Pathology of pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium

An amniotic fluid embolism (AFE) is a rare childbirth (obstetric) emergency in which amniotic fluid, fetal cells, hair, or other debris enters the mother's blood stream via the placental bed of the uterus and triggers an allergic-like reaction.

Amniotic band constriction (also known as "amniotic band syndrome", "ADAM complex", "Amniotic band sequence", "Congenital constriction bands" and "Pseudoainhum") is a congenital disorder caused by entrapment of fetal parts (usually a limb or digits) in fibrous amniotic bands while in utero.

HELLP syndrome is a life-threatening obstetric complication usually considered to be a variant or complication of pre-eclampsia.

Stillbirth is typically defined as fetal death at or after 20 to 28 weeks of pregnancy.

Maternal death is defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as "the death of a woman while pregnant or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy, irrespective of the duration and site of the pregnancy, from any cause related to or aggravated by the pregnancy or its management but not from accidental or incidental causes.

Postpartum thyroiditis is a phenomenon observed following pregnancy and may involve hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism or the two sequentially.

Oligohydramnios is a condition in pregnancy characterized by a deficiency of amniotic fluid.

Twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS), also known as Feto-Fetal Transfusion Syndrome (FFTS) and Twin Oligohydramnios-Polyhydramnios Sequence (TOPS) is a complication of disproportionate blood supply, resulting in high morbidity and mortality.

Postpartum infections, also known as puerperal infections, is any bacterial infection of the female reproductive tract following childbirth or miscarriage.

Postpartum depression (PPD), also called postnatal depression, is a type of clinical depression which can affect both sexes after childbirth.

Miscarriage, also known as spontaneous abortion and pregnancy loss, is the natural death of an embryo or fetus before it is able to survive independently.

Lactation failure or deficiency, also known as agalactia or agalactorrhea, as well as hypogalactia or hypogalactorrhea, is a medical condition in which lactation is insufficient or fails completely due to an inadequacy of breast milk production and/or a failure of the milk let-down reflex in response to suckling following childbirth, resulting in an inability to properly breastfeed.

Molar pregnancy is an abnormal form of pregnancy in which a non-viable fertilized egg implants in the uterus and will fail to come to term.

Polyhydramnios (polyhydramnion, hydramnios, polyhydramnios) is a medical condition describing an excess of amniotic fluid in the amniotic sac.

Couvelaire uterus (also known as uteroplacental apoplexy) is a life-threatening condition in which loosening of the placenta (abruptio placentae) causes bleeding that penetrates into the uterine myometrium forcing its way into the peritoneal cavity.

"Striae" is also a general term referring to thin, narrow grooves or channels, or a thin line or band especially if several of them are parallel or close together.

Chorioamnionitis also known as intra-amniotic infection (IAI) is an inflammation of the fetal membranes (amnion and chorion) due to a bacterial infection.

Breastfeeding difficulties refers to problems that arise from breastfeeding, the feeding of an infant or young child with milk from a woman's breasts.

Postpartum psychosis (or puerperal psychosis) is a term that covers a group of mental illnesses with the sudden onset of psychotic symptoms following childbirth.

Velamentous cord insertion is an abnormal condition during pregnancy.

Twin Anemia-Polycythemia Sequence, abbreviated as TAPS, is a form of chronic inter-twin transfusion.

Pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy (PUPPP), known in United Kingdom as polymorphic eruption of pregnancy (PEP), is a chronic hives-like rash that strikes some women during pregnancy.

Prurigo gestationis (also called "Besnier prurigo", "Early-onset prurigo of pregnancy," "Linear IgM dermatosis of pregnancy," "Papular dermatitis of pregnancy," "Prurigo of pregnancy", and "Spangler's papular dermatitis of pregnancy") is an eruption consisting of pruritic, excoriated papules of the proximal limbs and upper trunk, most often occurring between the 20th and 34th week of gestation.

Pruritic folliculitis of pregnancy is a dermatosis of pregnancy characterized by small follicular pustules scattered widely over the trunk, appearing during the second or third trimester, and resolving by 2 or 3 weeks after delivery.

A puerperal disorder is a disorder which presents primarily during the puerperium.

In obstetrics, antepartum haemorrhage (APH), also prepartum hemorrhage, is genital bleeding during pregnancy from the 24th week (sometimes defined as from the 20th week) gestational age to term.

Cryptic pregnancy is a condition in which a pregnant woman is unaware of her pregnancy until reaching labour.

Peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) is a form of dilated cardiomyopathy that is defined as a deterioration in cardiac function presenting typically between the last month of pregnancy and up to six months postpartum.

A vanishing twin, also known as fetal resorption, is a fetus in a multi-gestation pregnancy which dies in utero and is then partially or completely reabsorbed by the twin.

Chronic deciduitis, also plasma cell deciduitis, is a type of long-lasting inflammation that arises in pregnancy and affects the endometrial stromal tissue (decidua).

Circumvallate placenta is a placental disease in which the fetal membranes (chorion and amnion) "double back" on the fetal side around the edge of the placenta.

The Confidential Enquiry into Maternal Deaths (CEMD) is a national programme investigating Maternal Deaths in the UK and Ireland.

Diastasis symphysis pubis is the separation of normally joined pubic bones, as in the dislocation of the bones, without a fracture.

Chorea gravidarum is a rare type of chorea which presents with involuntary abnormal movement, characterized by abrupt, brief, nonrhythmic, nonrepetitive movement of any limb, often associated with nonpatterned facial grimaces.

Impetigo herpetiformis is a form of severe pustular psoriasis occurring in pregnancy which may occur during any trimester.