Glossary of Terms
abortion: The intentional termination of pregnancy by killing and expelling an embryo or a fetus. Also, any of various procedures that result in such termination and removal. Also called induced abortion.
abortifacients: A substance or device used to induce abortion.
abstinence: Generally speaking it is the act or practice of refraining from feeding an appetite, but as found on our web site the word is always used to mean not engaging in sex while unmarried. In other words, to practice abstinence is to reserve sex solely for marriage by deciding not to have sex until one is married.
AIDS: See HIV/AIDS.
anal sex: Penetration of the anus by the penis or another object.
anus: The opening between the buttocks through which feces are expelled from the body.
cervix: The narrow outer opening of the uterus, a portion of which extends into the vagina.
chancroid: A sexually transmitted disease caused by a bacterial infection that is characterized by painful sores on the genitals.
chlamydia: A common sexually transmitted disease (STD) caused by Chlamydia trachomatis, a bacterium (singular form of bacteria). Chlamydia can be transmitted during vaginal, anal, or oral sex, and is the most common sexually transmitted disease in the United States (about four million people are infected each year). Not all infected people exhibit symptoms of infection. About half of all men and three-quarters of all women who have chlamydia have no symptoms and do not know that they are infected.
chromosome: A circular strand of DNA in that contains the genetic information passed down from parent to child which is necessary for cell life.
clitoris: A small erectile organ directly above the front part of the vaginal opening.
coitus: Vaginal sex or penetration of the vagina by the penis.
conception: When the male sperm fertilizes the female egg creating a human life called an embryo. See also fertilization. (Note: Most women discover they are pregnant when their baby is 7-9 weeks old.)
curette: A surgical instrument, used in abortions, that is shaped like a scoop or spoon and is used to remove tissue, growths, or broken up parts of the fetus during abortions from the uterus.
dilation: The act of expanding or the state of being expanded, enlarged.
dilator: A metal rod used to open the cervix (or create dilation) in order to allow access to the uterus.
DNA: DNA is an abbreviation for "deoxyribonucleic acid," and is a molecule (specifically a nucleic acid) that carries the genetic information in all living systems and is capable of self-replication. DNA consists of two long chains of "nucleotides" (the basic parts which makeup DNA) twisted into a double helix and joined by hydrogen bonds between its like bases. The ordering of these basic parts (nucleotides) determines a person's characteristics they inherit from their parents at conception, things such as eye and hair color, gender, height, fingerprint pattern, skin tone, etc.
ectopic pregnancy: The implantation and subsequent development of a fertilized egg outside the uterus, as in a fallopian tube.
egg: A female reproductive cell carrying a single set of chromosomes that when fertilized by the male sperm, becomes a human life. Also called an ovum.
ejaculation: The expulsion of semen from the urethra of the penis during orgasm.
embryo: Human life at its earliest developmental stage; specifically used to refer to an unborn human from the moment of conception through the eighth week of development.
estrogen: Any of a class of steroid hormones that primarily influence the female reproductive system's development, maturation, and function. Estrogens affect the ovaries, vagina, fallopian tubes, uterus, and mammary glands and play crucial roles in puberty, menstruation, pregnancy, and labor. They also influence the structural differences between female and male bodies.
fallopian tube: Either of a pair of tubes in females connecting the ovaries to the uterus and along which the egg (or ovum) travels each month awaiting fertilization.
fertilization: Joining of a male sperm and the female egg to form a human life which at this early stage is called an embryo. Also called conception.
fertilization age: Refers to the time elapsed since conception. Most women ovulate (release a mature egg from the ovary) in the middle of their monthly cycle. For instance, if a woman has a 28-day cycle, she will typically ovulate on the 14th day after her period began. If a woman conceives and becomes pregnant at that time, this then becomes the first fertilization day of the baby's fertilization age.
fetus: A borrowed Latin word meaning "offspring," fetus refers to a developing unborn baby with an observable human structure. Technically, it refers to an unborn child from the end of the eighth week after conception to the moment of birth.
foreplay: Sexual stimulation which both precedes and leads to sexual intercourse.
full term pregnancy: The stage at about 40 weeks after last menstrual period or 38 weeks after fertilization when the unborn baby is ready for birth.
genitals: The reproductive organs on the outside of the body (especially the ones used for sex, that is, the penis, testicles, vagina).
