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Glossary of Commonly Used Terms

Androgen

A hormone produced in the ovaries and adrenal glands that affects sexuality and the prevention of bone loss. Androgen, like estrogen, decreases significantly after menopause. Small amounts of androgen added to estrogen replacement therapy can counteract such effects of menopause as failing libido, persistent hot flashes, and decreased bone density.
 

Appendicitis

Inflammation of the appendix.
 

Benign

When a disease or condition is benign, as opposed to malignant, it is of a mild character that doesn’t threaten health or life. A benign condition has a good outlook for being cured.
 

Benign Breast Disease

Commonly referred to as Fibrocystic Breast Condition.
 

BHRT

See Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy
 

Bioidentical Hormones

Like synthetic hormones, bioidentical hormones used in bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT); are manufactured. Unlike synthetic hormones, however, bioidentical hormones have the same molecular structure as the hormones produced by the body. By matching the body's hormones, experts believe that the body will be able to better tolerate natural hormones with few, if any side effects.
 

Biopsy

The removal and examination of a sample of tissue from a living body for diagnostic purposes.
 

Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy

When the type of estrogen and progestogen used are bioidentical to hormones produced in the body, it is known as bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT).
 

BMD Test

Bone mineral density test (see bone density test)
 

Bone Density Test

A non invasive and painless test to determine your bone health, identify osteoporosis and risk for fractures.
 

CA-125

A protein that can be found in the blood most commonly seen in tumors of the ovary and occasionally seen in the breast and other regions.
 

Chronic Cystic Mastitis

Commonly referred to as Fibrocystic Breast Condition.
 

Computerized tomography (CT)

X-rays are taken of internal organs to construct a series of cross sectional scans along a single axis.
 

Conjugated Estrogens

Conjugated equine estrogens are a mixture of several different estrogens that are derived from the urine of pregnant mares.
 

Core Needle Biopsy

A procedure where a larger needle is inserted into suspicious tissue and a sample is removed for lab diagnosis.
 

Corpus Luteum

The progesterone secreting cells that form from the ovarian follicles after the release of a mature egg.
 

Cyclic Headaches

Those headaches occurring in relation to your menses cycle, e.g. always just before or during menses, or always at ovulation (mid cycle).
 

Cyst

An abnormal sac within the body containing gaseous, liquid, or semisolid substance.
 

Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disorder wherein the immune system attacks and destroys the insulin producing cells in the pancreas. type 2 diabetes is where the body either does not use insulin efficiently or does not produce enough insulin with the pancreas.
 

Diffuse Cystic Mastopathy

Commonly referred to as Fibrocystic Breast Condition.
 

Diverticulitis

Inflammation within parts of the intestinal tract, causing stagnation of fecal matter and pain.
 

Ectopic Pregnancy

Implantation and subsequent development of a fertilized egg outside the uterus, such as in a fallopian tube.
 

Endometriosis

Endometrial tissue is normally confined to the lining of the uterus. The presence and growth of functioning endometrial tissue in places other than the uterus is termed endometriosis, a condition that often results in severe pain and infertility.
 

Ergotamine

An alkaloid derived from ergot that is less toxic than ergot, and causes constriction of the blood vessels, often used in treatments of migrain headaches.
 

ERT

See Estrogen Replacement Therapy.
 

Estrogen or Oestrogen

Any of several steroid hormones produced chiefly by the ovaries and responsible for promoting the monthly fertility cycle and the development and maintenance of female secondary sex characteristics. These include:

Estradiol (E2) is the strongest and most dominant estrogen produced by the ovary. In women with active menstrual cycles, the ovaries produce between 70 and 500 micrograms of estradiol daily. This is converted to estrone and to a lesser extent estriol. Estradiol production declines by 40 to 60 percent during menopause and only a small supplementation may be necessary to ameliorate night sweats and hot flashes. After menopause, estrone is the most active circulating estrogen. (After menopause estrone is made in the adrenal glands.

