Glossary
Benign: Not cancer.
Cervix: The lower, narrow end of the uterus at the top of the vagina.
Chronic Pelvic Pain: Persistent pain in the pelvic region that has lasted for at least 6 months.
Cyst: A sac or pouch filled with fluid.
Ectopic Pregnancy: A pregnancy in which the fertilized egg begins to grow in a place other than inside the uterus, usually in one of the fallopian tubes.
Endometriosis: A condition in which tissue that normally lines the uterus is found outside of the uterus, usually on the ovaries, fallopian tubes, and other pelvic structures.
Fibroids: Growths, usually benign, that form in the muscle of the uterus.
General Anesthesia: The use of drugs that produce a sleep-like state to prevent pain during surgery.
Hysterectomy: Removal of the uterus.
Incontinence: Inability to control bodily functions such as urination.
Infertility: A condition in which a couple has been unable to get pregnant after 12 months without the use of any form of birth control.
Laparoscope: An instrument that is inserted through a small incision to view internal organs or to perform surgery.
Laparoscopic Surgery: A type of surgery that uses a device called a laparoscope to view internal organs or to perform surgery.
Laparoscopy: A surgical procedure in which an instrument called a laparoscope is inserted into abdomen through a small incision. The laparoscope is used to view the pelvic organs. Other instruments can be used with it to perform surgery.
Malignant: A term used to describe cells or tumors that are able to invade tissue and spread to other parts of the body.
Obstetrician–Gynecologist (Ob-Gyn): A physician with special skills, training, and education in women’s health.
Pelvic Floor Disorders: Disorders affecting the muscles and tissues that support the pelvic organs; these disorders may result in loss of control of the bladder or bowels or cause one or more pelvic organs to drop downward (prolapse).
Pelvic Organ Prolapse: A condition in which pelvic organs, such as the uterus or bladder, drop downward. It is caused by weakening of the muscles and tissues that support these organs.
Regional Anesthesia: The use of drugs to block sensation in a region of the body.
Tubal Sterilization: A method of female sterilization in which the fallopian tubes are tied, banded, clipped, sealed with electric current, or blocked by scar tissue formed by the insertion of small implants.
Ureters: A pair of tubes, each leading from one of the kidneys to the bladder.