Pregnancy and Childbirth Vocabulary

Flashcards for vocabulary related to pregnancy and childbirth.

Cervix

Opening of the uterus

Vagina

Birth canal

Amniotic fluid

Fluid surrounding the baby contained within the amniotic sac

Newborn

Infant less than 28 days old; also called neonate

Spotting

Normal discharge of blood during pregnancy

Placenta abruptio

Premature separation of the placenta from the uterus

Trimester

3-month segment of pregnancy

Crowning

Head of the fetus showing at the opening of the vagina; sign of impending birth

Umbilical cord

Structure that connects the baby to the placenta

Fallopian tube

Tube-like structure that connects the ovary to the uterus

Supine hypotensive syndrome

Abnormally low blood pressure that results when the mother is supine and the fetus puts pressure on the vena cava

Prolapsed cord

Delivery of the umbilical cord first; medical emergency that endangers the baby

Uterus

Muscular structure in which the fetus develops during pregnancy

Gestation

Development of the embryo and fetus in the uterus; the period from conception to birth

Imminent delivery

Delivery that is likely to occur within the next few minutes

Breech birth

Birth in which the buttocks or feet deliver first

Placenta previa

Placenta grows in the lowest part of the uterus, covering all or part of the opening to the cervix

Nuchal cord

Condition in which the umbilical cord is wrapped around the baby's neck during delivery

Prenatal care

Routine medical care provided during pregnancy

Full term

Pregnancy that has achieved a gestation of at least 38 weeks

Ovary

One of a pair of glands in females in which eggs (ova) are produced

Bloody show

Normal discharge of blood-tinged fluid prior to delivery; caused by rupture of capillaries as the baby's head expands the cervix and birth canal

Meconium

Product of a baby's first bowel movement

Amniotic sac

Fluid-filled sac that surrounds the developing fetus

Birth canal

Passage through which a fetus passes during birth; interior aspect of the vagina

Miscarriage

Spontaneous loss of the embryo or fetus before the 20th week of pregnancy

Eclampsia

Life-threatening condition characterized by seizures, coma, and eventually death of both the mother and baby

Ectopic pregnancy

Pregnancy in which the fertilized egg implants outside the uterus

Preeclampsia

Potentially life-threatening condition that affects the mother during the third trimester and is characterized by high blood pressure and fluid retention

Ovum

Unfertilized egg produced by the mother

Placenta

Organ of pregnancy that serves as the filter between the mother and developing fetus

Fontanels

Soft area on an infant's skull where the bones have not yet fused together

Labor

Process the body goes through to deliver a baby