- M -
- malignancy
- A cancerous growth.
-
- malignant tumor
- A cancerous tumor that invades nearby tissues thereby eventually causing
damage to vital organs.
-
- mammary gland
- The portion of a mature female breast that produces milk.
-
- mammogram
- A type of X-ray of the breast often used to screen for tumors and breast
cancer.
-
- masochism
- A sexual variation in which the individual derives sexual pleasure from
experiencing pain.
-
- mastectomy
- The surgical removal of the breast; usually done as a treatment for breast
cancer.
-
- Masters and Johnson's four-phase model
- A model of the sexual response cycle that divides it into four phases:
excitement, plateau, orgasm, and resolution.
-
- masturbation
- Self-stimulation of the genitals for sexual pleasure.
-
- meiosis
- A form of cell division in which the cell's nucleus undergoes two
consecutive divisions.
-
- menage a trois
- A sexual relationship between three people.
-
- menarche
- The onset of menstruation; the first menstrual period.
-
- menopause
- The cessation of menstruation at the end of a woman's reproductive
capacity usually during late middle age.
-
- menses
- The more-or-less monthly sloughing of the uterine lining which results in
a bloody discharge from the vaginal opening.
-
- menstrual cycle
- The more-or-less monthly process during which the uterus is readied for
implantation of a fertilized ovum. If fertilization does not occur the
uterine lining is then shed.
-
- menstrual extraction
- The removal of the endometrial contents by suction; sometimes used as a
form of abortion or postcoital birth control.
-
- menstruation
- The more-or-less monthly sloughing of the uterine lining which results in
a bloody discharge from the vaginal opening.
-
- midwife
- A person (often a nurse) who acts as a birth attendant.
-
- mifepristone
- The chemical agent in RU-486.
-
- mini-pill
- A birth control pill that, unlike the combination pill, contains a low
dose of progesterone and no estrogen.
-
- minilaparotomy
- A form of tubal ligation in which a small incision is made in the lower
abdomen.
-
- miscarriage
- A spontaneous abortion; a pregnancy that terminates on its own prior to
birth.
-
- mittelschmerz
- Abdominal cramps on either side of the body at the time of ovulation,
often accompanied by a small discharge of blood from the cervix
-
- modeling
- The process of learning behavior through the observation of others.
-
- molluscum contagiosum
- A viral STD characterized by smooth, round, shiny lesions, generally
appearing on the trunk, on the genitals, or around the anus.
-
- moniliasis
- A form of yeast infection.
-
- monogamy
- The mating of one person with another individual with neither engaging in
sexual activity with anyone else.
-
- mons pubis
- In the female, the mound of fatty tissue covering the pubic bone that is
covered by pubic hair; also known as mons veneris.
-
- mons veneris
- The pubic mound; literally, mountain of Venus. Also known as mons pubis.
-
- morning-after pill
- A pill which can be used in emergency situations for preventing pregnancy
after intercourse has occurred.
-
- motile
- Exhibiting motion, such as in live sperm.
-
- mucous method
- A form of fertility awareness in which a woman stretches her cervical
mucus between her fingers to determine the time of ovulation.
-
- Mullerian ducts
- In the embryo, a pair of ducts that eventually develop into the internal
female reproductive system if the fetus is genetically female.
-
- Mullerian-inhibiting substance
- A hormone secreted by the testes in a genetically male fetus that acts to
inhibits the growth and development of the Mullerian-duct system.
-
- multiparous
- A woman who has had more than one baby.
-
- multiple orgasms
- Having several orgasms in a short period of time with no refractory period
in between.
-
- myotonia
- Increased muscle tension, sometimes accompanied by involuntary
contractions, during sexual excitement.
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