Maternity Vocabulary List

Placenta abruptio is separation of the placenta (the organ that nourishes the fetus) from the site of uterine implantation before delivery of the fetus.

Amniocentesis is a test during pregnancy that removes a small amount of fluid from the sac around the baby to look for birth defects and chromosome problems.

(AFI) is a rough estimate of the amount of amniotic fluid and is an index for the fetal wellbeing. It is a part of the biophysical profile.

Occurring before parturition, or childbirth, with reference to the mother. of or occuring in the period before childbirth

Surgical rupture to the fetal membranes to induce or expedite labor.

A system of evaluating a newborn's physical condition by assigning a value (0, 1, or 2) to each of five criteria: heart rate, respiratory effort, muscle tone, response to stimuli, and skin color

A glycoprotein that is produced by the placenta and is excreted in the urine of pregnant women, and that acts to stimulate ovarian secretion of the estrogen and progesterone that are required to maintain the conceptus; it is used as an aid for conception and in the treatment of cryptorchidism. Also called anterior pituitary-like hormone, chorionic gonadotropic hormone, human chorionic gonadotropin.

The measurement of 5 physical parameters in fetuses at ↑ risk for poor outcome, a non-stress test which evaluates the reactivity of the heart rate to various stresses, other parameters are measured simultaneously by dynamic ultrasound imaging: Fetal breathing movement–a non-stress test, fetal muscle tone, gross body movement, and amniotic fluid volume

Light, usually painless, irregular uterine contractions during pregnancy, gradually increasing in intensity and frequency and becoming more rhythmic during the third trimester.

The first milk secreted at the time of parturition, differing from the milk secreted later by containing more lactalbumin and lactoprotein, and also being rich in antibodies that confer passive immunity to the newborn. Also called foremilk.

A condition which usually develops in late pregnancy or the immediate puerperium Clinical HTN, hemoconcentration, sodium retention with resultant edema Lab Albuminuria, proteinuria, hypoproteinemia, ↑ nitrogen/BUN; pre-eclampsia is most common in primigravidas, after the 24^th gestational wk, but may occur as soon as trophoblastic tissue is present Treatment If mild, bed rest and sedation; if severe, antihypertensives–eg, vasodilators, α methyldopa; if convulsions, magnesium sulfate.

Fertilized egg implants in a location outside the uterus and tries to develop there. The word ectopic means "in an abnormal place or position." The most common site is the fallopian tube, the tube that normally carries eggs from the ovary to the uterus. However, ectopic pregnancy can also occur in the ovary, the abdomen, and the cervical canal (the opening from the uterus to the vaginal canal). The phrases tubal pregnancy, ovarian pregnancy, cervical pregnancy, and abdominal pregnancy refer to the specific area of an ectopic pregnancy.

The process that occurs during the last month of pregnancy, extending through the 1^st stage of labor in which the cervix and endocervix become thinner and shorter; the canal is thus converted from a tube to a flaring funnel MGH_Med()

A surgical incision made in the area between the vagina and anus (perineum). This is done during the last stages of labor and delivery to expand the opening of the vagina to prevent tearing during the delivery of the baby.

Parturition that results from disordered uterine action where regular painful contractions are not accompanied by effacement or dilation of the cervix that may either cease or be followed by onset of true labor