genital herpes: A recurrent, incurable sexually transmitted disease (STD) caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV). The disease is characterized by the formation of fluid-filled, painful blisters in the genital area. Herpes is not curable and a pregnant woman who develops a first episode of genital herpes close to delivery can pass the virus to her newborn during childbirth. Herpes infection in a newborn can be fatal.
genital warts: See human papillomavirus (HPV).
gestation: The period of a child's development in the uterus from the mother's last menstrual period (LMP) through conception and all the way up to birth. Also called pregnancy.
gestation age: The time elapsed since the mother's first day of her last menstrual period (LMP). Typically, this is two or more weeks earlier than the time of actual fertilization (referred to as fertilization age). In other words, if a woman had her period two weeks ago and then conceives, the gestation age of the developing baby is two weeks while the fertilization age is only one day. The gestational age is the one traditionally used by medical providers to date pregnancy.
gonorrhea: A highly contagious sexually transmitted disease that is caused by the bacterium (singular form of bacteria) Neisseria gonorrhoeae. The mucous membranes of the genital region may become inflamed without the development of any other symptoms. When symptoms do occur, they are different in men and women. In men, gonorrhea usually begins as an infection of the vessel that carries urine and sperm (urethra). In women, it will most likely infect the narrow part of the uterus (cervix). If untreated, gonorrhea can result in serious medical complications.
herpes: See genital herpes.
HIV/AIDS: Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, or AIDS, is the final, life-threatening stage of infection with any of the human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV-1, its many subtypes, or HIV-2), a condition in humans in which the immune system begins to fail, leading to life-threatening infections. HIV is transmitted from person to person sexually (including via anal, oral, and vaginal intercourse, both heterosexually and homosexually), through contact with blood (mainly via equipment used to inject illicit drugs and, rarely, via medical uses of blood), and perinatally (from mother to fetus or newborn during pregnancy, labor, and delivery, or after birth through breast-feeding).
hormone: Chemical messengers produced by one tissue and conveyed by the bloodstream to another which regulate physiological activity such as growth, reproduction, and metabolism.
human papillomavirus (HPV): A common sexually transmitted disease (STD) caused by human papillomavirus, a group of more than 100 viruses, at least 35 of which can infect the genital tissues. HPV is spread by direct contact of infected tissue with uninfected tissue during vaginal, anal, or oral sex. An estimated 50 percent of sexually active adults have been infected with one or more of the HPV types that cause genital infections. At any time, an estimated 20 million Americans have genital HPV infections. About 6.2 million Americans get a new genital HPV infection each year. Most types of HPV that infect genital tissues do not cause any symptoms. Certain types of HPV cause genital warts that usually appear as soft, moist, pink, or red swellings that grow quickly. Several types of genital HPV infection (not usually the types that cause warts) can increase the risk of cervical cancer in women and other genital cancers in both women and men.
implantation: When a fertilized egg implants in the lining of the uterus (or sometimes in the fallopian tube). (Note: Pregnancy begins at conception. It does not begin when implantation occurs.)
incubation period: The period of time required for the development of symptoms of a disease after infection.
induced abortion: See abortion.
lactation: Secretion or formation of milk by the mammary glands.
laminaria: Thin sticks derived from plants related to kelp which are applied to the opening of the cervix in order to stimulate dilation.
last menstrual period (LMP): The date when a woman started her last menstrual period before fertilization. This is the point in time from which the pregnancy and the age of the unborn baby are measured.
mammary glands: Milk-producing glands of female (usually present but undeveloped and nonfunctional in males). Pregnancy causes the cells lining the lobes to multiply, and lactation begins in response to hormones released starting at the time of birth. At the end of lactation, the glands return almost to their state before pregnancy.
masturbation: The erotic stimulation of one's own genitals for pleasure.
menstrual period: The monthly flow of blood and cellular discharge from the uterus that begins at puberty in women.
mifepristone: A pill that can be taken as an alternative to surgical abortion. It is sold commercially under the name Mifeprex, also is known as RU-486, the abortion pill, the early option pill or medical abortion. This drug causes pregnancy to end by blocking the female hormone progesterone. The lack of progesterone makes the uterus shed its lining, which causes bleeding similar to a menstrual period. Three days after taking mifepristone, women are given a second drug, misprostol, to cause uterine contractions that expel the contents of the uterus, including the human fetus.
