inevitable abortion - definition of inevitable abortion in the Medical dictionary - by the Free Online Medical Dictionary, Thesaurus and Encyclopedia.

abortion /abor·tion/ (ah-bor´shun)

1. expulsion from the uterus of the products of conception before the fetus is viable.

2. premature stoppage of a natural or a pathological process.

artificial abortion induced a.

complete abortion one in which all the products of conception are expelled from the uterus and identified.

habitual abortion spontaneous abortion occurring in three or more successive pregnancies, at about the same level of development.

incomplete abortion that with retention of parts of the products of conception.

induced abortion that brought on intentionally by medication or instrumentation.

inevitable abortion a condition in which vaginal bleeding has been profuse and the cervix has become dilated, and abortion will invariably occur.

infected abortion that associated with infection of the genital tract.

missed abortion retention in the uterus of an abortus that has been dead for at least eight weeks.

septic abortion that associated with serious infection of the uterus leading to generalized infection.

spontaneous abortion that occurring naturally.

therapeutic abortion that induced for medical considerations.

threatened abortion a condition in which vaginal bleeding is less than in inevitable abortion and the cervix is not dilated, and abortion may or may not occur.

inevitable abortion

[inev′itəbəl]

Etymology: L, inevitabilis, unavoidable

a condition of pregnancy in which spontaneous termination is imminent and cannot be prevented. It is characterized by bleeding, uterine cramping, dilation of the cervix, and presentation of the conceptus in the cervical os. If heavy bleeding supervenes, immediate evacuation of the uterus may be required. Transvaginal ultrasound makes it possible to determine presence or absence of fetal heart movement at 5 weeks gestation. Compare incomplete abortion, threatened abortion.

inevitable abortion

Obstetrics The 'terminal' stage of threatened abortion where the cervix dilates and membranes rupture Management Curettage. See Abortion.