Medical dictionary

How does pregnancy affect heart health? Pregnancy requires the heart to work harder, in order to provide the mother and the unborn baby with the necessary oxygen and nutrients. During pregnancy: blood volume increases by 30% to 50% blood flow increases heart rate increases by 20 beats per minute plasma volume in the blood increases blood pressure decreases, during the firs

How does kidney disease affect someone who is pregnant?The effect on your pregnancy depends on the severity of the kidney disease you have. Generally, having kidney disease can increase your risk of:having a miscarriagedelivering a baby with low birth weightpre-eclampsiapremature birthstillborn childIf you have mild kidney disease, you only have a 20 per cent chance of pre-eclampsia, but if y

What is pilates?Pilates is a form of exercise that aims to strengthen the body, particularly the core muscles. It can be done by beginners as well as experts, and is suitable for all ages. In a similar way to yoga, pilates involves a series of movements and positions, but the focus is on the core, including the abdominal, back, and pelvic floor muscles.  How can pilates he

What is being analysed? The Pregnancy Test, specifically focusing on the human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) hormone, is a diagnostic tool used to determine pregnancy. This hormone is produced by the placenta after a fertilised egg attaches to the uterine lining.  How is it used? The test is commonly performed using urine or blood samples. It detects the presence and quantit

What is preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD)? Preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) is a technique used to detect genetic diseases or defects in embryos being used for in vitro fertilisation (IVF) before they are implanted in the uterus. Following advice from a fertility specialist, PGD might be offered to a couple that may know of genetic disorders running in their families, or to test th

What is a premature baby?Premature or preterm babies are babies who are born before week 37 of pregnancy (the normal duration of gestation is around 40 weeks). Premature babies are generally weaker and statistically suffer from more complications during their first weeks of life.  What are the symptoms experienced by a premature baby?The main sign of a baby being premature is their weigh

What is it?Any labour and birth that occurs before the 40th week of pregnancy is considered to be premature or preterm. Usually, a pregnancy lasts around 40 weeks. If labour and delivery happen between the 20th and 37th week of gestation, it is considered premature. There are several kinds of premature birth:Moderate to late premature birth: Between the 34th and the 37th week of pregnancyVery

What is premature ejaculation? Premature ejaculation is a common type of sexual dysfunction in which a man experiences an orgasm and ejaculates (ejects semen) sooner than he or his partner desire, often soon after sexual intercourse has begun or with little stimulation.   What counts as premature? What exactly counts as “premature” ejaculation is somewhat hard to d

What is premature menopause? Premature menopause, also known as premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) or premature ovarian failure (POF), is a medical condition in which a woman's ovaries cease to function before the typical age of natural menopause, which is typically between 45 and 55 years old. In premature menopause, this process occurs before the age of 40. This condition can have sign