Estrone (E1) is a weaker form of estrogen and is produced by the conversion of cholesterol and other elements found in fatty tissue. Estrone also has some protective effect against bone demineralization similar to estradiol.

Estriol (E3) is the weakest estrogen at alleviating hot flashes and night sweats, but is the least carcinogenic of all estrogens. Estriol results from the metabolism of both estradiol and estrone within the body. High levels of estriol are produced during pregnancy and appear to protect the body against certain forms of cancer.
 

Estrogen Dominance

After many years of steady decline in production of estrogen and progesterone in women’s bodies, there is a drastic change in the balance of these two hormones by the menopausal years. There is insufficient progesterone to counteract the amount of estrogen in the body, so there is an estrogen dominance.
 

Estrogen Replacement Therapy

A form of Hormone Replacement Therapy in which only estrogen is used.
 

Fibroid

Composed of or resembling fibers or fibrous tissue. See uterine fibroid tumors.
 

Fibrocystic Breasts

Fibrocystic breasts are characterized by lumpiness and usually discomfort in one or both breasts. The condition is very common and benign, meaning that fibrocystic breasts are not malignant (cancerous). Fibrocystic breast condition (FCC) is the most common cause of "lumpy breasts" in women and affects more than 60% of women. The condition primarily affects women between the ages of 30 and 50 and tends to become less of a problem after menopause.
 

FNAB (fine needle aspiration biopsy)

A procedure where a small needle is inserted into suspicious tissue to be sent to a lab determining if the tissue is benign or malignant.
 

Follicle-stimulating Hormone (FSH)

Follicle-stimulating hormone is produced by the pituitary gland. In women, it helps control the menstrual cycle and the production of eggs by the ovaries. The amount of FSH varies throughout a woman's menstrual cycle and is highest just before she releases an egg (ovulates).
 

HDL

High density lipoprotein cholesterol (often called 'good' cholesterol).
 

Hormone Replacement Therapy

Estrogen, usually administered along with a progestogen, can provide relief from the symptoms of menopause and reduce the risk of osteoporosis and heart disease after menopause. The treatment is abbreviated HRT.
 

HRT

See Hormone Replacement Therapy.
 

Hysterectomy

A surgical procedure where a woman's uterus is removed. called a partial hysterectomy when one or both ovaries are left.
 

Hysterosalpingography (HSG)

Examination of the uterus and fallopian tubes by injecting a radiopaque medium into the body and then viewed by x-ray or gamma ray to make film visuals of the internal organs.
 

Hysteroscopy

A procedure in which a very small camera is inserted through the vagina into the uterus to see the fibroids.
 

Intramural Fibroids

Fibroids found in the wall of the uterus.
 

Laparoscopy

A surgical procedure in which a small incision is made in the abdomen and a small light and camera are inserted into the opening.
 

Laparotomy

A major abdominal surgery to remove endometriosis and/or uterus (the latter a process called a hysterectomy).
 

LDL

Low density lipoprotein cholesterol, a complex of lipids and proteins, with greater amount of lipid than protein, that transports cholesterol in the blood. (often called 'bad' cholesterol).
 

Leiomyomata

The precise medical name for fibroid tumors is uterine leiomyomata.
 

Lipid Profile

A group of tests to determine total cholesterol, hdl cholesterol, and ldl cholesterol.
 

Luteinizing Hormone (LH)

Luteinizing hormone is produced by the pituitary gland. Along with other hormones (follicle-stimulating hormone and estrogen), LH helps regulate the menstrual cycle in women and causes ovulation to occur. The amount of LH released into the body varies with the phase of the menstrual cycle. It increases rapidly just before ovulation occurs, about midway through the cycle (day 14 of a 28-day cycle). This is called an LH surge. Luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone levels rise and fall together during the monthly menstrual cycle.
 

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

The use of a magnetic resonance spectrometer to give electronic images of specific molecular structures, predominantly human cells, tissues, and organs.
 

