Webster's New World Medical Dictionary

douching
Using water or a medicated solution to
clean the vagina and cervix or any other body cavity
or part.
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douching
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Douglas, pouch of
See 
pouch of Douglas.
Dowager’s hump
An abnormal outward curva-
ture of the thoracic vertebrae of the upper back.
Compression of the front portion of the involved
vertebrae due to osteoporosis leads to forward
bending of the spine (kyphosis) and creates a hump
at the upper back. Like most osteoporotic changes,
it is often preventable.
Down syndrome
A common birth defect that is
usually due to an extra chromosome 21 (trisomy
21). Down syndrome causes mental retardation, a
characteristic facial appearance, and multiple mal-
formations. It occurs most frequently in children
born to mothers over age 35. It is associated with a
major risk for heart problems, a lesser risk of duo-
denal atresia (partially undeveloped intestines), and
a minor but significant risk of acute leukemia.
Treatment for Down syndrome includes early inter-
vention to develop the mental and physical capaci-
ties to their utmost, speech therapy, and surgery, as
needed, to repair malformations. About one-half of
children with Down syndrome have heart defects,
most often holes between the two sides of the heart
(septal defects). With appropriate intervention,
most children with Down syndrome live active, pro-
ductive lives into at least middle age. Most are
mildly to moderately retarded, although some have
IQs in the low–normal range. Unfortunately, most
adults with Down syndrome eventually develop
Alzheimer’s disease as they grow older. Down syn-
drome was also once called mongolism, a term now
considered out of date, as the disorder has no rela-
tionship to Mongolian or Asian heritage. It can
occur in any racial or ethnic group.
downregulation
Reduction in the number of
receptors on the surface of target cells, making the
cells less sensitive to a hormone or another agent.
DPT
Diphtheria-pertussis-tetanus vaccine. Today
the more frequent abbreviation is DTP, for diphthe-
ria-tetanus-pertussis vaccine. See also 
DTP immu-
nization.