You and Your Hormones

the process through which a woman gives birth to a baby. It begins with the womb contracting to allow the cervix to open, the foetus then passes along the birth canal and is born through the vagina. The final stage of labour is delivering the placenta.

an inflammation of a delicate part of the inner ear called the labyrinth. Symptoms include dizziness, vertigo and feeling sick.

breastfeeding; the process of producing milk for offspring.

a type of keyhole surgery where a telescope camera is passed through the navel into the abdominal cavity. This allows doctors to directly visualise the pelvic area to look for any tissue damage or abnormalities.

medical term for the voice box, which is found in the throat.

a medication that causes emptying of the bowels.

Leptin is a hormone secreted from fat cells that helps to regulate body weight.

More information on: Leptin Hormones

feeling tired and lacking energy; unwillingness to perform activities.

a feeling of tiredness and lack of energy.

a severe type of cancer that starts in the bone marrow and causes a reduction in the number of white blood cells in the body.

a person’s sexual desire.

tough bands of connecting tissue that join two bones together.

another word for fat.

Lipodystrophy is a condition in which the amount and/or distribution of adipose tissue (fat tissue) in the body is abnormal. Different types of lipodystrophy cause loss or re-distribution of fat tissue in different patterns.

More information on: Lipodystrophy Endocrine Conditions

Luteinising hormone is produced by the pituitary gland and is one of the main hormones that control the reproductive system.

More information on: Luteinising hormone Hormones

small bean-shaped glands throughout the body forming part of the lymphatic system, which carries lymph fluid, nutrients and waste material between the body tissues and the bloodstream.