Pregnancy And Birth Definitions - E
EARLY INTERVENTION PROGRAM
Planned use of physical therapy and other interventions in the first few years of a child's life to enhance the child's development.
ECHOCARDIOGRAM (Echo)
Ultrasound picture of the heart. This is a painless, non-invasive procedure that takes accurate pictures of almost all parts of the heart. Many preemies have a cardiac ultrasound if the doctor is looking for evidence of a patent ductus arteriosus.
EDEMA
Puffiness or swelling, usually because of fluid retention in the body tissues.
EFFACEMENT
The thinning and shortening of the cervix during early labor.
EGG DONATION
The process by which a fertile woman donates her eggs, usually to help an infertile couple conceive a baby.
EMBRYO
Term for a developing baby during the first ten weeks of pregnancy.
ELECTROCARDIOGRAM(ECG or EKG)
A test that records the electrical activity of the heart. It can show abnormal rhythms (arrhythmias or dysrhythmias) or detect heart muscle damage.
ENDOTRACHEAL TUBE (ETT or ET Tube)
Tube placed through the mouth or nose into the throat and the child's trachea (windpipe). This tube provides a secure pathway through which air can be circulated to the lungs.
EXTRACORPOREAL MEMBRANE OXYGENATION
This long name means "oxygenation outside the body." It's used for babies whose lungs are not working properly (i.e., transferring oxygen into the blood and removing carbon dioxide) despite other treatments. The ECMO takes over the work of the lungs so they can rest and heal. It's similar to the heart-lung bypass used during some types of surgeries.
EXTREMELY LOW BIRTH WEIGHT (ELBW)
A baby born weighing less than 2 pounds, 3 ounces (1,000 grams). Also known as a "micropreemie."
EXTUBATION
Removing the Endotracheal Tube (ET Tube) from the baby's windpipe.
EPIDURAL
A form of pain relief for labor in which an anesthetic is injected into the spinal cord numbing the lower part of the body. An epidural also decreases or eliminates the amount of pain a woman in labor feels.
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Pregnancy And Birth Definitions
Pregnancy And Birth Dictionary E
