Contraction - The tightening of the uterine muscle that occurs throughout pregnancy. When contractions become regular and painful during labor, they work to dilate the cervix and to push the baby through the birth canal.
Cord blood storage - The collecting and storing of the baby's umbilical cord blood for future medical use. Cord blood contains stem cells, which can differentiate into other types of cell tissue in the body. Doctors have been using cord blood since 1988 to treat a host of diseases and injuries, from leukemia to non-Hodgkin's lymphoma to sickle cell disease.
Cesarean section - A surgical procedure in which the woman's abdomen is cut open for removal of the baby. Usually performed when the baby is under too much stress from labor, is very large, is in breech position, or for a multiple birth.
Chorionic villus sampling (CVS) - A prenatal test in which chorionic villi, microscopic, fingerlike projections that make up the placenta, are removed from the placenta and screened for genetic defects.
Circumcision - A surgical procedure to remove the foreskin that covers the head of the penis; usually performed within the first 48 hours of life.
Cleft palate - A birth defect affecting the palate, or roof of the mouth, in which a gap runs from behind the teeth to the back of the mouth.
Colostrum - The thin, sticky, yellow fluid secreted by the breasts when milk production starts, which can be as early as the second trimester. Colostrum provides optimal nutrition to the newborn during the first few days after delivery, before a new mother's milk comes in.
Cervical cerclage - A procedure in which the cervix is stitched closed to prevent premature delivery. The cerclage is removed 4 weeks before a woman's due date to allow for delivery.
Cervix - The lowermost portion of the uterus that is visible in the vagina.
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) - A very common, highly contagious virus with mild, often-overlooked symptoms. If contracted during pregnancy, CMV may lead to hearing loss, vision problems, and behavioral problems in a child.
Carpal tunnel syndrome - A feeling of numbness, tingling, burning, or aching pain in the fingers when the nerves are compressed or damaged.
Cordocentesis - (or percutaneous umbilical blood sampling, PUBS) A prenatal test in which fetal blood is removed from the umbilical cord under ultrasound guidance. Cordocentesis can detect blood and genetic disorders, Rh incompatibilities, and an infection. It may also be used to give the fetus a blood transfusion or deliver medication.
Couvade syndrome - The father-to-be's physical responses to his partner's pregnancy, including weight gain, backache, food cravings, and mood swings.
Cystic fibrosis - A progressive, often fatal hereditary disease in which the body's glands produce abnormally thickened mucus in the pancreas, lungs, liver, and intestines. Prenatal screening can determine if a fetus has cystic fibrosis.