Combining Forms

amni/o: amnion, amniotic fluid

cephal/o: head

chori/o: chorion

embry/o: embryo

esophag/o: esophagus

fet/i: fetus, unborn offspring

fet/o: fetus, unborn offspring

gravid/o: pregnancy

lact/o: milk

nat/o: birth

omphal/o: umbilicus, navel

par/o, part/o: to bear, labor, childbirth, give birth to

prim/i: first

pseud/o: false

puerper/o: childbirth

pylor/o: pylorus, pyloric sphincter

terat/o: malformation

Prefixes

ante-: before

dys-: painful, labored, difficult

micro-: small

multi-: many

neo-: new

nulli-: none

post-: after

pre-: before

Suffixes

-a: no meaning, noun ending

-al: pertaining to (adjective)

-amnios: amnion, amniotic fluid (noun)

-cyesis: pregnancy (noun)

-e: noun ending, no meaning

-gen: substance that produced, agent that produced (noun)

-genic: producing, originating, causing (adjective)

-graphy: process of recording (noun)

-ic: pertaining to (adjective)

-is: noun suffix, no meaning

-itis: inflammation (noun)

-logist: specialist who studies and treats, physician who studies and treats (noun)

-logy: study of (noun)

-oid: resembling (adjective)

-oma: tumor (noun)

-rrhea: discharge, flow (noun)

-rrhexis: rupture (noun)

-stenosis: constriction, narrowing (noun)

-tocia: birth, labor (noun)

-tomy: incision, cut into (noun)

-um: noun ending, no meaning

-us: noun ending, no meaning

Obstetric and Neonatology Terms Built from Word Parts

amniochorial: pertaining to the amnion and chorion

amniorrhea: flow of amniotic fluid

amniotic: pertaining to the amnion

amniorrhexis: rupture of the amnion

antepartum: before childbirth (referring to the gestational parent)

embryogenic: pertaining to producing an embryo

embryoid: resembling an embryo

embryonic: pertaining to the embryo

fetal: pertaining to the fetus

gravida: pregnant gestational parent

gravidopuerperal: pertaining to the time period around pregnancy and childbirth

intrapartum: occurring during labor or delivery

lactic: pertaining to milk

lactogenic: pertaining to milk production

lactorrhea: flow of milk

multigravida: a gestational parent who has had two or more pregnancies

multipara: a gestational parent who has given birth two or more times

natal: pertaining to birth

neonate: a newborn infant

neonatal: pertaining to a newborn infant

nulligravida: a gestational parent who has never been pregnant

nullipara: a gestational parent who has never given birth

para: a gestational parent who has given birth to an offspring after the point of viability, whether alive or stillborn

postpartum: pertaining to after childbirth (referring to the gestational parent)

prenatal: pertaining to before childbirth

primigravida: a gestational parent who is pregnant for the first time

primipara: a gestational parent who has given birth to their first offspring after the point of viability, whether alive or stillborn

puerpera: a gestational parent who has just given birth

puerperal: pertaining to a puerpera

puerperium: the time period between childbirth and when the reproductive organs return to normal (about six weeks)

teratogen: a substance capable of causing malformations in a developing embryo or fetus

teratogenic: pertaining to a teratogen

Obstetric and Neonatology Terms Not Built from Word Parts

breech presentation: when the full-term fetus is positioned with its feet or buttocks pointing down in the uterus

cephalic presentation: when the full-term fetus is positioned with its head pointing down in the uterus

embryo: the unborn child during weeks 5–10 of pregnancy

fetus: the unborn child beginning at week 11 of pregnancy

gestation: pregnancy

lactation: production of breastmilk

lochia: vaginal discharge consisting of blood, mucus, and uterine tissue that is shed for 4–6 weeks after childbirth

meconium: the first stool of a neonate

parturition: childbirth

premature infant: an infant born before 36 weeks’ gestation

quickening: movement of the fetus in the uterus that can be felt by the gestational parent

zygote: the cell that forms when the genetic material of a sperm and an ovum combine during conception