Glossary

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insecticides

Chemicals used to control or kill insects

insomnia

Not being able to sleep.

insulin

One of many hormones that helps the body turn the food we eat into energy and helps store energy to be used later. People with diabetes mellitus, a condition in which the body does not make enough insulin might need to inject themselves with insulin to help their bodies’ cells work properly.

interferon:

A group of proteins with a carbohydrate component, which is produced by different cell types in response to an exposure of a virus, bacterium, or parasite, that prevents replication (of the virus, bacterium, or parasite) in newly infected cells.

interstitial cystitis

interstitial cystitis: A long-lasting condition also known as painful bladder syndrome or frequency-urgency-dysuria syndrome. The wall of the bladder becomes inflamed or irritated, which affects the amount of urine the bladder can hold and causes scarring, stiffening, and bleeding in the bladder.

intestines

Also known as the bowels, or the long, tube-like organ in the human body that completes digestion or the breaking down of food. They consist of the small intestine and the large intestine.

intimidation

To make someone fearful in order to make them do what another per- son wants them to do

intrauterine device

A small device that is placed inside a woman’s uterus by a health care provider, which prevents pregnancy by changing the environment of the uterus (or womb).

intravenous analgesic

An analgesic is a drug that relieves pain. During labor, a woman can be given pain-relieving drugs intravenously (through a tube inserted into her vein).

inverted nipple

A nipple that retracts, rather than protrudes when the areola is compressed.

jaundice

A yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes, caused by too much bilirubin in the blood. While not a disease, jaundice can signal a liver or gallbladder problem. Newborns can develop jaundice, which is only temporary and goes away.

kidney disease

A number of conditions that can cause your kidneys not to work as well as they should or even shut down. People with kidney disease often have no symptoms and do not know there is a problem until their kidneys shut down. If your kidneys fail, you will have to have regular dialysis (a treatment that removes waste from your blood) or a kidney transplant.

kidney stones

Hard mass developed from crystals that separate from the urine and build up on the inner surfaces of the kidney.

lactation

Breastfeeding, or the secretion of breast milk.

lactiferous sinuses

Enlarged portion of the mammary or milk duct where breast milk pools during breastfeeding. The sinuses are behind the areola and connect to the nipple.

lactose

A sugar found in milk and milk products like cheese, cream, and butter.

lamaze

A philosophy of giving birth developed by Dr. Ferdinand Lamaze. The goal of Lamaze classes is to increase women’s confidence in their ability to give birth. Lamaze classes teach women simple coping strategies for labor, including focused breathing. But Lamaze also teaches that breathing techniques are just one of the many things that help women in labor. Movement, positioning, labor support, mas- sage, relaxation, hydrotherapy and the use of heat and cold are some others.

laxative

Medicines that will make you have a bowel movement.

lead

A metal, found in some paints and other surfaces that can make infants and young children sick.

lesion

An infected or diseased area of skin.

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