Madisons Foundation - Moms And Dads In Search Of Needed Support

pacemaker

An electrical device that is connected to the heart and helps it to beat. This is necessary if the heart cannot beat on its own or skips beats.

partial seizures

An episode of abnormal activity in a localized part of the brain wich causes changes in attention, movement and/or behavior. These seizures are not always associated with loss of consciousness.

philtrum

The area between the nose and the upper lip.

platelets

A type of blood cell formed in the bone marrow that helps to prevent bleeding by causing blood clots to form.

pneumonia

An inflammation of the lungs caused by either a bacterial, viral or fungal infection.

polyhydramnios

excess fluid around the fetus in a pregnant woman

prenatal diagnosis

Prenatal diagnosis uses a variety of techniques to determine the health and condition of an unborn fetus. Specifically, prenatal diagnosis is helpful for: 1. Managing the remaining weeks of the pregnancy. 2. Determining the outcome of the pregnancy. 3. Planning for possible complications with the birth process. 4. Planning for problems that may occur inthe newborn infant. 5. Deciding whether to continue the pregnancy. 6. Finding conditions that may affect future pregnancies.

prevalence

The number of new cases of a disease or condition in a given population.