Glossary
Birth Control Implant: A small, single rod that is inserted under the skin in the upper arm by a health care provider. It releases a hormone and protects against pregnancy for up to 3 years.
Cervix: The lower, narrow end of the uterus at the top of the vagina.
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.
Egg: The female reproductive cell produced in and released from the ovaries; also called the ovum.
Emergency Contraception: Methods that are used to prevent pregnancy after a woman has had sex without birth control, after the method she used has failed, or if a woman is raped
Fertilization: Joining of the egg and sperm.
Intrauterine Device (IUD): A small device that is inserted and left inside the uterus to prevent pregnancy.
Ovulation: The release of an egg from one of the ovaries.
Pelvic Exam: A physical examination of a woman’s reproductive organs.
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID): An infection of the uterus, fallopian tubes, and nearby pelvic structures.
Progestin: A synthetic form of progesterone that is similar to the hormone produced naturally by the body.
Sperm: A cell produced in the male testes that can fertilize a female egg.
Sterilization: A permanent method of birth control.
Uterus: A muscular organ located in the female pelvis that contains and nourishes the developing fetus during pregnancy.
Vagina: A tube-like structure surrounded by muscles leading from the uterus to the outside of the body.