Fetal Medicine Glossary
100 terms total — 24 showing — Last updated 15 Sep 2026
Fetal Goiter
Enlargement of the fetal thyroid gland visible on prenatal ultrasound, potentially affecting delivery and neonatal care.
intrauterine transfusion
Procedure to transfuse blood directly into the fetus to treat severe anemia.
IUGR
Intrauterine growth restriction - condition where fetal growth is below expected parameters.
lambda sign
Ultrasound marker indicating dichorionic twin pregnancy, appearing as a triangular projection of placental tissue into t...
laser photocoagulation
Endoscopic laser treatment to ablate vascular connections in twin-twin transfusion syndrome.
Leopold maneuvers
Four-step systematic palpation technique used to determine fetal position, presentation, and engagement during pregnancy...
macrosomia
Excessive fetal growth resulting in birth weight above the 90th percentile or exceeding 4,000-4,500 grams.
MCA PSV
Middle Cerebral Artery Peak Systolic Velocity - a Doppler measurement used to assess fetal anemia and blood flow.
MCDA
Monochorionic Diamniotic - twin pregnancy sharing one placenta but with separate amniotic sacs.
MFMU
Maternal-Fetal Medicine Units Network, a research consortium conducting clinical trials in maternal-fetal medicine.
middle cerebral artery Doppler
Ultrasound assessment of blood flow in the fetal middle cerebral artery to detect anemia or growth restriction.
mirror syndrome
Maternal condition that mirrors fetal hydrops with edema and hypertension.
monoamniotic twins
Identical twins sharing both placenta and amniotic sac, representing the highest-risk twin pregnancy.
monochorionic diamniotic
Type of twin pregnancy where twins share a placenta but have separate amniotic sacs, carrying higher complication risks.
mosaicism
Genetic condition where an individual has cells with different chromosomal compositions.
MSAFP
Maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein test used to screen for neural tube defects and chromosomal abnormalities during pregna...
multifetal pregnancy reduction
Selective termination procedure to reduce the number of fetuses in high-order multiple pregnancies to improve outcomes f...
neural tube defect
Congenital malformation resulting from failure of neural tube closure during early embryonic development, including spin...
NIPT
Non-invasive prenatal testing using maternal blood to screen for chromosomal abnormalities.
non-stress test
Antepartum fetal surveillance test that monitors fetal heart rate patterns in response to fetal movement.
Nuchal Fold
The thickness of soft tissue at the back of the fetal neck measured on ultrasound as a marker for chromosomal abnormalit...
nuchal translucency
First-trimester ultrasound measurement of fluid behind the fetal neck used for Down syndrome screening.
OEIS complex
Rare congenital disorder involving omphalocele, exstrophy of bladder, imperforate anus, and spinal defects.
oligohydramnios
Abnormally low levels of amniotic fluid during pregnancy.
omphalocele
A congenital defect where abdominal organs herniate through the umbilical ring and remain covered by a membrane.