Glossary
Here are definitions of some of the medical terms used on this site:
Adenomyosis
A condition in which pieces of the lining of the uterus grow into the muscle of
the uterus
Anemia
A condition in which a person does not have enough red blood cells or hemoglobin
(the component of red blood cells that delivers oxygen to tissues throughout the
body), or the body does not have enough blood, causing tiredness, a lack of energy,
and possibly shortness of breath
Cervix
The lower part of the uterus that opens into the vagina
Endometriosis
A condition in which pieces of the lining of the uterus grow outside the uterus
Endothelins
Proteins that affect the body's blood vessels
Fallopian Tubes
Tubes through which an egg travels from the ovary to the uterus
Fibroids
Non-cancerous tissue growths that can develop in the uterus
Heavy Monthly Bleeding
Menstrual bleeding that is heavier than normal
Hormones
Chemicals made by your body that send messages to other cells
LYSTEDA(tranexamic acid) Tablets
The first and only non-hormonal medicine approved by the FDA to treat Heavy Monthly Bleeding
Menstruation
The monthly discharge of blood from the uterus in women of childbearing age; also
known as a woman's period
Ovaries
The pair of reproductive glands that produce eggs and female hormones; they are
about the size and shape of an almond
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)
An infection of the uterus, fallopian tubes (tubes that carry eggs from the ovaries
to the uterus) and other reproductive organs that causes symptoms such as lower
abdominal pain
Polyps
Balloon-shaped growths of tissue in the body, including within the uterus
Progesterone
A female hormone that prepares the lining of the uterus for a fertilized egg to
implant
Progestin
A natural or man-made progesterone-like substance that mimics some or all of the
actions of progesterone
Prostaglandins
Hormone-like chemicals made by the body that, among other things, help control the
muscle contractions of the uterus
Uterus
The organ located in a women's pelvis where a fetus grows and is nourished; also
called the womb
von Willebrand Disease
A bleeding disorder that affects the blood's ability to clot, due to a problem with
a certain protein in the blood
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