Peptic ulcer in the context of "Antibodies"

A self-induced abortion (also called a self-managed abortion, or sometimes a self-induced miscarriage) is an abortion performed by the pregnant woman herself, or with the help of other, non-medical assistance. Although the term includes abortions induced outside of a clinical setting with legal, sometimes over-the-counter medication, it also refers to efforts to terminate a pregnancy through alternative, potentially more dangerous methods. Such practices may present a threat to the health of women in the case that they are incorrectly used.

Self-induced (or self-managed) abortion is often attempted during the beginning of pregnancy (the first eight weeks from the last menstrual period). In recent years, significant reductions in maternal death and injury resulting from self-induced abortions have been attributed to the increasing availability of misoprostol (known commercially as "Cytotec"). This medication is a synthetic prostaglandin E1 that is inexpensive, widely available, and has multiple uses, including the treatment of post-partum hemorrhage, stomach ulcers, cervical preparation and induction of labor. The World Health Organization (WHO) has endorsed two regimens for abortion up to 12 weeks of pregnancy using misoprostol: a standardized regimen of mifepristone and misoprostol and a regimen of misoprostol alone. The regimen with misoprostol alone has been shown to be up to 83% effective in terminating a pregnancy but is more effective combined with mifepristone.

A flagellum (/fləˈdʒɛləm/; pl.: flagella) (Latin for 'whip' or 'scourge') is a hair-like appendage that protrudes from certain plant and animal sperm cells, from fungal spores (zoospores), and from a wide range of microorganisms to provide motility. Many protists with flagella are known as flagellates.

A microorganism may have from one to many flagella. A gram-negative bacterium Helicobacter pylori, for example, uses its flagella to propel itself through the stomach to reach the mucous lining where it may colonise the epithelium and potentially cause gastritis, and ulcers – a risk factor for stomach cancer. In some swarming bacteria, the flagellum can also function as a sensory organelle, being sensitive to wetness outside the cell.

Misoprostol is a synthetic prostaglandin medication used to prevent and treat stomach and duodenal ulcers, induce labor, cause an abortion, and treat postpartum bleeding due to poor contraction of the uterus. It is taken by mouth when used to prevent gastric ulcers in people taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID). For abortions it is typically used in conjunction with mifepristone or methotrexate, but can be used alone. By itself, effectiveness for abortion is between 82% and 100%. Its efficacy with mifepristone is higher, but varies based on gestational age. The misoprostol-only abortion regimen is typically recommended only when mifepristone is not available. For labor induction or abortion, it is taken by mouth, dissolved in the mouth, or placed in the vagina. For postpartum bleeding it may also be used rectally.

Common side effects include diarrhea and abdominal pain. It is in pregnancy category X, meaning that it is known to result in negative outcomes for the fetus if taken during pregnancy. In rare cases, uterine rupture may occur. It is a prostaglandin analogue—specifically, a synthetic prostaglandin E₁ (PGE₁).

Helicobacter pylori, previously known as Campylobacter pylori, is a gram-negative, flagellated, helical bacterium. Mutants can have a rod or curved rod shape that exhibits less virulence. Its helical body (from which the genus name Helicobacter derives) is thought to have evolved to penetrate the mucous lining of the stomach, helped by its flagella, and thereby establish infection. While many earlier reports of an association between bacteria and the ulcers had existed, such as the works of John Lykoudis, it was only in 1983 when the bacterium was formally described for the first time in the English-language Western literature as the causal agent of gastric ulcers by Australian physician-scientists Barry Marshall and Robin Warren. In 2005, the pair was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their discovery.

Infection of the stomach with H. pylori does not necessarily cause illness: over half of the global population is infected, but most individuals are asymptomatic. Persistent colonization with more virulent strains can induce a number of gastric and non-gastric disorders. Gastric disorders due to infection begin with gastritis, or inflammation of the stomach lining. When infection is persistent, the prolonged inflammation will become chronic gastritis. Initially, this will be non-atrophic gastritis, but the damage caused to the stomach lining can bring about the development of atrophic gastritis and ulcers within the stomach itself or the duodenum (the nearest part of the intestine). At this stage, the risk of developing gastric cancer is high. However, the development of a duodenal ulcer confers a comparatively lower risk of cancer. Helicobacter pylori are class 1 carcinogenic bacteria, and potential cancers include gastric MALT lymphoma and gastric cancer. Infection with H. pylori is responsible for an estimated 89% of all gastric cancers and is linked to the development of 5.5% of all cases cancers worldwide. H. pylori is the only bacterium known to cause cancer.

An ulcer is a discontinuity or break in a bodily membrane that impedes normal function of the affected organ. According to Robbins's pathology, "ulcer is the breach of the continuity of skin, epithelium or mucous membrane caused by sloughing out of inflamed necrotic tissue." Common forms of ulcers recognized in medicine include:

• Ulcer (dermatology), a discontinuity of the skin or a break in the skin.
  • Pressure ulcers, also known as bedsores
  • Genital ulcer, an ulcer located on the genital area
  • Ulcerative dermatitis, a skin disorder associated with bacterial growth often initiated by self-trauma
  • Anal fissure, an ulcer or tear near the anus or within the rectum
  • Diabetic foot ulcer, a major complication of the diabetic foot
• Callous ulcer, a chronic nonhealing ulcer with hard indurated base and inelastic margins
• Corneal ulcer, an inflammatory or infective condition of the cornea
• Mouth ulcer, an open sore inside the mouth.
  • Aphthous ulcer, a specific type of oral ulcer also known as a canker sore
• Peptic ulcer, a discontinuity of the gastrointestinal mucosa (stomach ulcer)
• Venous ulcer, a wound thought to occur due to improper functioning of valves in the veins
• Stress ulcer, an ulcer located within the stomach and proximal duodenum
• Ulcerative sarcoidosis, a cutaneous condition affecting people with sarcoidosis
• Ulcerative lichen planus, a rare variant of lichen planus
• Ulcerative colitis, a form of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
• Ulcerative disposition, a disorder or discomfort that causes severe abdominal distress, often associated with chronic gastritis

Upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) is gastrointestinal bleeding in the upper gastrointestinal tract, commonly defined as bleeding arising from the esophagus, stomach, or duodenum. Blood may be observed in vomit or in altered form as black stool. Depending on the amount of the blood loss, symptoms may include shock.

Upper gastrointestinal bleeding can be caused by peptic ulcers, gastric erosions, esophageal varices, and rarer causes such as gastric cancer. The initial assessment includes measurement of the blood pressure and heart rate, as well as blood tests to determine the hemoglobin.