Medical Terminology Flashcards

What does the suffix '-rrhea' mean in OB/GYN terminology?

Answer: Flow or discharge

'-rrhea' means flow or discharge, as seen in terms like menorrhea (menstrual flow) and leukorrhea (white vaginal discharge).

The term 'metrorrhagia' refers to:

Answer: Uterine bleeding between periods

'Metro-' refers to the uterus and '-rrhagia' means abnormal bleeding, so metrorrhagia is uterine bleeding occurring at irregular intervals.

Which prefix means 'before' or 'in front of' in OB/GYN terms such as 'antepartum'?

Answer: Ante-

'Ante-' means before, as in antepartum (before delivery) and antecubital (in front of the elbow).

What does 'colposcopy' involve?

Answer: Visual examination of the cervix and vagina

'Colpo-' means vagina and '-scopy' means visual examination, so colposcopy is examination of the vagina and cervix using a colposcope.

The medical term 'oligohydramnios' describes a condition involving:

Answer: Decreased amniotic fluid

'Oligo-' means few or scant and 'hydramnios' refers to amniotic fluid, so oligohydramnios means abnormally low levels of amniotic fluid.

What does the term 'placenta previa' literally indicate in its Latin roots?

Answer: Placenta going before (covering the cervix)

'Previa' comes from Latin 'praevius' meaning going before, indicating the placenta precedes the baby by covering the cervical os.

In OB/GYN coding, the term 'endometriosis' is built from which word parts?

Answer: endo (within) + metr (uterus) + iosis (abnormal condition)

Endometriosis = endo (within) + metr/o (uterus) + -osis (abnormal condition), describing endometrial tissue found outside the uterus.