sori – small dots of spores on the underside of fern fronds.
spermicide - a preparation or substance inserted in the vagina used to kill sperm.
stigma - apex of the pistil of a flower, on which pollen is deposited at pollination.
stimulant – a substance that temporary produces an increase in the activity of an organism or any of its parts.
stomachic – a substance taken to tone the stomach, increasing digestion and appetite.
stupor - a condition of greatly dulled senses.
styptic – a substance that stops bleeding when applied to a wound.
succulent - a plant that has fleshy leaves that store water.
sudorific – a substance that induces sweating.
suppository - a solid medicinal molded cylinder inserted into a body cavity, where it melts releasing the medicinal components.
syrup - a thick sticky sweet liquid.
teratogen - a substance that can cause the development of abnormal structures in the embryo or fetus.
thujone - a fragrant oily ketone that can affect the GABA receptors in the brain.
tincture - a medicinal preparation made by soaking herbs in alcohol and straining off the resulting liquid.
tampon - a wad of absorbent material introduced into the vagina to absorb menstrual blood.
tonic - a substance that increases body tone
toxicity - the quality, state, or relative degree of being poisonous.
umbilical cord - a cord arising from the navel that connects the fetus with the placenta.
umbel - flat or curved top flower cluster.
urticaria – hives, the raised edematous red patch of skin or mucous membrane characteristic of hives.
uterine contractor – a substance taken to induce or increase uterine contractions.
vasoconstrictor – a substance taken to constrict the muscular walls of the blood vessels.
vermifuge- a substance taken to expel or destroy intestinal worms.
vesicant - an agent that induces blistering.
volatile oil - rapidly evaporating oil, an essential oil.
whorls - an arrangement of 3 or more parts (leaves, petals) radiating from a central point.
yoga - a system of physical postures, breathing techniques, and meditation to promote bodily or mental control and well-being, and ultimately enlightenment.
Appendixes
Appendix A: Rh Factor and RhoGam®
Accompanying each blood type is a positive or negative symbol which indicates the Rh factor. The Rh factor is an antigen (a substance that evokes an immune response) present in red blood cells. If one has a positive Rh factor (Rh+), one has the antigen. If one has a negative Rh factor (Rh-), one does not have the antigen. The majority of women are Rh+. Only around 15% of Caucasian women, 6% of African American women, and 1% of Native American and Asian women, are Rh-. If a woman who is Rh- becomes pregnant with a baby that is Rh+, and if a minute amount of the Rh+ fetal blood mixes into the Rh- blood of the woman (due to intrauterine trauma, premature separation of the placenta, placenta previa, abortion, or miscarriage), a dangerous action called isoimmunization will occur.
In isoimmunization, the mother’s immune system reacts to the fetal Rh+ blood as a foreign invader and produces antibodies that attack the Rh+ cells of the fetus. This can lead to severe anemia in the unborn child and increasingly intense reactions if the mother has future Rh+ fetuses. In the future, if the Rh- woman becomes pregnant again with an Rh+ fetus, her immune system remembers how to create the antibodies against Rh+ blood because of prior sensitization. Immediately, the woman’s immune system will react, attacking the blood of the fetus, treating the blood of the fetus as an invading virus. With constant attacks on its blood cells, the fetus can become severely anemic.
If an Rh- mother delivers an Rh+ baby, a hospital will administer a shot of RhoGam® to ensure that future Rh+ fetuses are protected. A RhoGam® shot makes a woman’s system believe it has already produced the antibody, and that it is not necessary to continue to produce more antibodies. With the RhoGam® shot, the Rh-woman does not produce any antibodies herself, and in the future, her immune system will have no memory of how to produce the antibodies. It is standard hospital procedure to give RhoGam® to every Rh- woman after an abortion. For women who are less than 12 weeks pregnant, a Mini-Gam (300 mg dose) is usually given, and for women over 12 weeks pregnancy, a full RhoGam® (l ml dose) is given.
If an Rh- woman has conducted a self-induced abortion, to protect against isoimmunization, she should get a RhoGam® shot. The RhoGam® shot must be given within 72 hours of the beginning of bleeding. Planned Parenthood will generally give RhoGam® shots to women who are current patients. Women without health care providers should go to an emergency room or an immediate care center and describe their condition as having just had a miscarriage and say they are Rh- and need to receive RhoGam®.
Appendix B: Breastfeeding and Abortion
A woman who is breastfeeding faces a set of unique conditions that affect her situation if she becomes pregnant and desires an abortion:
► Obtaining a sonogram will help to determine accurate gestational age. A lactating woman may be unaware that she has become pregnant, as her menstruation may not resume for six to eighteen months after the birth of her child.
► Breastfeeding immediately before taking medicine and/or ‘pumping and dumping’ her breast milk will help prevent contaminated breast milk being passed to her baby.
► Abortion methods, listed in this book, which may be most suitable for women who are breastfeeding include:
– Clinical Abortion
– Medical Abortion
– Menstrual Extraction
– Herbaclass="underline" Papaya Latex
– Pessary Homeopathy
– Acupuncture
– Hyperthermia
– Yoga
Appendix C: Bimanual Pelvic Examination
Selecting the most appropriate method of abortion depends on an accurate assessment of gestational age. Bimanual pelvic examination is one tool that is often combined with ultrasound, pregnancy test, and detailed menstrual history to determine the gestational age of the fetus.
1. The woman to be examined should empty her bladder prior to the exam. The person performing the exam should have washed hands in latex gloves. A water based sexual lubricant can be used on the tip of the index and middle fingers of one hand (usually the left) to ease insertion.
2. Woman lies down on back, knees up, and feet placed comfortably 2 - 3 (1 m) feet apart.
3. The woman’s assistant gently inserts the two lubricated fingers of one hand, seeking the nose like form of the cervix.
4. Holding her fingers steady under the cervix, the assistant uses her other hand to press down on the lower abdomen with firm pressure.
5. The assistant estimates position and the size of the uterus. The majority of women have a uterus that is anteverted, its long axis points forwards, and the cervix points backwards.
One in five women has a uterus that is retroverted or retroflexed; in this case, determining the size of the uterus can be difficult.