|
malignant — cancerous
mammary ducts — ducts in the
breast that carry milk to the lactiferous sinuses and the nipple.
mastitis — a condition that
occurs mostly in breastfeeding women, causing a hard spot on the breast that can be sore
or uncomfortable. It is caused by infection from bacteria that enters the breast through a
break or crack in the skin on the nipple or by a plugged milk duct.
menopause — the transition in a
woman's life when production of the hormone estrogen in her body falls permanently to very
low levels, the ovaries stop producing eggs, and menstrual periods stop for good.
menstruating — The blood flow
from the uterus that happens about every 4 weeks in a woman.
milk ducts — see mammary ducts.
milk sinuses — see
lactiferous sinuses.
milk-ejection reflex
— see let-down reflex.
miscarriage — an unplanned
loss of a pregnancy. Also called a spontaneous abortion.
montgomery glands — also
called Montgomery's glands or areolar glands. These small glands enlarge during pregnancy
and breastfeeding and look somewhat like pimples on the areola. They secrete oils that
lubricate the nipple.
multiple sclerosis — also called MS, a
disorder of the brain and spinal cord that causes decreased nerve function associated with
the formation of scars on the covering of nerve cells. Symptoms range from numbness to
paralysis and blindness. A person with MS slowly loses control over his or her body.
mumps — a sudden illness caused by
the virus paramyxovirus. It is spread by direct contact as well as by airborne droplets
and saliva. Since 1967 the mumps vaccine (MMR, or measles, mumps and rubella) has helped
cases decline in the United States. Symptoms include inflamed salivary glands (causing a
child to have full cheeks like a chipmunk), inflamed tissues of the central nervous system
(brain and spine), and an inflamed pancreas. Mumps in a child who has gone through
adolescence tends to affect the ovary and the testes, which can lead to infertility.
|
Women's Health Zone
Women's Health Glossary
Links