Dictionary

fever, epidemic hemorrhagic See hemorrhagic fever, viral.

fever, Ebola virus See Ebola virus.

fever, dengue See dengue fever.

fever, cat scratch See cat scratch fever.

fever, breakbone See dengue fever.

fever Technically, any body temperature above the normal oral measurement of 37°C (98.6°F) or the normal rectal temperature of 99°F. However, fever is not considered medically significant until the temperature is above 38°C (100.4°F). Fever is part of the body’s own disease-fighting arsenal: Rising body temperatures are apparently capable of killing many disease-producing organisms. For…

fetus An unborn offspring, from the embryo stage (the end of the eighth week after conception, when the major structures have formed) until birth.

fetoscopy Examination of a fetus within the uterus by using a fetoscope.

fetoscope A device used to obtain information about a fetus within the uterus. There are two types of fetoscopes: A fiberoptic scope for looking directly at the fetus within the uterus and a stethoscope designed for listening to the fetal heart beat.

fetoprotein, alpha- See alpha-fetoprotein.

fetal movement Movement of the fetus in the womb. The first fetal movements felt by the mother usually occur between 18 and 22 weeks of pregnancy but may occur earlier. Also known as quickening.

fetal mortality rate The number of fetal deaths divided by the sum of all births plus late fetal deaths in a given year. In the US, the fetal mortality rate plummeted from 19.2 per 1,000 births plus late fetal deaths in 1950 to 6.6 per 1,000 in 2000. However, the fetal mortality rate is higher…