Glossary of Oral Contraceptive Terms

Atherosclerosis:

clogged arteries

Biphasic OC:

combination oral contraceptives that vary the progestin/estrogen ratio 2 times during the cycle

Breakthrough bleeding:

bleeding between menstrual periods

Combination OC:

oral contraceptive containing an estrogen and a progestin

Conception:

successful fertilization of a mature egg by a sperm; beginning of pregnancy

Contraception:

prevention of pregnancy

Corpus luteum:

progesterone-secreting shell of an ovarian follicle after the ovum is released

Ectopic pregnancy:

pregnancy occurring outside the uterus, usually in a fallopian tube

Endometriosis:

condition in which endometrial tissue accumulates in pelvic cavity or elsewhere in the body

Endometrium:

wall or lining of the uterus

Estrogen:

principal female hormone

Ethinyl estradiol:

synthetic estrogen used in combination OCs

Ethynodiol diacetate:

progesterone-like compound

Fallopian tube:

narrow passageway connecting an ovary to the uterus

Follicle:

protective covering of an immature egg in the ovary

Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH):

hormone produced in the pituitary gland that stimulates the maturation of an egg

Hirsutism:

Hormone:

substance formed by one organ that is carried to another organ where it stimulates that organ to function

Levonorgestrel:

progesterone-like compound

Luteinizing hormone (LH):

hormone produced by the pituitary gland that causes a mature egg to be released from the ovary

Menstruation:

cyclic physiologic bleeding from the nonpregnant uterus

Mestranol:

synthetic estrogen used in combination OCs that breaks down into ethinylestradiol

Minipill:

OC containing only a low dose of a progestin

Monophasic OC:

combination OC that contains the same dosage of each hormone in each active pill

Myocardial infarction:

heart attack

Norethindrone:

progesterone-like compound

Obstetrician-gynecologist (OB-GYN):

specialist in pregnancy, labor, and delivery (obstetrics) and diseases in general health of female genital tract (gynecology)

OCs:

oral contraceptives

Oral contraceptive:

birth-control pill containing estrogen and/or progestin

Ovum (ova):

egg(s)

Ovary:

female organ that holds immature eggs

Ovulation:

release of a mature egg from an ovary

Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID):

inflammation and infection of the uterus, ovaries, and fallopian tubes

Pituitary gland:

organ in the brain where follicle-stimulating and luteinizing hormones are formed

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS):

condition preceding start of menstrual cycle characterized by different degrees of bloating, headache, breast swelling and tenderness, anxiety, and emotional distress

Progesterone:

natural female reproductive hormone facilitating pregnancy

Progestin:

class of progesterone-like compounds

Synthetic hormone:

hormone developed in the laboratory to simulate a natural hormone but with different chemical structure

Thromboembolism:

obstruction of a blood vessel; the blood clot is carried by the blood stream from the site of origin to plug another vessel

Triphasic OC:

combination OC that varies the progestin/estrogen ratio in three 7-day phases

Uterus:

womb; organ where fetus develops