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Fetal distress
Fetal distress When a fetus's life is believed to be in danger, most often because of too little oxygen. Signs of fetal distress -- including slowed heartbeat or absence of fetal movement -- call for immediate delivery of the baby.
RELATED TERMS--------------------------------------
Oxygen
A chemical element essential for sustaining life.
Fetal
Having to do with the fetus.
Delivery
See drug delivery.
SIMILAR TERMS--------------------------------------
Fetal
Having to do with the fetus.
Fetal alcohol effects (FAE)
A softer diagnosis than fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). The diagnosis of possible FAE is considered when: 1. The person has some signs of FAS; 2. The person does not meet all of the necessary criteria for FAS; and 3. There is a history of alcohol exposure before birth.
Fetal alcohol syndrome
The sum total of the damage done to the child before birth as a result of the mother drinking alcohol during pregnancy. Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) always involves brain damage, impaired growth, and head and face abnormalities.
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS)
A pattern of retarded growth and development, both mental and physical, with cranial, facial, 1imb, and cardiovascular defects, found in some children of mothers whose alcohol consumption during pregnancy can be classed as hazardous. The commonest abnormalities are: prenatal and postnatal growth deficiency, microcephaly, developmental delay or mental retardation, short palpebral fissures, a short upturned nose with sunken nasal bridge and a thin upper lip, abnormal palmar creases, and cardiac (especially septal) defects. Many other more subtle abnormalities have also been attributed to the effects of alcohol on the fetus.
Fetal circulation
The blood circulation in the fetus before birth. Before birth, the blood from the heart headed for the lungs in the aptly named pulmonary artery is shunted away from the lungs and returned to the greatest of arteries, the aorta. This arterial shunting occurs through a short vessel called the ductus arteriosus. When the shunt is open, it is said to be patent (pronounced pá tent). The ductus arteriosus usually tourniquets itself off at or shortly after birth. After closure of the ductus, blood is permitted from that time on to course freely to the lungs. Sometimes, however, the patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) persists and simply will not close by itself. Surgery is then done to ligate (tie off) the ductus. PDA ligation is a closed-heart operation. Historically, it was one of the earliest surgical procedures performed in children with cardiovascular disease.
Fetal dystocia
Difficult labor and delivery caused by the size (too big), shape or position of the fetus.
Fetal fibronectin
A protein produced during pregnancy and the basis of a test for preterm delivery. Fetal fibronectin (fFN) functions as a "glue" attaching the fetal sac to the uterine lining. The presence of fFN during weeks 22-34 of a high-risk pregnancy, along with symptoms of labor, suggests that the "glue" is disintegrating ahead of schedule and raises the possibility of a preterm delivery. To test fFN, a cotton swab is used (as in a Pap smear) to collect samples of cervico-vaginal secretions. A negative fFN test result is a highly reliable predictor that delivery will not occur within the next 2 weeks. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) does not recommend the test for routine screening, as its use has not been shown to be clinically effective in predicting preterm labor in low-risk, asymptomatic pregnancies. ACOG recommends fFN testing only for symptomatic, high-risk pregnancies, where preterm labor is suspected.
Fetal infant
An extremely low birth weight infant. A very, small infant. One, for example, with a birth weight of 400 to 500 grams.
Fetal monitoring
Tracking a fetus's heartbeat and a woman's uterine contractions during labor.
Fetal mortality rate
The ratio of fetal deaths divided by the sum of the births (the live births + the fetal deaths) in that year
Fetal pleural effusion
In the fetus, excess fluid between the two membranes (the pleurae) that envelop the lungs. The pleural effusion may be unilateral (in one lung) or bilateral (in both lungs) and it may be an isolated finding in an otherwise normal fetus or be associated with generalized edema (hydrops). If untreated, fetal pleural effusion often causes severe, sometimes fatal, respiratory insufficiency in the neonatal period. Treatment is by the prenatal insertion of a thoracoamniotic shunt (to shunt the pleural effusion into the amniotic fluid). Survival after this procedure is over 90% in fetuses with isolated pleural effusion and about 50% in those with associated hydrops.
Fetal presentation
The position of the baby -- such as feet down (breech) or head down (vertex) -- inside a woman's uterus. About 96 percent of babies present in the vertex position; some who present in breech position can be turned around by a doctor before delivery begins.
Fetal rubella effects
The constellation of abnormalities, also called the rubella syndrome, caused by infection with the rubella (German measles) A virus before birth. The syndrome is characterized by multiple congenital malformations (birth defects) and mental retardation. The individual features of the syndrome include growth retardation, microcephaly (abnormally small head), cataracts, glaucoma, microphthalmia (abnormally small eyes), cardiovascular malformations, hearing loss, and mental retardation. Deafness is common. After birth the child may develop diabetes due to gradual destruction of the pancreas by the rubella virus.
Fetal surgery
The surgical treatment of the fetus before birth. Also called prenatal or antenatal surgery. Fetal surgery is done when the fetus is not expected to live long enough to make it through to delivery or to live long after birth unless fetal surgery is performed. For instance, if a fetus has a severe form of congenital diaphragmatic hernia, in which the liver is located in the chest and lung development is severely restricted, fetal surgery is done to lessen the severity of the problem and permit the baby to live to birth to undergo further corrective surgery. Fetal surgery can be done in various ways. Fetoscopic surgery uses a fiberoptic scope to enter the uterus through small surgical openings. The aim is to correct congenital malformations (birth defects) without major incisions and without removing the fetus from the womb. This is generally less traumatic than open fetal surgery and reduces the chances of preterm (premature) labor.
Fetal-maternal exchange
The transfer of oxygen and nutrients from the mother to the baby and thetransfer of waste from the baby to the mother.
PREVIOUS AND NEXT TERMS--------------------------------------
Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH)
A technique that can be used for prenatal diagnosis, in which specifically designed fluorescent molecules are used to "light up" particular genes or sections of chromosomes to make them visible under a microscope. The fluorescence makes even small abnormalities in the chromosomes visible.
Failure to thrive
Slow growth and development of a baby, characterized by failure to gain weight, delayed development, unwillingness to interact, and gastrointestinal problems. Failure to thrive is almost always the result of inadequate nutrition, whether because of neglect or illness.
Family and Medical Leave Act
Passed in 1993, the U.S. Family and Medical Leave Act mandates up to 12 weeks of unpaid medical leave for employees of companies with more than 50 employees. Under this act, people can also take leave to care for a sick child, parent, or spouse
Family practitioner
An updated version of the general practitioner who provided one-stop care for all ages and both sexes, the family practitioner has several years ofspecialty training in primary care, including obstetrics.
Fertility specialist
An obstetrician / gynecologist who specializes in treating people with fertility problems.
Fetal distress
Fetal monitoring
Tracking a fetus's heartbeat and a woman's uterine contractions during labor.
Fetal presentation
The position of the baby -- such as feet down (breech) or head down (vertex) -- inside a woman's uterus. About 96 percent of babies present in the vertex position; some who present in breech position can be turned around by a doctor before delivery begins.
Fetal-maternal exchange
The transfer of oxygen and nutrients from the mother to the baby and thetransfer of waste from the baby to the mother.
Fetoscopy
A prenatal diagnostic procedure in which a doctor inserts a laparoscope (a small viewing instrument) through a small incision in a pregnant woman's abdomen and uterine wall to look for any abnormalities in the fetus. Carries a 5percent risk of miscarriage or preterm labor.
Fever
When body temperature rises above its normal level - defined as 98.6 degrees F, though it varies by individual and time of day. A fever is the sign of an immune system at work and usually indicates an infection.
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