Malignant

The opposite of benign, a malignant condition does not respond favorably to treatment, and there is an unfavorable outlook. Deterioration takes place when there is malignancy, and death is frequently the result.
 

Mammary Dysplasia

Commonly referred to as Fibrocystic Breast Condition.
 

Mammogram

An x-ray image of the breast often used to detect or give more information on lumps or abnormalities within the breast tissue.
 

Medroxyprogesterone

Medroxyprogesterone is a synthetic hormone, a progestin, derived from progesterone. Medroxyprogesterone is used as a contraceptive by inhibiting ovulation, and is used in some HRT therapies. Progestins such as medroxyprogesterone, seem to have a dampening effect on sex drive in women. In fact, medroxyprogesterone, the most commonly used synthetic progesterone (prempro), is also used to reduce sex drive in male sex offenders.
 

Menopause

The period marked by the natural and permanent cessation of menstruation, occurring usually between the ages of 45 and 55.
 

Migraine Headache (Menstrual)

A severe headache found in one or both sides of the head, often lasts from a few hours to a few days. Can make sufferer very sensitive to light and sound as well as cause nausea and vomiting. Standard NSAID's tend to have little to no effect on these headaches.

Some 60% of women of child-bearing age suffer from migraine headaches associated with menstruation, usually occurring two days before the onset of menses or at the end of their period. Balance between estrogen and progesterone concentrations changes throughout the period, with levels of both falling in the later phase, triggering menstrual flow. Estrogen withdrawal in the late phase can precipitate menstrual migraine.
 

“Natural” Hormone

A manufactured hormone which is bioidentical to a hormone that is produced within the human body, such as the progresterone in Hera Essence Progesterone Cream.
 

Neonatal Ovarian Cysts

Cysts on the ovaries that form when a woman is pregnant.
 

NSAID

Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflamitory Drugs such as aspirin or ibuprofen.
 

Osteoporosis

A disease in which the bones become extremely porous, are subject to fracture, and heal slowly. It occurs particularly in women following menopause and often leads to curvature of the spine from vertebral collapse.
 

Ovarian Cyst

The ovaries produce eggs which develop and mature in the ovaries, then are released during ovulation. When an egg matures but is not released into the fallopian tube, a fluid-filled sac called an ovarian cyst is formed on the ovary. It can be as small as a pea or as big as a grapefruit. Most are benign in women of child-bearing age but could be malignant (cancerous). A cyst in a young, premenstrual girl or a post-menopausal woman is frequently malignant. Diagnostic surgery to make an absolute identification is needed. The most common cysts are functional cysts which can be one of four types, all benign:

Follicular - These occur when the normal follicle, or sac that holds the egg and matures to release it, does not shrink after release of the egg. Depending on the size of the cyst, it can just be observed or treated with birth control pills.

Corpus luteum - Less common, these become larger than follicular cysts, thus causing more pelvic pain. They result when bleeding occurs into the follicle after an egg is released. If it ruptures, it can cause bleeding into the abdomen, and that could possibly require surgery.

Theca luteum - This, the least common of the functional cysts, is often associated with an abnormal pregnancy, disappearing without treatment after the pregnancy is terminated.

Polycystic ovaries - Multiple, clear-fluid-filled cysts in both ovaries, these are associated with menstrual problems and hormone imbalances.

Endometriosis can cause complex ovarian cysts or endometriomas, also commonly called chocolate cysts. Up to 60% of women with endometriosis experience ovarian involvement.
 

Perimenopause, Perimenopausal

Pertaining to the time leading up to menopause when estrogen levels begin to drop.
 

Phytoestrogen

Plant-derived compounds that mimic the effect of estrogen, phytoestrogens are similar, but not identical to the estrogen manufactured in the body. They have an effect which addresses most (but not all) of the same bodily functions as the estrogen hormone produced within the body.
 

Postmenopause, Postmenopausal

Occurring after menopause.
 

