552 List of Difficult Words
E
eclampsia A dangerous condition during
pregnancy, which can lead to seizures (convulsions).
ectopic pregnancy See pregnancy in the tube.
ejaculate When a man reaches his peak of sexual
pleasure and his semen comes out.
embryo An unborn baby is called an embryo
between the second and eighth weeks after
conception.
emphysema A serious lung disease.
enema A solution of water put up the anus
to make a person pass stool or to increase the
amount of fluid in the body.
epilepsy A disease in which a person has
convulsions and loss of consciousness.
erection When a man becomes sexually excited
and his penis gets hard.
esophagus The tube connecting the mouth and
the stomach that food goes down.
estrogen A female hormone.
examination (exam) When a health worker,
nurse, or doctor looks at, listens to, or feels parts
of the body to find out what is wrong.
exhaustion Extreme tiredness.
F
fainting See loss of consciousness.
fallen womb See prolapsed uterus.
fallopian tubes The tubes that lead from the
ovaries to the womb. When the ovary releases
an egg, it travels down these tubes to the womb.
family planning When a woman uses methods
to prevent pregnancy, so that she can have the
number of children she wants, when she wants
them.
farsighted Being able to see things that are far
away but not things close by. Often happens
after age 40.
fats Foods, like oils and butter, that give the
body energy.
female condom A thin piece of rubber that fits
into the vagina and covers the outer folds of the
vulva. The condom prevents a man’s sperm from
reaching the woman’s womb.
Where Women Have No Doctor 2012
fertile time The time in a woman’s cycle when
she can get pregnant. For most women, this time
starts about 8 days after the first day of the last
monthly bleeding and lasts for about 11 days.
fertility awareness (Natural Family Planning) A
family planning method that teaches a woman
how to know her fertile time.
fertilization See conception.
fertilizer A material used to make the land richer
so that more crops can be produced.
fetoscope A tool for listening to and counting
the heartbeat of the baby inside the mother’s
womb.
fetus The baby growing inside the womb.
fever When the body temperature is higher than
normal.
fiber Parts of certain plants that when eaten
help the body pass stool.
fibroids Growths in the womb that can cause
abnormal bleeding from the vagina, pain, and
repeated miscarriage.
fistula A hole in the skin between the vagina and
the urine tube or rectum that causes urine or stool
to leak from the vagina.
fit See convulsion.
flashback When a person suddenly remembers
something from the past as if it is happening now.
flexibility When the muscles and joints can move
easily, without stiffness or pain.
folic acid or folate A B-vitamin that helps make
healthy red blood cells. It is especially important
that a pregnant woman get enough folic acid in
her diet in order to prevent birth defects in the
baby.
fumes Vapors that can contain harmful chemicals.
G
gallbladder A small, muscular sac attached to the
liver. The gallbladder collects a liquid that helps
digest fatty foods.
gallstones Hard material that forms in the
gallbladder and can cause severe pain.
gang rape When a woman or girl is raped by
more than one man.