Use of abbreviations and acronyms in obstetrics and gynecology

Medical abbreviations are a productive and useful method of term production. Since "the problem of mastering the skills to participate in scientific discourse in a foreign language in a non-linguistic university is one of the priority methodological directions in modern higher education" [1: 238], the issue of adequate translation of medical abbreviations is becoming more and more relevant. The interest in abbreviations and acronyms used in obstetrics and gynecology is due to the growth of gynecological diseases around the world, which, in turn, requires more and more detailed scientific research and discussion of their results in the scientific literature.

It is well-known that abbreviations are often the most difficult elements of oral and written speech to understand and translate. In this regard, there is a need to study and correctly interpret abbreviated lexical units to ensure effective professional communication.

Purpose . The purpose of the investigation was to study the regularities of the production of medical abbreviations, acronyms and their classification on a thematic basis. To achieve this goal, several consecutive tasks were solved:

• 1)    we had to study, identify and describe the characteristic features of acronyms production in comparison with other abbreviated units;

• 2)    we had to consider various techniques for decoding and translating medical abbreviations and acronyms;

• 3)    we had to identify and analyze categories of medical abbreviations and acronyms.

Discussion . Analysis of theoretical sources on the investigated issue has shown that an abbreviation is any word formed by truncating the base and discarding the final or initial element of the word. Depending on the part of the word that is being truncated, abbreviations are divided into several types. The most productive type of truncation is apocopa-truncation of the last word element, for example: op (eration) – operation, ab(domen) – stomach, cath(eter) – catheter. It is characteristic of colloquial speech and forms stylistically reduced abbreviated units.

Truncations with apheresis (truncations of the first element) are extremely rare in the scientific literature and in the speech of medical specialists. This is a significantly less productive type of truncation. The translation of apheresis truncations is complicated by the fact that not only grammatical information is truncated, but also an important semantic component, without which an adequate translation of the abbreviation is often impossible: (hemato) crit-the ratio of the volume of shaped elements and blood plasma. Since the end of the last century, the popularity of truncations formed by syncopation – the loss of sounds or letters inside a word, for example: appy (appendectomy) – appendectomy.

The acronym often refers to several types of abbreviated lexical units, namely "telescopic" words, abbreviations made up of truncations, and initial abbreviations of sound type [3, p. 29].

An abbreviation is an abbreviated form of a word or phrase. It usually consists of a sin- gle letter or a group of letters that replace a word or phrase. For the first time, the term abbreviation in relation to abbreviations was used in 1920 by A. Mazon. Russian authors used a different term – abbreviations, and Russian dictionaries recorded the abbreviation in its lexical meaning only in the Dictionary of foreign words and in Ushakov dictionary. In English, abbreviations are usually divided into initial abbreviations and acronyms. An initial abbreviation is an abbreviation of a word or phrase, a sequence of initial letters, each of which is pronounced separately. Traditionally, abbreviations are divided into two large classes – graphic and lexical [4, p. 79]. The main difference between these two classes is that graphic abbreviations are conditional, they are not independent lexical units, and lexical abbreviations by status are at some stage approaching significant words.

Lexical abbreviations are compound words formed by shortening a word or a stable phrase that has the characteristics of a separate lexeme as an element of the language's vocabulary. As a result of lexicalization, the abbreviation acquires "its own formative paradigm and does not differ in this sense from the usual word". Examples of lexical abbreviations are: Cs-Caesarean section (cesarean section); EDC-Expected day of confinement (expected delivery date); GN-Gravida no (pregnancy number); PIH pregnancy-induced hypertension); TOP termination of pregnancy; VBAC-vaginal birth after cesarean section.

If lexical abbreviations function as independent words, then graphic abbreviations are not words, they are used only in writing and reading, they are deciphered and read completely [3, p. 213]. Examples of graphic abbreviations: Gyn. – Gynecology; Abor. – Abortion-abortion, Gruv. 1,2,3 – First, second, third pregnancy-first, second, third pregnancy. Another principle of classification of abbreviations is semantic, i.e. grouping them into thematic groups.

Results. The analysis of English abbreviations, prepared using professional literature, allowed us to identify the following main categories:

• 1.    Diseases common in obstetrics and gynecology (GDM-Gestation diabetes mellitus

• 2.    Syndromes occurring in obstetrics and gynecology (SIDS-Sudden infant death syndrome – sudden infant death syndrome; PMS-premenstrual syndrome – premenstrual syndrome; POS-polycystic ovary syndrome – polycystic ovary syndrome) [5, p. 214].

• 3.    Surgical methods of treatment in obstetrics and gynecology (FD-Forceps delivery – delivery with forceps; L&D-Labor and Delivery-delivery and delivery; Cs-Caesarean section – Caesarean section).

• 4.    Hormones and chemicals (FSH-Follicle-stimulating hormone; LH-Luteinizing hormone – luteinizing hormone; AFP-Alpha-fetoprotein alpha-fetoprotein).

• 5.    Methods of assisted reproductive technologies (IVF-artificial insemination; ICSI-intracytoplasmic sperm injection – intracytoplasmic sperm injection; PICSI-Physiologic Intra Cytoplasmic Sperm Injection – physiological «ICSI»).

• 6.    Types of abortions (AB-abortion; TAB-therapeutic abortion-medical abortion; TAB-threatened abortion threatening abortion; SAB-spontaneous abortion spontaneous miscarriage).

• 7.    Conditions of newborns (AOP-Apnoea of prematurity-apnea of prematurity; AOI-Apnoea of infancy-apnea of infants; BBD-Baby born dead – stillborn).

• 8.    Pregnancy Planning (EGA-Expected Gestational Age – Expected gestational age; EDC-Expected day of confinement-expected delivery date; GNGravida no-pregnancy number).

• 9.    Postpartum conditions (PPH-postpartum hemorrhage - postpartum bleeding; PTL-postpartum tubal ligation-postpartum tubal ligation; SIRS-systemic inflammatory response syndrome -inflammatory response syndrome).

• 10.    Methods of contraception (OC- oral contraceptive; OCP-oral contraceptive pilloral contraceptive pill; IUD-intrauterine device-intrauterine device).

in pregnant women; PIH-pregnancy-induced hypertension-hypertension in pregnant women; APH-Antepartum hemorrhage – prenatal bleeding).

Conclusions. Currently, abbreviations are a fairly productive way to develop the English term system. Lexical abbreviations are the most common types of English abbreviations used in obstetrics and gynecology. Despite the "simplification of the formal structure of the language unit" [5, p. 214], abbreviations are often the most difficult to understand and translate elements of oral and written speech and require special knowledge and attention. The results of the research confirm that "medical translation is a special and extremely popular type of activity in the field of modern medical education and science" [1, p. 239]. It should also be emphasized that teaching the correct interpretation of foreign abbreviations in medical literature " gives not only theoretical ideas about the scientific style, but also practical skills to use its English-language features on the material of professional medical discourse [2, p. 572].