Premenopause

Sometimes used in place of Perimenopause. Premenopause does not refer to the years immediately prior to menopause (perimenopause), but rather to any time from her first menstrual period to her last. The term premenopause is so often misused that the Council of Affiliated Menopause Societies recommends that it be abandoned.
 

Progesterone

A steroid hormone, secreted by the corpus luteum of the ovary and by the placenta, that acts to prepare the uterus for implantation of the fertilized ovum, to maintain pregnancy, and to promote development of the mammary glands.
 

Progestin

A “natural” or synthetic progestational substance that mimics some or all of the actions of progesterone.
 

Progestogen

Any of several progestational steroids (as progesterone or norethindrone). These ordinarily produce changes in the uterus to prepare for implantation or growth of an ovum or improve conditions for gestation.
 

Rh-Factor Immunization

A process to protect a baby who has an rh-factor of the blood differing from that of the mother, without such immunization, cells crossing the placental barrier can trigger maternal antibodies that can destroy the baby's red blood cells.
 

Stereotactic Biopsy

An x-ray guided biopsy used to get a tissue sample of abnormal lumps in the body.
 

Stromal Tissues

The connecitve or supportive tissues of an organ, gland or other structure.
 

Synthetic Hormones

When we say a hormone is "natural", we mean it is chemically identical to the hormone produced in the body. Natural hormones are also referred to as "bio-identical" hormones. A synthetic hormone (Provera for example, which is medroxyprogesterone acetate, a type of synthetic progestin) has a slightly different chemical structure from the progesterone produced by our bodies.
 

Systemic Lupus Erythematosis

Also called also systemic lupus, this is an autoimmune disease affecting inflammatory connective tissue. It is of unknown cause, but since it chiefly strikes women of child-bearing age, hormonal involvement is suspected. It is marked by fever, skin rash, arthritis, small hemorrhages in the skin and mucous membranes, inflammation of the outer covering of the heart, and often by acute destruction of red blood cells. In serious cases, there can be involvement of the kidneys and central nervous system.
 

Toxemia

A condition in which the blood contains toxins by infected body cells or from the growth of microorganisms.
 

Triptan

A drug which binds to and are agonists of serotonin receptors
 .

Tumor

An abnormal growth of tissue.
 

Ultrasound

A medical procedure using ultrasonic waves to image an internal body structure.
 

United States Pharmacopoeia (USP) Progesterone

United States Pharmacopoeia (USP) Progesterone is progesterone that exactly duplicates the progesterone naturally produced in the body. It's sometimes referred to as "human-identical" or "bio-identical" progesterone. The title "USP Progesterone" differentiates natural progesterone from synthetic progestins or progestogens.
 

Uterine Leiomyomata

The precise medical name for fibroid tumors.
 

Uterine Fibroid Tumors

Uterine fibroids are tumors or growths made up of muscle cells and other tissues that grow within the wall of the uterus (or womb). Although fibroids are sometimes called tumors, they are almost always benign (not cancerous). The medical term for fibroids is uterine leiomyomata (you-ter-in lie-oh-my-oh-mah-tah). Fibroids can grow as a single growth or in clusters (or groups). Their size can vary from small, like an apple seed (or less than one inch), to even larger than a grapefruit, or eight inches across or more.
 

Xenoestrogens

Literally “foreign estrogens,” these are chemicals that function like estrogen and have been implicated in the development of breast cancer in women and testicular cancer in men as well as a general decrease in sperm count and quality in males. Xenoestrogenic material leaches out of polycarbonate plastics, often used in food and cosmetic packaging – and also tin cans thinly lined with polycarbonate plastic that leak estrogen into their contents. They also enter the body via milk and meat of animals that have been treated with synthetic hormones to increase production and through foods that have been sprayed with certain types of pesticides and herbicides. They can prevent natural hormones from functioning normally and tend to remain active within the body for a much longer period of time than natural estrogen. This represents great potential harm to the body. Natural plant xenoestrogens are found in such foods as broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower, and appear beneficial in counteracting the effect of harmful xenoestrogens.