Pregnancy and Newborn Vocabulary

Flashcards for vocabulary terms related to pregnancy and childbirth.

Pregnancy Length

10 lunar months, 9 calendar months, 40 weeks, 280 days

Ovum

Cell replication and early development of membranes (2 weeks)

Embryo

Organs and external structures development (day 15- week 8). Most susceptible to teratogens.

Fetus

Takes on familiar human shapes (week 9- end)

Yolk sac

Delivers oxygen and nutrients until 20 weeks when the placenta takes over

Amnion

Innermost membrane, epithelial, no blood vessels or nerves; thin, translucent, pearlescent

Chorion

Outermost membrane, thicker

Chorionic villi

Develops into fetal placenta and umbilical vessels

Amniotic sac

Provides a barrier to infection, creates homeostasis, maintains temperature, source of oral fluids + holds wastes, provides cushion; keeps embryo from tangling within the membranes.

Warton's Jelly

Prevents compression of the umbilical cord

Nuchal cord

Wrapped around the fetal neck (medical emergency)

Placenta

Inserts at center, acts as the fetal lungs, provides nutrition and storage of nutrients, and excretion through the mother’s blood via the umbilical vein.

Shiny Schultz

Fetal side of the placenta

Dirty Duncan

Maternal side of the placenta

hCG

Preserves pregnancy until estrogen and progesterone takes over. Creates a positive pregnancy test. Not enough = spontaneous abortion. Weeks 3-4 drastic increase, and then a drastic drop

hCS

Growth hormone that stimulates metabolism to provide nutrients needed for fetal growth. Adds insulin resistance, and aids in breast development/ lactation.

Estrogen

Stimulates uterine growth and blood flow

Progesterone

Endometrium, decreases contractility, breast development

Relaxin

Relaxes the pelvis muscles, soften and widens the cervix

Hegar sign

Softening of the cervix and uterine isthmus

Goodell sign

Softening of the cervix, may appear velvety and blush/violet in color

Friability

Cervix is sensitive to bleeding or spotting, usually caused by hormonal changes

Chadwick sign

Blueish/ purplish discoloration of the vulva, vagina, and cervix

Leukorrhea

Vaginal discharge that consists of fluid and cells

Ballottement

Pushing up against the uterine wall with a finger placed inside the vagina to find the fetus's placement based on the return impact

Quickening

Begins at 16 weeks, the first time the mother feels the fetus moving around

Montgomery tubercles

Small bumps on the areola that produce oil and lubrication; mostly before baby breastfeeds, it holds an anti-infective feature

Colostrum

First form of breastmilk passed, it is nutrient dense and usually yellow and thick

Chloasma (mask of pregnancy)

Brown patches on the skin

Linea nigra

Dark vertical line on the abdomen

Stria gravidarum

Stretch marks

Palmar erythema

Red palms, fingers, feet

Pruritus gravidarum

Severe itching, usually in the 3rd trimester

Pica

Craving substances that are not food, exact cause is unknown

Gravida

Pregnancy

Gravidity

Number of pregnancies

Nulligravida

Woman who has never been pregnant

Primigravida

Woman pregnant for the first time

Multigravida

Woman who has had two or more pregnancies

Viability

Capacity to live outside the uterus (up to 20 weeks)

Parity

Number of pregnancies in which fetus or fetuses have reached viability, not number of fetuses

Nullipara

Has not completed a pregnancy with fetus or fetuses who have reached stage of fetal viability

Primipara

Woman who has completed one pregnancy with fetus or fetuses who have reached stage of fetal viability

Multipara

Woman who has completed two or more pregnancies to stage of fetal viability

Preterm

Pregnancy has reached 20 weeks but before completed of 37 weeks

Term

Pregnancy 37-47 weeks gestation

Polyhydramnios

Increased amniotic fluid volume

Oligohydramnios

Decreased amniotic fluid volume

HELLP syndrome

Hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, low platelets

Hyperemesis Gravidarum

Excessive vomiting leading to weight loss, electrolyte imbalances, nutritional deficiencies and ketonuria

Spontaneous abortion (miscarriage)

Unintended loss of pregnancy before viability (less than 20 weeks)

Cervical insufficiency

Painless dilation of the cervix that leads to preterm birth (short cervix length)

Cerclage

Stitch placed around cervix to keep it closed

Ectopic pregnancy

Fertilized egg implants outside of uterus

Cullen's sign

Blueness around umbilicus due to blood in the peritoneal cavity

Hydatidiform Mole (molar pregnancy)

A growth develops in the uterus as a result of a nonviable pregnancy

Placenta previa

Placenta implanted in lower uterine segment near or over cervical OS

Placental abruption

Premature separation of placenta

5 P's

Five factors affecting the process of labor and birth: passenger, passageway, powers, position of mother, and psychologic response

Fetal position

How far the head is down towards the cervix

Lambdoid suture to sagittal suture

Posterior fontanel: frontal suture to coronal suture, frontal suture

Effacement

Gradual process of thinning, shortening, and drawing up of the cervix

Dilation

Gradual opening of the cervix

Engagement and descent

Baby's head entering the pelvic inlet, and continued downward movement through the pelvis

Flexion

Baby’s head tilts downward chin to chest

Internal rotation

Baby’s head turns during labor to fit the shape of the mother’s pelvis (slanted position)

Extension

Fetal head emerges face down from the mother

Restitution

The repositioning of the fetal head immediately after delivery, returning to normal alignment with its body

External rotation

Fetal body and shoulders are now in the middle of the pelvis, and the head rotates to face the mothers right or left thigh

Expulsion

The baby is pushed out of the birth canal

Synclitism

2 parietal bones are at the same level

Asynclitism

One parietal bone is lower than the other

Analgesia

Lacks complete feeling

Anesthesia

Total loss of feeling

Peanut ball

Nursing intervention to help with labor progress and shorten labor for those with epidurals

FSE

electrode on fetal scalp to see heart rate

IUPC

Intrauterine pressure catheter to see contractions

Variability

Fluctuations in the baseline, represents mature intact nervous system pathway through the brain

Accelerations

Increase of FHR 15 bpm above baseline for at least 15 seconds

Variable decels

Looks like V on FHR

Early decels

Caused by head compression, usually means fetal descent into vaginal canal

Late decels

Occurring right after the peak of the contraction

Leopold’s maneuver

Helps to figure out where to put the fetal heart rate monitors

Fern test

To see if amniotic fluid leaked

AROM

Amniotomy

1st degree laceration

Skin and superficial structures laceration

2nd degree laceration

Muscles of perineal body laceration

3rd degree laceration

Continues through anal sphincter muscle laceration

4th degree laceration

Extends through anal sphincter and rectal mucosa laceration

Preterm birth

Inducing labor and birth when it occurs between 20 0/7 and 36 6/7 weeks of gestation

Fetal fibronectin test

Protein that if present is an increased risk for preterm birth within the next week or so

Chorioamnionitis

A bacterial infection in the abdominal cavity, most often occurs after membranes rupture or labor begins

Dystocia

Lack of progress in labor for any reason

ECV

Moving the baby externally, mom may want to avoid c section

Vacuum

Causes elongation of head and bruising

First period of reactivity

Stabilization of HR and RR, alert, responsive, usually hungry

Second period of reactivity

Peristalsis begins, meconium, gagging, spitting up

Acrocyanosis

Transition to extrauterine life, APGAR color score

Thermoregulation

Balance between heat loss and heat production

Caput succedaneum

Edema on the scalp