Glossary

Anaemia A disease in which the blood gets thin for lack of red blood cells. Signs include pale skin and lack of energy.

Eclampsia A potentially fatal condition in which a woman with pre-eclampsia (see below) develops convulsions.

Ectopic pregnancy A pregnancy that occurs outside the uterus, usually in one of the fallopian tubes. Ectopic pregnancy can be fatal if not detected early.

Haemorrhage Severe or dangerous bleeding.

Hepatitis A viral infection that harms the liver. Hepatitis increases the risk during pregnancy of liver failure and death.

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (includes pregnancy induced hypertension and renal hypertension), a syndrome characterized by swelling of the face and hands, high blood pressure and protein in the urine after the 20th week of pregnancy. Pregnancy induced hypertension, if untreated, may develop into pre-eclampsia/eclampsia.

Infancy The period of time from birth to one year of age.

Lactational Amenorrhoea Method (LAM) A postpartum method of family planning. If a woman is amenorrhoeic, fully or nearly fully breast-feeding day and night, and less than six months postpartum, she is 98 percent protected against pregnancy.

Obstructed labour A problem that occurs when the space in the bony birth canal of the mother is either too small or too distorted by disease to permit easy passage of the head of the baby during labour. If the condition is not dealt with in early stages of labour, obstruction can result in death of the mother through infection and exhaustion, and death of the fetus through infection, birth injury, and lack of oxygen.

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) Infection and inflammation of the upper reproductive tract (uterus and fallopian tubes) caused by sexually transmitted disease. PID can lead to infertility.

Pre-eclampsia A serious condition that sometimes develops during pregnancy characterized by development of high blood pressure, protein in the urine, and swelling of the feet, hands, and face. Also known as toxaemia.

Sepsis Blood poisoning.

Toxaemia See pre-eclampsia.