miscarriage: The loss of an embryo or fetus before the 20th week of pregnancy. Most miscarriages occur during the first 14 weeks of pregnancy. The medical term for miscarriage is spontaneous abortion.
morning after pill (MAP): Also known as "Plan B," it consists of two tablets of levonorgestrel (progestin) taken 12 hours apart, generally within 72 hours of sexual intercourse. While these pills can prevent conception from occurring, they also can actually cause the early abortion of an already fertilized egg by preventing its implantation, thus destroying the existence of a conceived human life. Scientifically speaking, this is a type of abortion. These drugs do not provide any real protection against AIDS or other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) either.
neurotransmitter: Chemical that allows the movement of information between neurons.
oxytocin: From the Greek words meaning "quick birth," oxytocin is a hormone (chemical messengers which regulate physiological activities including growth and reproduction) found in mammals that also acts as a neurotransmitter (chemical that allows the movement of information between neurons) in the brain. In women, it is released mainly after stretching of the cervix and vagina during labor or sexual intercourse, and after stimulation of the nipples as in the milk-ejection reflex during breastfeeding. Importantly, oxytocin is released during sexual climax (or orgasm) in both men and women. Within the brain, oxytocin plays a significant role in social recognition and bonding, and might also be involved in the formation of trust between people.
open adoption: A type of adoption where the birth parent(s) stay in regular contact with their child and the adoptive family.
orgasm: The peak of sexual excitement, characterized by strong feelings of pleasure and by a series of involuntary contractions of the muscles of the genitals, usually accompanied by the ejaculation of semen by the male. Also called climax.
oral sex: Sexual intercourse where one person uses the mouth and tongue to stimulate another person's sex organs or genitals.
ovary: One of a pair of female reproductive organs (called ovaries) that produces eggs (or ova) as well as the chemicals estrogen and progesterone.
ovum: See egg.
Pap smear: Also known as the Pap test, it is a medical procedure in which a sample of cells are taken from a woman's cervix (the end of the uterus that extends into the vagina) and spread (smeared) on a microscope slide. The cells are examined under a microscope in order to look for pre-malignant (before-cancer) or malignant (cancer) changes. A Pap smear is a simple, quick, and relatively painless screening test. Though very good, it does not have perfect detection abilities, and therefore a few women develop cervical cancer despite having regular Pap screening.
penis: The male sex organ which contains the urinary tract and which also during sexual intercourse transmits sperm into the uterus.
perforated: Pierced with one or more holes.
period: See menstrual period.
physiology: The study of life-sustaining body functions and structures in animals, especially human beings.
placenta: Female organ that develops in the uterus along with a fetus to allow for the exchange of nutrients and oxygen in the mother's blood to pass to the fetus and wastes and carbon dioxide from the fetus to pass in the other direction to the mother where they are expelled. The umbilical cord attaches the placenta to the fetus at the navel. The two blood supplies do not mix.
pornography: Sexually explicit pictures, writing, or other material whose primary purpose is to cause sexual arousal.
Post-abortion Stress/Trauma (PAS/T): A recognized condition which results from the unresolved psychological, physical, and spiritual aspects of a past abortion.
pregnancy: The period following conception during which a developing embryo and later fetus is carried within the uterus. Human pregnancies average 266 days (38 weeks) from conception to childbirth. Traditionally, pregnancy duration is counted from the woman's last menstrual period, which adds roughly 2 weeks to gestational age. This is how physicians arrive at a pregnancy length of 40 weeks (280 days).
progesterone: A steroid hormone secreted by the ovary and by the placenta that acts to prepare the uterus for implantation of the fertilized egg, to maintain pregnancy, and to promote development of the mammary glands.
protozoan: The smallest, single-celled members of the animal kingdom such as such as amoebas, ciliates, flagellates, and sporozoans.
puberty: The stage of adolescence in which an individual's body becomes physiologically capable of sexual reproduction.
rape: Any sexual behavior that involves an unwilling partner. Forced sexual contact, especially sexual intercourse, with an unwilling partner.
