Glossary F

Glossary F

Fertility awareness –based methods refer to contraceptive or family planning method that involves identifying a fertile period in a woman’s cycle and either avoiding intercourse or using contraception during this time.

Fertilization is defined as the union of two (2) gametes, which occurs when a haploid sperm and a haploid egg join to produce a diploid zygote, containing 46 chromosomes. Simply put, it is the penetration of an egg by a sperm.

Fescennine means obscene or scurrilous.

Festinating gait is defined as the rapid, shuffling gait characteristic of Parkinson's disease.

- Fetal alcohol effect (FAE) : Fetal alcohol effect (FAE) refers to a developmental disorder that involves the cognitive and behavioral deficits associated with Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), but without the physical stigmata of FAS.

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder or FASD refers to an umbrella term used to describe the range of effects that can occur to an individual whose mother drank alcohol during pregnancy. These effects may involve brain damage, impaired growth and head and face abnormalities. Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder is also spelled Foetal alcohol spectrum disorder.

Fetal alcohol syndrome refers to a disorder stemming from extensive prenatal exposure to alcohol. Children with this disorder typically suffer from problems in intellectual functioning, central nervous system dysfunction, cranial feature defects, behavior problems, growth retardation, and physical abnormalities of the face.

- Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) : Fetal alcohol syndrome refers to a condition affecting the children of mothers who consume large quantities of alcohol during pregnancy; it can involve learning disabilities, attentional
difficulties, and physical and emotional disability.