So, for lack of a better medical terminology metaphor, prefixes and suffixes combined with root words are kind of like ova and sperm. Separately, they don’t make much sense. But together, they produce a whole new being. In this case, of course, it’s a word and not a baby. But they are cute, aren’t they?
Here are some pertinent prefixes and suffixes.
| Prefix | What It Means |
|---|---|
| Ante- | Before |
| Dys- | Painful, difficult |
| Endo- | Within |
| Hydro- | Water |
| Intra- | Within |
| Multi- | Many |
| Neo- | New |
| Nulli- | None |
| Peri- | Around |
| Primi- | First |
| Secundi- | Second |
| Suffix | What It Means |
| -algia | Pain |
| -arche | Beginning |
| -cyesis | Pregnancy |
| -ectomy | Surgical removal of |
| -itis | Inflammation |
| -optosis | Sagging |
| -orrhaphy | Suture |
| -orrhea | Discharge, flow |
| -oscopy | Visual examination |
| -otomy | Incision into |
| -parous | Bearing, bringing forth |
| -plasty | Surgical repair |
| -rrhagia | Burst forth, excessive flow |
| -salpinx | Fallopian tube |
| -tocia | Labor |
By adding in the root words and combining forms, you start to create your own little word babies. If you’ve ever spent any time at the OB-GYN’s office, even as a patient, you will probably recognize many of these female-related roots.
| Root Word | What It Means |
|---|---|
| Amni/o | Amnion |
| Cephal/o | Head |
| Cervic/o | Cervix/neck |
| Chori/o | Chorion |
| Colp/o | Vagina |
| Culd/o | Retrouterine pouch (cul-de-sac) |
| Cyes/o, cyes/i | Pregnancy |
| Embry/o | Embryo |
| Endometri/o | Endometrium |
| Episi/o | Vulva |
| Fet/o | Fetus |
| Fimbri/o | Fimbria |
| Galact/o | Milk |
| Genit/o | Genitalia |
| Gonad/o | Ovaries |
| Gravida | Pregnancy |
| Gynec/o, gyn/o | Woman, female |
| Hyster/o | Uterus |
| Lact/o | Milk |
| Lapar/o | Abdomen |
| Mamm/o, mast/o | Breast |
| Men/o | Menstruation |
| Metr/o, metr/io | Uterus |
| Mult/i | Many |
| My/o | Muscle |
| Myometri/o | Myometrium |
| Nat/o, nat/i | Birth |
| Null/i | None |
| Olig/o | Scanty |
| Omphal/o, umbilic/o | Umbilicus, navel |
| Oophor/o | Ovary |
| Ov/o, ov/i, ovul/o | Egg, ovum |
| Papill/o | Nipple |
| Pelv/i, pelv/o | Pelvis |
| Perine/o | Perineum |
| Prim/i | First |
| Pseud/o | False |
| Puerper/o | Childbirth |
| Salping/o | Fallopian tube |
| Umbilic/o | Umbilicus, navel |
| Uter/o | Uterus |
| Vagin/o | Vagina |
| Vulv/o | Vulva |
There are so many medical terms associated with the female reproductive system that it’s just not possible to classify each and every one of them here However, here is a diverse array of both anatomical and clinical words that will keep you in the know regarding this system.
Adnexa: Accessory parts of an organ
Anteversion: Forward tipping of the uterus
Coitus/copulation: Sexual intercourse
Estrogen: Hormone produced by the ovaries responsible for female sex characteristics and building of uterine lining during the menstrual cycle
Gynopathic: Pertaining to diseases of women
Hydrosalpinx: Water in the fallopian tube
Leukorrhea: White vaginal discharge, can sometimes contain white blood cells
Mastoptosis: Sagging breasts
Menarche: Beginning of menstruation
Myometrium: Muscular layer lining the uterus
Oligomenorrhea: Scanty menstrual flow
Orifice: Opening
Progesterone: Hormone produced by the corpus luteum in the ovary and by the placenta during pregnancy
Puberty: Beginning of the fertile period when gametes are produced and secondary sex characteristics become evident
Retroversion: Abnormal tipping backward of the uterus
Salpingitis: Inflammation of fallopian tube
Some medical terms are specific to the obstetrical nature of this system. If you’ll be spending any time in an OB’s office, whether as an employee or patient, these are some handy terms to know:
Amnion: Membrane enveloping the fetus
Antepartum: Before birth, in relation to the mother
Chorion: Outermost extraembryonic membrane enveloping the fetus
Congenital anomaly: An abnormality or defect present at birth
Ectopic: Occurring away from a normal position
Ectopic pregnancy: Pregnancy occurring in the fallopian tube
Embryo: The product of conception up to the eight-week period of gestation
Fetus: The embryo from second month of pregnancy to delivery
Galactorrhea: Discharge of milk from the breast
Gestation: Period of time from fertilization to birth — in a human pregnancy, approximately 40 weeks
Gravida: A pregnant female
Hyperemesis gravidarum: Excessive vomiting during pregnancy
Intrapartum: During labor and delivery, in relation to the mother
Lochia: The vaginal discharge after childbirth
Meconium: First stool of the newborn
Multigravida: Female who has been pregnant two or more times
Multipara: Female who has given birth to viable offspring two or more times
Neonate: A newborn infant from birth to four weeks of age
Neonatologist: A physician specializing in neonatology
Neonatology: The study, diagnosis, and treatment of disorders of the newborn infant up to one month of age
Nulligravida: Female who has never been pregnant
Nullipara: Female who has never given birth
Parturition: The act of giving birth
Postnatal: Period after birth, referring to the newborn
Postpartum: After delivery, in relation to the mother
Prenatal: Period before birth, referring to the fetus
Primigravida: Female who is pregnant for the first time
Primipara: Female who has given birth to viable offspring for the first time
Pseudocyesis: False pregnancy
Puerpera: Female who has just given birth
Puerperium: Period after delivery until reproductive organs return to normal, about six to eight weeks
Quickening: Female’s first awareness of movement of fetus within the uterus, usually felt at 16–20 weeks’ gestation
Secundigravida: Female pregnant for the second time
Secundipara: Female who has given birth to viable offspring for the second time