threatened abortion

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.

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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.

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threatened abortion

[thret′ənd]

Etymology: AS, threat, coercion; L, ab, away from, oriri, to be born

a condition in pregnancy before the twentieth week of gestation characterized by uterine bleeding and cramping sufficient to suggest that miscarriage may result. A threatened abortion is generally managed with rest and observation. Compare incomplete abortion, inevitable abortion.

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threatened abortion

Threatened miscarriage, threatened spontaneous abortion Obstetrics Vaginal bleeding at any time within the first 20 wks of pregnancy, accompanied by colicky pain, backache and a bright red to brownish discharge; TAs occur in up to 20% of early pregnancies of which¹⁄₂ progress to inevitable abortion; no therapy is consistently effective; bed rest, analgesics and sedatives are advised. See Abortion. Cf Spontaneous abortion.