RU-486: See mifepristone.
scrotum: The external sac of skin enclosing the testicles in males.
semen: The sticky white fluid produced in the male reproductive system that carries sperm and is discharged during ejaculation.
sex: Sexual union between a male and female involving either insertion of the penis into the vagina or genital contact other than vaginal penetration by the penis.
sexual activity: This covers sex as well as other actions intended to result in sexual arousal or gratification. Sex includes penile-vaginal, anal and oral sex. Other actions intended to result in sexual arousal or gratification, include, but are not limited to: masturbation, mutual masturbation, fondling, the use of sex toys, and the viewing of pornography. Also called sexual contact.
sexual intercourse: See sex.
sexually transmitted disease (STD): Any number of various potentially life-threatening diseases, including chancroid, chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis, that are usually contracted through sexual intercourse or other intimate sexual contact. See also sexually transmitted infection (STI).
sexually transmitted infection (STI): Invasion of and multiplication in bodily tissue by a microorganism (for example, bacterium, virus, protozoan) that is usually (more than half the time) passed from one person to another during intimate bodily contact meant to give or derive sexual gratification. All sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are in fact STIs (but not all STIs are STDs). The current trend in modern health care is to use the label "STI" where previously you would have expected to see "STD." (We have tried to follow this approach throughout www.cpcphoenix.org.)
sperm: A male reproductive cell carrying a single set of chromosomes that when it has penetrated and fertilized the female egg, becomes a human life.
steroid hormone: Any hormone affecting the development and growth of sex organs.
syphilis: A sexually transmitted disease (STD) caused by Treponema pallidum, a spirochete (a slender, spiral, mobile bacteria) that can be transmitted during vaginal, anal, or oral sex. An estimated 70,000 syphilis cases occur in the United States annually. Without treatment, syphilis in adults progresses through four stages: primary, secondary, latent, and tertiary. Persons with syphilis are most infectious during the primary and secondary stages. Primary syphilis is marked by an infectious sore (chancre) that resolves on its own. Without treatment, syphilis bacteria spread through the bloodstream and lead to the secondary stage, which is characterized by a skin rash and systemic symptoms. These symptoms can come and go over one to two years, during which an infected person can infect others. If untreated, the infection progresses to a latent stage. Symptoms disappear, and the disease is no longer infectious, but the bacteria remain in the body and can damage vital organs. In about a third of untreated persons, the results of the internal damage show up years later in the tertiary stage. Symptoms include paralysis, blindness, dementia, impotence, joint damage, heart problems, tumors, and deep sores. The damage can be serious enough to cause death. An untreated pregnant woman in an infectious stage of syphilis can pass the infection to her developing fetus.
testicle: The male reproductive gland contained within the scrotum.
trichomoniasis: An infection of the genital and urinary tract that is caused by a protozoan (the smallest, single-celled members of the animal kingdom). Trichomonas vaginalis is passed almost 100 percent of the time through sexual contact. Trichomoniasis is primarily an infection of women's vaginal and urinary tracts. A woman is most susceptible to infection just after having completed her menstrual period. Men may carry the organism unknowingly, since infection in men may cause mild or no symptoms.
trimester: An interval of three months used to measure three successive stages of pregnancy—first trimester, second trimester, and third trimester.
umbilical cord: The flexible cordlike structure connecting a fetus at the navel with the placenta and containing two umbilical arteries and one vein that transport nourishment to the fetus and remove its wastes.
urethra: The canal through which urine is discharged from the bladder in men and women and through which semen is discharged in the male.
uterus: A hollow muscular organ located in the rear of the vagina behind the cervix in which the fertilized egg implants and develops. Also called womb.
vagina: The passage leading from the opening of the female sex organ (the vulva) to the cervix of the uterus and that part of the female which receives the penis during sexual intercourse.
vaginal sex: Penetration of the vagina by the penis.
vulva: A woman's external sex organs which lie in front of the vagina.
"wet dream": A very common experience wherein males have an unexpected emission of seminal fluid (or semen) while asleep.
womb: See uterus.
zygote: A single celled life that results from the fertilization of the female egg by the male sperm. The earliest stage of human life, the zygote is the conception of a new life separate from that of mother and father, as it contains 46 chromosomes, 23 from each parent (carried by egg and sperm) and with them all the genetic information (such as DNA) he or she will need for every detail of human life. Such genetic information includes the color of the child's hair and eyes, the gender of the baby, and the height and skin tone. This new human life is now called an embryo.