Word Parts and Obstetric & Neonatology Terms
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