Like all areas of medicine, pregnancy and childbirth has a number of specialised terms, many of which you will hear during your own pregnancy and labour and the birth of your baby. The following list provides definitions for some of the more common terms. Obstetrics is a specialty that is concerned with the mother and fetus during pregnancy, childbirth, and the immediate postpartum period.
Основные термины и определения
Abortion - termination (end) of a pregnancy. This can be achieved either through a surgical procedure or by taking a combination of prescribed medications (medical abortion).
Amniotic fluid - the liquid that surrounds a baby in the uterus (also called ‘waters’).
Amniotic sac - the sac around the baby inside the uterus.
Anaesthetic - a drug that gives total or partial loss of sensation of a part or the whole of the body.
Anaesthetist - a doctor who specialises in giving anaesthetic.
Antenatal - a term that means ‘before birth’ (alternative terms are ‘prenatal’ and ‘antepartum’).
Apgar score - a test given one minute after a baby is born, then again 5 minutes later, that assesses a baby’s appearance (skin colour), pulse, grimace (reflex), activity (muscle tone) and respiration. A perfect Apgar score is 10; typical Apgar scores are 7, 8 or 9. A score lower than 7 means that the baby might need help breathing.
Assisted reproductive technology - any procedure performed to help achieve a pregnancy.
Birth canal - the passageway (made up of the cervix and vagina) that the baby travels through during birth.
Birth plan - a written document describing a woman’s preferences for her care during labour and birth.
Blood transfusion - a procedure where a woman is given blood.
Braxton Hicks contractions - a tightening of the uterus (womb) that may feel like a labour contraction. Braxton Hicks contractions are not painful and do not get stronger and closer together like true contractions (also called ‘false labour’).
Breaking of water - when a healthcare practitioner bursts the sac holding the amniotic fluid using an instrument with a pointy tip. Often used to speed up a labour that has slowed.
Breech - when the baby is positioned inside the uterus with its bottom or feet down, instead of its head.
Caesarean section - a surgical procedure in which a baby is delivered through a cut in the abdomen and uterus (also called a ‘C-section’).
Cervix - the narrow, lower end of the uterus that softens and opens during labour to allow the baby to come out.
Conception - the process of becoming pregnant, when a sperm and egg join to form a single cell (alternative terms include ‘fertilisation’, ‘impregnation’ and ‘insemination’).
Contraction - the often strong and painful tightening of the uterus during labour that causes the woman’s cervix to dilate and that helps push the baby through the birth canal.
Crowning - time during labour when the baby’s head has reached the external vaginal opening and can be seen from the outside.
Dilation - the opening of the cervix, measured as the diameter of the cervix in centimeters.
Ectopic pregnancy - when a fertilised egg implants and grows outside of the uterus, usually in the fallopian tube. In most cases, an ectopic pregnancy is not viable.
Embryo - the name given to a fertilised egg from the time of conception until the eighth week.
Epidural - a type of anaesthetic commonly used in labour where drugs are used to numb the lower half of the body.
Fallopian tubes - the narrow ducts or tubes in a woman’s abdomen that carry the egg from the ovaries to the uterus. This is where fertilisation most often occurs.
False labour - see ‘Braxton Hicks contractions’.
Fertility - being able to conceive and carry a baby though to the end of the pregnancy.
Fertility treatment - medical treatment that helps a woman conceive.
First-degree tear - a tear involving only the perineal skin (adjacent to the vaginal opening) that occurs at the time of delivery that doesn’t always require stitches.
First trimester - the first 14 weeks of pregnancy.
Folic acid - a B vitamin found naturally in green leafy vegetables that helps prevent anaemia and has been shown to reduce the incidence of some birth defects, including spina bifida.
Fontanelles - the 6 soft spots on a baby’s head that allow its skull to compress during birth so it can pass through the birth canal. The fontanels completely fuse by the time the child is 2 years old.
Forceps - tong-shaped instruments placed around the baby’s head to help it travel through the birth canal during childbirth.
Full term - when a pregnancy is a normal duration (37 to 42 weeks gestation).
Gestation - the length of time (in days or weeks) that a baby is in the uterus.
Gestational diabetes - a condition that develops during pregnancy when the woman’s blood sugar levels become too high because of inadequate levels of insulin. The condition is treatable and usually disappears after pregnancy.
Gynaecologist - a doctor who has undertaken specialist training in women’s health.
Haemorrhage - excessive bleeding. In pregnancy it is usually called antepartum haemorrhage and after the birth it is called postpartum haemorrhage. Any bleeding in pregnancy should be reported to a doctor or midwife. Spotting or slight bleeding is not unusual in early pregnancy and not usually an emergency. Sudden bleeding, especially if accompanied by signs of shock - pale skin, sweating, feeling faint and a weak pulse - all indicate a medical emergency.
Immunisation - the administration of a vaccine, often by injection, that makes the body resistant to certain bacteria or viruses.
In utero - a term that means ‘inside the uterus’.
In vitro fertilisation (IVF) - the process used to conceive a child outside the body, where a woman's eggs are fertilised with a man’s sperm then placed in the woman's uterus. This is an assisted reproductive technology (ART).
Induced - when a healthcare professional tries to artificially ‘start’ a woman’s labour.
