| due date | The estimated calendar date when a baby will be born, the date the baby is due to be born. It is also called the estimated date of confinement (EDC). (12 Dec 1998) |
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| duenna | Origin: Sp. Duena, dona, fr. L. Domina. See Dame. 1. The chief lady in waiting on the queen of Spain. 2. An elderly lady holding a station between a governess and companion, and appointed to have charge over the younger ladies in a Spanish or a Portuguese family. 3. Any old woman who is employed to guard a younger one; a governess. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| dystonia, focal, due to blepharospasm | The second most common focal dystonia, the involuntary, forcible closure of the eyelids. The first symptoms may be uncontrollable blinking. Only one eye may be affected initially, but eventually both eyes are usually involved. The spasms may leave the eyelids completely closed causing functional blindness even though the eyes and vision are normal. (12 Dec 1998) |
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| dystonia, focal, due to torticollis | Spasmodic torticollis, or torticollis, is the most common of the focal dystonias. In torticollis, the muscles in the neck that control the position of the head are affected, causing the head to twist and turn to one side. In addition, the head may be pulled forward or backward. (12 Dec 1998) |
| thrombotic disease due to protein c deficiency | Protein C is a protein in plasma that enters into the cascade of biochemical events leading to the formation of a clot. Deficiency of protein c results in thrombotic (clotting) disease and excess platelets with recurrent thrombophlebitis (inflammation of the vein that occurs when a clot forms). The clot can break loose and travel through the blood stream (thromboembolism) to the lungs causing a pulmonary embolism, brain causing a stroke (cerebrovascular accident), heart causing an early heart attack, skin causing what in the newborn is called neonatal purpura fulminans, the adrenal gland causing haemorrhage with abdominal pain, abnormally low blood pressure (hypotension), and salt loss. Protein c deficiency is due to possession of one gene (heterozygosity) in chromosome band 2q13-14. The possession of two such genes (homozygosity) is usually lethal. (12 Dec 1998) |