Stadol - A narcotic pain reliever used during labor and delivery.
Stillbirth - A fetus born dead after 20 weeks' gestation. Causes of stillbirth include birth defects; multiple fetuses; high blood pressure; and diabetes.
Stretch marks - Discolored linear patterns on the skin (especially on the abdomen, breasts, buttocks, and legs) that result from the stretching of the skin to accommodate pregnancy. Once your baby is born, these reddish streaks will slowly fade but some marks will remain.
Symphysis pubis - The bony prominence of the pelvic bones which can be felt across the front of the lower abdomen-groin area. During pregnancy, a woman's health care provider uses this point to measure the growth of the uterus.
Stations of descent - A measure of how far down the baby is in the pelvis. Measured in negative and positive numbers: "-5" indicates a baby who is not engaged in the pelvis; "0" means the fetal head is engaged in the pelvis; and a score of "+5" indicates the baby is crowning.
Shoulder Dystocia - Occurs when the fetus' shoulder impacts against the mother making delivery complicated. Additional maneuvers are required to deliver the fetus.
Sickle-cell anemia - In a person with this disorder, red blood cells have a crescent or "sickle" shape rather than the normal doughnut shape. Because of their odd shape, those cells get caught in blood vessels. This prevents oxygen from reaching the organs and tissues. The body destroys these sickle cells faster than it can replace them. Anemia then occurs. A blood test detects the sickle-cell trait. For a couple to have a child with sickle-cell anemia, both parents must be carriers of the trait or have the disease.
SIDS - Acronym for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, the sudden death of an infant, when the child stops breathing while asleep. SIDS occurs most frequently in infants two to four months old; nearly 90% of the babies who die of SIDS are under six months of age.
Spina bifida - A neural tube defect resulting from the improper closure of the fetal spine. The defect can be low in the spine and problems are often mild. If the defect is higher in the spine it can cause more serious problems such as leg paralysis and lack of bowel & bladder control.