Jaundice - a condition where a person’s skin and the whites of their eyes take on a yellowish tinge. It is caused by an excess of a chemical called bilirubin in the blood and in newborns often resolves itself.
Labia - the flaps of skin around a woman’s vagina.
Labor - the process a woman’s body goes through when her baby is born.
Lactation consultant - a healthcare professional who is trained to provide information and support about breastfeeding.
Low birthweight - when a baby weighs less than 2,500 grams at birth.
Maternal and child health nurse - a trained nurse who specialises in the health and development of children from birth to school age.
Meconium - a tar-like substance passed by a baby as their first poo. Passing meconium before birth may be a sign of fetal distress.
Midwife - a person who has been specially trained to care for women during pregnancy, labour, birth and the post-birth period.
Model of care - the way maternity care is organised.
Morning sickness - nausea, vomiting and aversions to certain foods and smells that affect most pregnant women to some degree. Morning sickness can occur at any time of day, usually begins at 4 to 8 weeks gestation and generally subsides by week 16 of the pregnancy.
Multiple pregnancy - when a woman is carrying more than one baby.
Natural birth - birth without any interventions for example a vaginal delivery rather than a caesarean section.
Neonatal period - the time from a baby’s birth to 4 weeks of age.
NICU - Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, a unit in the hospital for babies who need a high level of special medical care.
Neonate - a newborn baby, up to 4 weeks of age.
Nurse - a trained healthcare professional providing care before, during, and after birth.
Obstetrician - a doctor who has undertaken specialist training in pregnancy and childbirth.
Ovaries - the female reproductive organs that release eggs into the fallopian tubes, where they may be fertilised if sperm are present.
Ovulation - the monthly release of a mature egg from an ovary. A woman is most fertile around the time of ovulation.
Ovum - a human egg.
Placenta - the organ that connects to the wall of the uterus, that nourishes the baby through the umbilical cord.
Postnatal - a term meaning ‘after birth’ (alternative terms are ‘post-birth’ and ‘postpartum’).
Postpartum haemorrhage - when a woman loses more than 500 ml of blood after birth.
Premature - when a baby is born before 37 weeks gestation.
Second-degree tear - a tear of the perineum involving both skin and muscles, but not the anus. Second-degree tears often require stitches.
Spina bifida - a birth defect that occurs during the first month of pregnancy when a baby’s backbone does not fully close, leaving part of the spinal cord exposed. Spina bifida cannot be cured, but a range of treatments and management options is available.
Spontaneous labour - when labour starts by itself (without medical help).
Stretch marks - discoloured stripey patterns that can appear on the abdomen, breasts, buttocks or legs during pregnancy because of skin stretching. They usually fade slowly after delivery.
TENS machine - a ‘trans-electrical nerve stimulation’ machine used for pain management during labour. Sticky pads are attached to the woman’s back to produce electrical impulses which stimulate her own natural painkillers and block some of the pain signals from the uterus.
Term - this used to describe the period of time at the end of a pregnancy when a baby might be expected to be born.
Third- or fourth-degree tear - a severe tear of the perineum involving the skin, muscles and anus. Also known as the first stage of labour. This is a tear extending to the lining of the bowel as well as the anal muscle.
Transition - the tough-going, final part of the first stage of labour, when the mother may begin to feel the urge to push.
Trial of labour - a woman with known complications, for example a previous Caesarean birth, may be given a trial of labour to see if she is able to give birth naturally.
Vernix - a white waxy coating on the newborn’s skin (not included in every text, but commonly referenced in neonatal care).
Umbilical cord - the thick cord of intertwining blood vessels that links baby and placenta, and carries oxygen and nourishment to the baby through its navel.
Uterus - the muscular organ where the baby develops during pregnancy. The top of the uterus is called the fundus.
Vagina - the muscular canal leading from the outside to the cervix; the birth canal is formed partly by the cervix and vaginal canal.
Vitally important processes - Apgar score at 1 and 5 minutes, cervical dilation to 10 cm, labour stages, crowning, and hospital management to ensure mother and baby safety.
Как научиться понимать медицинские термины
Дополнительные понятия и контекст
Различные тесты и состояния часто упоминаются вместе с терминами акушерства. Например, amniocentesis - процедура изъятия жидкости из амнионной оболочки; amniocentesis и amniotic fluid тесно связаны с мониторингом развития плода. Значимые условия включают preeclampsia и eclampsia, которые относятся к гипертензивным расстройствам во время беременности; gestational diabetes требует контроля уровня сахара в крови.
Важные этапы родов: First stage (дилатация шейки матки до 10 см), Second stage (роды через родовые пути), Third stage (выведение плаценты). При отсутствии риска возможен natural birth или, в случаях осложнений, cesarean section.
Для оценки состояния новорожденного применяется Apgar score, который оценивает цвет кожи, пульс, рефлексы, мышечный тонус и дыхание; сумма баллов помогает быстро определить необходимость неотложной помощи.
Важные партнерские термины включают labour augmentation (ускорение родов врача), episiotomy (разрез промежности для предотвращения разрывов), а также методы обезболивания: epidural, Entonox (окситоцин в смеси с кислородом), и TENS.
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