Glossary

Relief of pain by loss of sensation.

Drugs that treat infections.

A minor surgical procedure to remove a small piece of tissue that is then examined under a microscope in a laboratory.

A muscular organ in which urine is stored.

The lower, narrow end of the uterus, which protrudes into the vagina.

Bulging of the bladder neck into the vagina.

Bulging of the bladder neck into the vagina.

Drugs given to increase the production of urine.

An abnormal pouch or sac in an internal organ or structure

A pregnancy in which the fertilized egg begins to grow in a place other than inside the uterus, usually in the fallopian tubes.

A condition in which tissue similar to that normally lining the uterus is found outside of the uterus, usually on the ovaries, fallopian tubes, and other pelvic structures.

Bulging of the intestine into the upper part of the vagina.

A female hormone produced in the ovaries that stimulates the growth of the lining of the uterus.

Tissue that supports the organs and muscles of the body.

An abnormal opening or passage between two internal organs.

Benign (noncancerous) growths that form on the inside of the uterus, on its outer surface, or within the uterine wall itself.

The use of medications that produce a sleeplike state to prevent pain during surgery.

A special X-ray procedure in which a small amount of fluid is injected into the uterus and fallopian tubes to detect abnormal changes in their size and shape or to determine whether the tubes are blocked.

A surgical procedure in which a slender, light-transmitting telescope, the laparoscope, is used to view the pelvic organs or perform surgery.

A condition in which a woman has been unable to get pregnant after 12 months without the use of any form of birth control.

Pelvic muscle exercises that assist in bladder and bowel control.

A surgical procedure in which a slender, light-transmitting telescope, the laparoscope, is used to view the pelvic organs or perform surgery.

A surgical procedure in which an incision is made in the abdomen.

A nearly colorless fluid that bathes body cells and moves through a system of lymph vessels and nodes in the body.

The process in a woman’s life when ovaries stop functioning and menstruation stops.

Two glands, located on either side of the uterus, that contain the eggs released at ovulation and that produce hormones.

A test in which cells are taken from the cervix and vagina and examined under a microscope.

A manual internal and external examination of a woman’s reproductive organs.

The membrane that lines the abdominal cavity and surrounds the internal organs.

A device inserted into the vagina to support sagging organs.

Benign (noncancerous) growths that develop from membrane tissue, such as that lining the inside of the uterus.

A female hormone that is produced in the ovaries and matures the lining of the uterus. When its level falls, menstruation occurs.

Bulging of the rectum into the vaginal wall.

A slender telescope with an electrical wire loop or rollerball tip used to remove or destroy tissue inside the uterus.

An agent or drug that eases nervousness or tension.

An operation that prevents a woman from becoming pregnant or a man from fathering a child.

A test in which sound waves are used to examine internal structures. During pregnancy, it can be used to examine the fetus.

A pair of tubes, each leading from one of the kidneys to the bladder.

A short, narrow tube that carries urine from the bladder out of the body.

Falling of the uterus into the vagina.

A muscular organ located in the female pelvis that contains and nourishes the developing fetus during pregnancy

A passageway surrounded by muscles leading from the uterus to the outside of the body, also known as the birth canal.

Bulging of the top of the vagina into the lower vagina or outside the opening of the vagina.