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Glossary - O
Obstetrician: A doctor who specialises in delivering babies and monitoring pregnancies.
Obstruction: When something is blocked (obstructed) e.g. the bowel.
Oestrogen: The female sex hormone produced in the ovary. It is produced in response to hormones (FSH and LH) released from the pituitary gland and controls the female sex characteristics, e.g. breasts. It is responsible for the growth of womb lining.
Oligomenorrhea: Infrequent periods
Oophorectomy: The removal of one or both of the ovaries. When both ovaries are removed, the surgical procedure is called “bilateral oophorectomy,” whereas the removal of only one ovary is called “unilateral oophorectomy.” When both ovaries are removed, a woman will experience an instant and irreversible menopause, and will be unable to have children. Women under 50 who haven’t already had a natural menopause, that have an oophorectomy, will need to take some form of hormone replacement therapy (HRT), as the oestrogen produced by the ovaries is responsible for stopping the bones from thinning.
Osteoporosis: A disease where the bones lose density, become thin and brittle and break easily. Having osteoporosis makes a person more likely to break their bones frequently and they take longer to heal. It can also lead to changes in posture – notably the formation of a hunched back.
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