Glossary

benign – not harmful.

internal fetal labour monitoring – where an electrode is inserted through the vagina and placed on the baby’s scalp to record the baby’s heart rate during labour.

STARHS – this is a type of HIV test that can indicate whether you are likely to have been infected within the last six months. STARHS stands for Serological Testing Algorithm for Recent HIV Seroconversion. In the UK this test is now called RITA (Recent Infection Treatment Algorithm).

organogenesis – the process of development of baby’s main organs. This period is the first 12 weeks in the womb.

microbicide – a gel that may protect against infection.In reference to HIV, this is usually referring to a gel that could be applied before sex. In 2010 a study called Caprisa 004 provided the first evidence that a microbicide (in this case a gel containing the HIV drug tenofovir) might protect against HIV infection.