Opitz G/BBB Family Connection
(Canada)

43 Swallow Street, Kitimat, British Columbia V8C 1K6

Phone: 250-632-7026  Fax:250-639-9062 E-Mail

P

Library

Palate:  the roof of the mouth

Palpation:   the use of the hands to feel parts of the body to check for any abnormalities

Palpitation:   an abnormally rapid and strong heartbeat

Peak flow measurement:  the maximum speed that air is exhaled from the lungs; used to diagnose asthma or to determine the effectiveness of asthma medications

Penis:   the external male reproductive organ, which passes urine and semen out of the body

Perforation:  a hole in an organ or body structure caused by disease or injury

Perinatal:   occurring just before or just after birth

Pertussis:  a bacterial infection of the respiratory tract characterized by short, convulsive coughs that end in a whoop sound when breath is inhaled (commonly called whooping cough); mainly affects children

Pharynx:   the throat; the tube connecting the back of the mouth and nose to the esophagus and windpipe

Physical therapy:  the treatment of injuries or disorders using physical methods, such as exercise, massage, or the application of heat

Pigmentation: The coloring of the skin, hair, mucous membranes, and retina of the eye.

Pigmentation is due to the deposition of melanin which is a coloring matter. The melanin is produced by specialized cells called melanocytes.

Other pigmented terms include hyperpigmentation (too much pigment), hypopigmentation and under pigmentation (too little pigment), and depigmentation (loss of pigment).

Placenta: an organ formed in the uterus during pregnancy that links the blood of the mother to the blood of the fetus; provides the fetus with nutrients and removes waste

Placental abruption:  the separation of the placenta from the wall of the uterus before childbirth, which causes severe bleeding that threatens the life of the mother and the fetus

Placental insufficiency:  a disorder occurring during pregnancy in which the placenta does not function properly, causing the fetus to be deprived of nutrients 

Placenta previa:  a disorder in which the placenta develops at the lower section of the uterus (close to or covering the cervix); varies in severity, from no effect on a pregnancy to vaginal bleeding and danger to the mother and the fetus

Plasma:  the liquid part of the blood, containing substances such as nutrients, salts, and proteins

Plasma cell:  a white blood cell that makes antibodies

Pneumonia:  inflammation of the lungs due to a bacterial or viral infection, which causes fever, shortness of breath, and the coughing up of phlegm

Pneumothorax:  a condition in which air enters the space between the chest wall and the lungs, causing chest pain and shortness of breath; may occur spontaneously or be the result of a disease or an accident

Posterior: describes something that is located in or relates to the back of the body

Postnatal:   describes something that occurs after birth, usually to the baby

Postpartum:  a term that describes something that occurs after childbirth, usually to the mother

Post-traumatic stress disorder:  feelings of anxiety experienced after a particularly frightening or stressful event, which include recurring dreams, difficulty sleeping, and a feeling of isolation

Premature labor:  labor that begins before the full term of pregnancy (about 37 weeks)

Premature rupture of membranes:  the rupture of the sac that holds the fluid surrounding the fetus before the full term of pregnancy (about 37 weeks)

Prenatal care:  medical care of a pregnant woman and the fetus

Prenatal diagnosis:  techniques used to diagnose abnormalities in a fetus

Prenatal testing:  tests performed on a pregnant woman or her fetus to prevent or diagnose abnormalities

Prepared childbirth:  a technique in which a pregnant woman tries to minimize use of pain-relief medications during childbirth by learning relaxation techniques

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