| AALL | American Association for Labor Legislation |
|---|---|
| APL | abductor pollicis longus; accelerated painless labor; acute promyelocytic leukemia; animal placenta ... |
| BLS | bare lymphocyte syndrome; basic life support; blind loop syndrome; blood and lymphatic system; blood... |
| EDL | end-diastolic length; end-diastolic load; estimated date of labor; extensor digitorum longus |
| EMTALA | Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act |
| premature systole | A premature contraction of the heart that is independent of the normal rhythm and arises in response to an impulse in some part of the heart other than the sinoatrial node. Synonym: premature beat. (18 Nov 1997) |
|---|---|
| premature ventricular contraction | <cardiology> A cardiac arrhythmia which originates from within the ventricles. Isolated ventricular contractions are referred to as premature ventricular contractions. Frequent premature ventricular contractions can be potentially unstable and can degrade to a more serious rhythm or cardiac arrest. Acronym: PVC (31 Dec 1997) |
| premature ventricular contractions | Contractions of the lower chambers of the heart, the ventricles, which occur earlier than usual, because of abnormal electrical activity of the ventricles. The premature contraction is followed by a pause, as the heart electrical system resets itself and the contraction following the pause is usually more forceful than normal. These more forceful contractions are frequently perceived as palpitations. (12 Dec 1998) |
| infant, premature | An infant born before 38 weeks of gestation. (12 Dec 1998) |
| ovarian failure, premature | Premature failure of ovulation associated with hypergonadotropinism and hypoestrogenism in women under the age of 40. The aetiology appears to be multifactorial and many cases are idiopathic. When follicles are present but the ovaries are unable to respond to gonadotropins, resistant ovary syndrome results and this may be associated with autoimmune disease. Even when there is a loss of ovarian follicles, it is not always complete. Permanent and irreversible loss of follicles is termed premature menopause (menopause, premature). (12 Dec 1998) |
| labour, premature | Onset of labour before term but after the foetus has become viable, usually sometime during the 29th through 38th week of gestation. (12 Dec 1998) |
| foetal membranes, premature rupture | Spontaneous rupture of amniotic sac before the onset of uterine contractions. (12 Dec 1998) |