Here’s a quick guide to the words, terms and abbreviations that could be part of your pregnancy and birth.
| A |
|
| Afterpains | Cramping with discomfort or pain as the uterus contracts and shrinks |
| Anaesthetist | The doctor who administers epidural, spinals and a general anaesthetic |
| Antenatal | The period during pregnancy |
| AROM or Artificial rupture of membranes. | Breaking the waters /rupturing the amniotic sac during labour or as part of the induction process to encourage strong contractions |
| Assisted Delivery | Birth using ventouse or forceps |
| Augmentation of labour | To increase and strengthen contractions after labour has started |
| B |
|
| Bear Down | Pushing during the birth of your baby |
| BMI | Body Mass Index – measuring your height and your weight to calculate your healthy weight |
| BP | Blood pressure |
| Birth Canal | The vagina |
| Birth Centre | A midwifery-led maternity unit |
| Birth Pool | A large pool of water used for pain relief so a labouring woman’s boobs, bump and back are submerged in the water. |
| Breech | When a baby’s position in pregnancy is bum first |
| C | |
| Caesarean | When your baby is born through an incision in the abdomen |
| Catheter | A thin tube which is usually used to empty the bladder |
| Cervix or Cx | The neck of the uterus |
| D |
|
| Delivery Suite | The room to labour and birth in at hospital |
| Diamorphine | An opiate drug offered in labour |
| Dilation | The opening of the cervix needs to dilate/open to about 10cm |
| Doula | A professional birth partner |
| E |
|
| E, Eng or Engaged | When a baby’s head moves into the pelvis during pregnancy & birth. Engaged – your baby’s head is engaged into your pelvis 0/5 or 1/5: deeply engaged in your pelvis 2/5: engaged with most of baby’s head in your pelvis 3/5: head is still above the brim of your pelvis 4/5: baby’s head is sitting on the brim of the your pelvis 5/5: your baby’s head is free, it has not engaged into the pelvis |
| ECV | External cephalic version – a procedure which can be used to try to turn a breech baby at the end of pregnancy |
| EDD | Estimated date of delivery/Estimated due date |
| EFM | Electronic Fetal Monitoring – continuous monitoring of a baby during labour and birth |
| Emergency Caesarean | A caesarean that takes place after labour has started |
| Entonox | Also known as gas & air. It is 50/50 oxygen and nitrous oxide which can be used in labour as pain relief for contractions |
| Episiotomy | When a cut is made in the perineum to aid the birth of a baby |
| Epidural | Local anaesthetic in the spine to block the pain of the contractions |
| ECV | External Cephalic Version – attempting to turn a breech baby |
| F |
|
| FBS | Fetal blood sampling – a blood test which can be used to measure the oxygen levels in a baby’s blood during labour |
| Fetal Growth | How much a baby is growing during pregnancy |
| FHH | Fetal Heart Heard |
| FHHR | Fetal Heart Heard and Regular |
| FMF | Fetal Movements Felt |
| Forceps | A medical instrument that is used to aid the birth of the baby |
| G |
|
| GA | Gestational Age – the weeks & days of your pregnancy |
| Gas & Air | This is entonox: 50/50 oxygen and nitrous oxide which can be used in labour as pain relief |
| Gestation | Pregnancy |
| Gestational Diabetes | Diabetes that occurs during pregnancy |
| H |
|
| Health Visitor | A health professional who works with families with babies and pre-school children |
| Homebirth | When you labour and birth at home |
| Hypnobirthing | A form of pain management for labour and birth |
| I |
|
| Induction | When labour is started artificially |
| Instrumental Delivery | A birth using forceps or ventouse |
| L |
|
| Latching | How a baby attaches to the breast to feed |
| Let-down Reflex | The Milk Ejection Reflex – when a baby starts to feed at the breast, hormones are released to enable the milk to flow |
| LMP | Last menstrual period |
| Lochia | Discharge from the uterus after birth. It is made up of blood, mucus and uterine tissue |
| M |
|
| Maternity Notes | This is the medical record of pregnancy |
| Maternity Unit | The hospital ward for labour and birth |
| Meconium | A baby’s first poo, which is dark and tar-like |
| Membrane Sweep | An internal examination, with a sweep around the cervix, to encourage labour to start |
| Midwife | The health professional who provides care during pregnancy, labour and the early postnatal period |
| Midwife-led Unit | A maternity unit for low-risk women – it is only staffed by midwives |
| Multigravida | This is not your first pregnancy |
| N |
|
| NAD | Nothing abnormal detected |
| Neonatal Period | The first 28 days of your baby’s life |
