Introduction to Labor and Delivery Flashcards

A comprehensive set of vocabulary flashcards covering the introductory concepts of labor and delivery, including anatomical terms, labor signs, and assessment techniques.

Birthing Centers

Facilities that are slightly limited in surgeries and testing compared to hospitals but offer a more comfortable, at-home setting.

Crowning

When the baby's head stretches the vaginal opening to about the size of the palm of a hand and stays at the opening between contractions.

Coning

The natural reshaping of the baby's head into a cone shape during vaginal delivery.

Vernix

The white, creamy substance covering the baby at birth.

Lightning

The process of the baby dropping down into the pelvis, which relieves pressure on the diaphragm but increases pelvic pressure.

Bloody Show

Also known as the mucus plug; a ball of thick mucus that seals the cervix to keep the baby and contents inside.

Nitrazine Paper

A test paper used to determine if fluid is amniotic fluid; it turns blue in the presence of alkaline amniotic fluid with approximately 93.3% sensitivity.

Effacement

The thinning of the cervix, measured by palpation on a scale from 0% to 100%.

Dilation

The opening of the cervix, measured in centimeters from 0 to 10 cm.

5-1-1 Rule

A guideline for true labor where contractions occur every 5 minutes, last for 1 minute, and continue for at least 1 hour.

TRUE Mnemonic

A memory aid for true labor: Timing of contractions is regular; Radiating contraction pain (back to abdomen); Unable to relieve pain with activity; Exam changes (dilation, effacement, and descent).

FAKE Mnemonic

A memory aid for false labor: Fails to cause changes; Activity diminishes contractions; Keep feeling contractions above the belly button; Erratic timing.

The Five P's

The central factors of labor: Passageway, Passenger, Powers, Position of the mother, and Psyche.

Round Pelvis

The most common pelvic type (found in 50% of women) that allows for normal vaginal spontaneous delivery.

Heart-shaped Pelvis

A pelvic type found in 23% of women that often results in cesarean sections or difficult vaginal deliveries requiring forceps.

Flat Pelvis

The least common pelvic type (found in 3% of women) capable of vaginal spontaneous delivery.

Molding

The reshaping of the fetal head to pass through the maternal pelvis and passageway.

Fontanels

The soft spots on a baby's head that allow for molding and can be used to assess hydration status.

Signs of Placental Detachment

A firm contracted uterus, a sudden gush of dark blood, and the lengthening of the umbilical cord.

Fundal Massage

The practice of rubbing the fundus to stimulate uterine contractions, which helps dislodge remaining tissue and reduces bleeding.

Leopold Maneuvers

A four-step manual process of externally palpating the mother's abdomen to identify the fetal position, back, and engagement.

Engagement

When the largest diameter of the fetal head fits into the largest diameter of the maternal pelvis, occurring at fetal station 0.

Fetal Station

A measurement in centimeters of the baby's presenting part in relation to the ischial spines.

Ischial Spines

The anatomical landmark used as the reference point for fetal station 0.

Negative Fetal Station

Numbers ($-1$, $-2$, $-3$, $-4$, $-5$) indicating the baby's presenting part is centimeters above the ischial spines.

Positive Fetal Station

Numbers ($+1$, $+2$, $+3$, $+4$, $+5$) indicating the baby's presenting part is below the ischial spines and nearing exit.

Cephalopelvic Disproportion (CPD)

A condition where the fetal head is larger than the pelvic outlet, serving as a major indication for a cesarean section.

Primary Powers

Involuntary uterine contractions responsible for effacement, dilation, and descent.

Secondary Powers

The intentional, voluntary 'bearing down' effort or pushing by the mother to help the baby move through the birth canal.

Psyche

The psychological component of labor involving anxiety, fear, fatigue, and the ability to cope with pain.