Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.
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Vaginal fornix
The anterior (front) and posterior (back) recesses into which the upper vagina is divided. These vaultlike recesses are formed by protrusion of the cervix into the vagina. The fornix uteri is also known as the fornix vaginae (or the vaginal fornices) and the uterine fornices. The fornix of the vagina in medical Latin is the fornix vaginae. The fornix vaginae is also known…
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Vaginal discharge
Vaginal discharge is a fluid produced by glands in the vaginal wall and cervix that drains from the opening of the vagina. The amount and appearance of normal vaginal discharge varies throughout the menstrual cycle. An increase in the amount of vaginal discharge, an abnormal odor or consistency of the fluid, or pain that accompanies vaginal discharge can all be signs…
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Vagina
The muscular canal that extends from the cervix to the outside of the body. It is usually 6 to 7 inches in length, and its walls are lined with mucous membrane. It includes two vaultlike structures: the anterior (front) vaginal fornix and the posterior (rear) vaginal fornix. The cervix protrudes slightly into the vagina, and through a tiny hole in the cervix (the os), sperm make their way toward the internal…
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VACTERL association
A nonrandom association of birth defects. VACTERL is a mnemonic in which the letters each stand for one or more type of malformation: The VACTERL association has been recurrently observed in newborn babies. It is more common in the children of diabetic mothers than in the general population. For some years that was all that was known about…
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Vaccines
Microbial preparations of killed or modified microorganisms that can stimulate an immune response in the body to prevent future infection with similar microorganisms. These preparations are usually delivered by injection.
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Vaccination
Injection of a killed microbe in order to stimulate the immune system against the microbe, thereby preventing disease. Vaccinations, or immunizations, work by stimulating the immune system, the natural disease-fighting system of the body. The healthy immune system is able to recognize invading bacteria and viruses and produce substances (antibodies) to destroy or disable them. Immunizations prepare the immune…
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Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty
A type of operation designed to tighten up flabby tissues and enlarge the upper air passages. The operation involves reshaping the uvula (uvulo-), soft palate (-palato-) and throat (-pharyngo-). The uvula is a small piece of soft tissue that can be seen dangling down from the soft palate over the back of the tongue. The uvula is described variously…
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UTI
Urinary tract infection.
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Uterus
A hollow, pear-shaped organ that is located in a woman’s lower abdomen, between the bladder and the rectum. The narrow lower portion of the uterus is the cervix (the neck of the uterus). The broader upper part is the corpus, which is made up of three layers of tissue. In women of childbearing age, the inner layer (endometrium) of the uterus goes through a…
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Uterine rupture
A tear in the uterus. A uterine rupture is a very serious situation. Causes include trauma, labor with an unusually big baby, multiple gestation, and vaginal delivery after a prior C-section (in which the old C-section scar ruptures). Uterine rupture can lead to hysterectomy, urologic injury, the need for blood transfusion, and even the death of the mother and baby.
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