| Not Eng, NEng or NE | Not engaged – your baby’s head is not engaged into your pelvis |
| NICU | Neonatal Intensive Care Unit – for babies who need intensive medical treatment |
| Normal Birth | This is a birth that doesn’t involve any medical interventions |
| O |
|
| Obstetrician | A doctor who specialises in childbirth |
| Obstetric Unit | This is a maternity unit which is staffed by doctors and midwives |
| Oedema/Oed | Swelling due to water retention |
| Oxytocin Drip | Artificial oxytocin (syntocinon) is used in labour or as part of the induction process to create strong contractions |
| P |
|
| Para 0 | You haven’t had any pregnancies beyond 24 weeks. |
| Para 1 | You have had one pregnancy beyond 24 weeks. (Para 2 is two pregnancies, Para 3 is three pregnancies, etc) |
| Pelvic Girdle Pain (PGP) | A term to describe all pelvic and pubic pain |
| Perinatal | The period covering your pregnancy and up to a year with your baby |
| Perineum | The tissue between the anus and the vulva which needs to stretch when a baby is being born |
| Pethidine | An opiate drug which is used as pain relief and can be administered by injection |
| Placenta | Babies are attached to this organ in pregnancy by the umbilical cord – it provides babies with oxygen and nutrients to grow and develop |
| Planned Caesarean | This is a caesarean which takes place before labour as started |
| Postnatal | The period after pregnancy and birth |
| Postnatal Depression | Also referred to as PND. A depression which can happen within the first year with your baby |
| Postpartum | The first 6 weeks with your baby |
| PPH | A Post-Partum Haemorrhage is a large bleed within the first 24 hours after giving birth |
| Pre-Eclampsia | This is a condition which midwives check for during pregnancy. Symptoms include protein in urine, high blood pressure and swelling. |
| Primagravida | This is your first pregnancy |
| PROM | Premature Rupture of Membranes – when amniotic fluid leaks before 37 weeks pregnant |
| Prostaglandin Pessary | Or it can be a gel or tablet, used as part of an induction process to soften your cervix |
| Position of baby | OA: occiput anterior LOA: left occiput anterior ROA: right occiput anterior OP: occiput posterior Cephalic/Ceph: head down BR: breech |
| Pregnancy-Induced Hypertension (PIH) | This is high blood pressure during pregnancy |
| R |
|
| Retained Placenta | When all or part of the placenta stays in the womb – drugs can be used to create contractions and deliver the placenta or it may need to be manually removed by an obstetrician |
| S |
|
| Scan | Ultrasound scans are used to check the health and position of a baby |
| Skin-to-Skin | Cuddles with a new baby when you and your baby are undressed |
| SFH | Symphysis fundal height – a measurement of your bump |
| Sonographer | This is a health professional who performs the ultrasound scans during pregnancy |
| SROM | Spontaneous Rupture of Membranes – when the amniotic fluid/waters break at full term |
| T |
|
| TENS Machine | A form of pain relief for labour using electric pulses which are administered by 4 pads placed on the back |
| Tear – 1st degree | A small tear in the skin of the perineum which often doesn’t need stitches |
| Tear – 2nd degree | A deeper tear which has gone into the muscle – this will probably need stitching |
| Tear – 3rd degree | A more severe tear which goes into the muscles that surround the anal sphincter |
| Tear – 4th degree | This is a rare type of tear that goes through the anal sphincter |
| Trimester | A period of three months 1st Trimester: the first three months of pregnancy 2nd Trimester: the middle three months of pregnancy 3rd Trimester: the final three months of pregnancy 4th Trimester: The first 12 weeks with your baby |
| U |
|
| Ultrasound Scan | Also called a sonogram. Usually completed by a sonographer, this procedure uses high-frequency sound waves to create an image of your baby and womb. Scan measurements can include: AC: abdominal circumference BPD: biparietal diameter (skull measurement) CRL: crown rump length (head to bum measurement) FL: femur length (thigh bone) HC: head circumference TD: trunk diameter |
| Umbilical Cord | This connects your baby to the placenta during pregnancy |
| Unplanned Caesarean | This is a caesarean which takes place after labour has started, so it was not planned in advance |
| Uterus | The womb |
| V |
|
| VBAC | Vaginal Birth After Caesarean – giving birth vaginally after a previous caesarean |
| VE | Vaginal examination |
| Ventouse | A medical instrument used to aid the birth a baby |
| W |
|
| Waterbirth | Birth in a birthing pool |
| Womb | The uterus |
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