, as with a curet. A curet, or curette, is a spoon-shaped instrument with a sharp edge. The word "curette" comes from French and means a scraper. The verb "curer" means to scrape or clean. See the entire definition of Curettage
Diagnosis:1 The nature of a disease; the identification of an illness. 2 A conclusion or decision reached by diagnosis. The diagnosis is rabies. 3 The identification of any problem. The diagnosis was a plugged IV. See the entire definition of Diagnosis
Dilation: The process of enlargement, stretching, or expansion. The word "dilatation" means the same thing. Both come from the Latin "dilatare" meaning "to enlarge or expand."
Endometrial biopsy: A procedure for sampling the lining of the uterus (the endometrium). See the entire definition of Endometrial biopsy
Endometrium: The uterine lining; the cells that line the uterus (the womb); the inner layer of the uterus. This tissue is shed monthly in response to the hormonal changes of the menstrual period. The endometrium then grows back and slowly gets thicker and thicker until the next period when it is once again sloughed off.
Infection: The growth of a parasitic organism within the body. (A parasitic organism is one that lives on or in another organism and draws its nourishment therefrom.) A person with an infection has another organism (a "germ") growing within him, drawing its nourishment from the person. See the entire definition of Infection
Infertility: The diminished ability or the inability to conceive and have offspring. Infertility is also defined in specific terms as the failure to conceive after a year of regular intercourse without contraception. See the entire definition of Infertility
Laboratory: A place for doing tests and research procedures and preparing chemicals, etc. Although "laboratory" looks very like the Latin "laboratorium" (a place to labor, a work place), the word "laboratory" came from the Latin "elaborare" (to work out, as a problem, and with great pains), as evidenced by the Old English spelling "elaboratory" designating "a place where learned effort was applied to the solution of scientific problems."
Microscope: An optical instrument that augments the power of the eye to see small objects. The name microscope was coined by Johannes Faber (1574-1629) who in 1628 borrowed from the Greek to combined micro-, small with skopein, to view. Although the first microscopes were simple microscopes, most (if not all) optical microscopes today are compound microscopes.
NSAID: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug. NSAIDs are commonly prescribed for the inflammation of arthritis and other body tissues, such as in tendinitis and bursitis. Examples of NSAIDs include aspirin, indomethacin (Indocin), ibuprofen (Motrin), naproxen (Naprosyn), piroxicam (Feldene), and nabumetone (Relafen). See the entire definition of NSAID
Pain: An unpleasant sensation that can range from mild, localized discomfort to agony. Pain has both physical and emotional components. The physical part of pain results from nerve stimulation. Pain may be contained to a discrete area, as in an injury, or it can be more diffuse, as in disorders like fibromyalgia. Pain is mediated by specific nerve fibers that carry the pain impulses to the brain where their conscious appreciation may be modified by many factors. See the entire definition of Pain
Pathologist: A doctor who identifies diseases by studying cells and tissues under a microscope.
Pregnancy: The state of carrying a developing embryo or fetus within the female body. This condition can be indicated by positive results on an over-the-counter urine test, and confirmed through a blood test, ultrasound, detection of fetal heartbeat, or an X-ray. Pregnancy lasts for about nine months, measured from the date of the woman's last menstrual period (LMP). It is conventionally divided into three trimesters, each roughly three months long. See the entire definition of Pregnancy
Speculum: An instrument used to widen an opening to look within a passage or a cavity. For example, a speculum may be used to widen the opening of the vagina so that the cervix is more easily visible. Other examples include the nasal speculum to look up into the nostrils and the ear speculum to look within the ear canal at the ear drum. The term "speculum" is the Latin word for mirror.
Stenosis: A narrowing, as in:
aortic stenosis (narrowing of the aortic valve of the heart),
pulmonary stenosis (narrowing of the pulmonary valve of the heart),
pyloric stenosis (narrowing of the outlet of the stomach), and
spinal stenosis (narrowing of the vertebral canal).
Uterine lining: The inner layer of the uterus (womb); the cells that line the womb; anatomically termed the endometrium. See the entire definition of Uterine lining
Uterus: The uterus (womb) is a hollow, pear-shaped organ located in a woman's lower abdomen between the bladder and the rectum. The narrow, lower portion of the uterus is the cervix; the broader, upper part is the corpus. The corpus is made up of two layers of tissue.
Womb: The womb (uterus) is a hollow, pear-shaped organ located in a woman's lower abdomen between the bladder and the rectum. The narrow, lower portion of the uterus is the cervix; the broader, upper part is the corpus. The corpus is made up of two layers of tissue.
Endometriosis is the growth of cells similar to those that form the inside of the uterus, but in a location outside of the uterus. Endometriosis implants are most commonly found on the ovaries, the Fallopian tubes, outer surfaces of the uterus or intestines, and on the surface lining of the pelvic cavity. They can also be found in the vagina, cervix, and bladder. Treatment of endometriosis can be with medication or surgery.
Though uterine cancer's cause is unknown, there are many factors that will put a woman at risk, including: over age 50, endometrial hyperplasia, using hormone replacement therapy, obesity, using tamoxifen, being Caucasian, having colorectal cancer. Symptoms of cancer of the uterus (endometrial cancer) include abnormal vaginal bleeding, painful urination, painful intercourse, and pelvic pain. Treatment depends on staging and may include radiation therapy or hormone therapy.
Normal vaginal bleeding (menorrhea) occurs through the process of menstruation. Abnormal vaginal bleeding in women who are ovulating regularly most commonly involves excessive, frequent, irregular, or decreased bleeding. Causes of abnormal may arise from a variety of conditions.
Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is the most common and serious complication of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), aside from AIDS, among women. The signs and symptoms of pelvic inflammatory disease include: fever, vaginal discharge with a foul odor, abdominal pain, including pain during intercourse, and irregular vaginal bleeding. Pelvic inflammatory disease can scar the Fallopian tubes, ovaries, and related structures and lead to ectopic pregnancies, infertility, chronic pelvic pain, and other serious consequences. Pelvic inflammatory disease treatment includes several types of antibiotics.
Infertility is the diminished ability to conceive a child. The primary cause of infertility in men is a sperm disorder. In women, the primary cause of infertility is an ovulation disorder. Most forms of infertility can be treated. Conventional infertility therapies include drugs or surgery.
Trying to get conceive, or become pregnant can be challenging, frustrating, and an emotional rollercoaster for some couples. There are things you can do to chart progress, which may ultimately lead to a successful healthy pregnancy, or, when necessary, lead to discussions with a fertility specialist. Being aware of your menstrual cycle, charting your fertility pattern, knowing the reasons for infertility, and treating infertility are key points to discuss with your partner and physician.
Normal vaginal bleeding is the periodic blood that flows
as a discharge from
the woman's uterus. Normal vaginal bleeding is also called menorrhea. The
process by which menorrhea occurs is called
menstruation.
Normal vaginal bleeding occurs as a result of cyclic
hormonal changes. The ovaries are the main source of female hormones, which
control the development of
female body characteristics such as the
breasts, body shape, and body hair. The
hormones also regulate the menstrual cycle. The ovary, or female gonad, is one of
a pair of reproductive glands in women. They are located in the pelvis, one on
each side of the uterus. Each ovary is about the size and shape of an almond.
The ovaries produce eggs (ova) and female hormones. During each monthly
menstrual cycle, an egg is released from one ovary. The egg travels from the
ovary through a Fallopian tube to the
uterus.
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