Webster's New World Medical Dictionary

placental chorioangioma
A benign vascular
(blood vessel) tumor of the placenta. Large
chorioangiomas can cause complications, including
excess amniotic fluid (polyhydramnios), maternal
and fetal clotting problems (coagulopathies), pre-
mature delivery, toxemia, fetal heart failure, and
hydrops (excess fluid) that affect the fetus. 
placental dystocia
Difficulty in delivering the
placenta. A number of techniques may be tried to
overcome placental dystocia, including changing
position, massage, nursing the newborn baby to
induce uterine contractions, and in some cases
using medications that induce uterine contractions.
placental stage of labor
The part of labor that
lasts from the birth of the baby until the placenta
and fetal membranes are delivered. Also known as
third stage of labor.
plague
An infectious disease that is caused by the
bacterium Yersinia pestis, which mainly infects rats
and other rodents. Fleas function as the prime vec-
tors for carrying Y. pestis from one species to
another. Transmission of the plague to people can
also occur if people eat infected animals, such as
squirrels. When someone has the plague, he or she
can transmit it to another person via aerosol
droplets. The plague has been responsible for dev-
astating epidemics. The disease occurs at a consis-
tent but low level in many countries, including the
US. Yersinia pestis infection can be easily treated
with antibiotics when detected early Also known as
pest and pestis. See also 
bubonic plague; plague,
bubonic; plague, black.
PKU, maternal
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