Maternal-Infant Nursing Care – Week 1 Vocabulary

60 English vocabulary flashcards covering essential maternal-infant nursing concepts, terms, and physiological changes from the Week 1 lecture.

Maternal-Infant Nursing Care

Specialty focused on health of pregnant people, newborns, and their families before, during, and after birth.

Morbidity

Any illness or health problem occurring during pregnancy, birth, or the postpartum period.

Mortality

Death of a person during pregnancy, birth, or within one year after the end of pregnancy.

Postpartum Hemorrhage

Severe bleeding after delivery; leading preventable cause of maternal death.

Social Determinants of Health

Non-medical factors—money, racism, education, housing, access to care—that strongly influence health outcomes.

The Joint Commission

US accrediting body that sets perinatal safety goals such as lowering C-section and elective delivery rates and increasing breastfeeding.

Elective Delivery

Birth induction or Cesarean performed for non-medical reasons before labor begins.

Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN)

Professional organization promoting evidence-based nursing practices in obstetrics and newborn care.

Family-Centered Care

Model of maternity care that values the mother, baby, and family as a single unit needing coordinated support.

Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM)

Advanced practice nurse who provides prenatal, intrapartum, and postpartum care for low-risk clients and can deliver babies.

Nurse Practitioner (NP)

Advanced practice nurse who can give prenatal and newborn care but does not attend deliveries.

LDR Room

Hospital Labor-Delivery-Recovery room where all three stages occur without moving the patient.

Birth Center

Home-like, freestanding facility for low-risk childbirth managed mainly by midwives.

Doula

Trained support person providing continuous emotional and physical assistance during labor.

ANA Code of Ethics

Guiding document requiring nurses to act with integrity and prioritize patients’ interests.

Beneficence

Ethical principle that obligates caregivers to do good for the patient.

Nonmaleficence

Ethical principle requiring avoidance of harm to patients.

Fidelity

Ethical duty to keep promises and maintain trust with patients.

Veracity

Ethical obligation to tell the truth to patients and families.

Autonomy

Right of competent individuals to make their own healthcare decisions.

Justice

Ethical principle of treating people fairly and distributing resources equitably.

Cultural Assessment

Systematic appraisal of a patient’s beliefs, values, and practices to guide culturally competent care.

Poverty

Lack of financial resources; a major risk factor for poor maternal and infant outcomes.

Couvade Syndrome

Phenomenon where the expectant partner experiences pregnancy-like symptoms such as nausea or weight gain.

Gravida

Total number of times a person has been pregnant, regardless of outcome.

Para

Number of births after 20 weeks’ gestation, living or not.

GTPAL

Obstetric acronym for Gravida, Term, Preterm, Abortions, Living children.

Menstrual Phase

Days 1-7 of the cycle when the uterine lining is shed; hormones are lowest.

Follicular Phase

Days 7-14 when estrogen rises and a new uterine lining and follicles develop.

Ovulatory Phase

Mid-cycle period (around day 14) when peak estrogen triggers release of an ovum.

Luteal Phase

Post-ovulation phase when progesterone dominates and the body prepares for implantation.

Organogenesis

Critical embryonic weeks 3-8 when major organs and body systems form.

Placenta

Temporary organ connecting fetus and uterus, providing oxygen, nutrients, waste removal, and antibodies.

Amniotic Fluid

Protective liquid inside the amniotic sac that cushions, thermoregulates, and allows fetal movement.

Wharton’s Jelly

Gelatinous connective tissue that surrounds and protects umbilical cord vessels.

Monozygotic Twins

Identical twins formed when one fertilized egg splits into two embryos.

Dizygotic Twins

Fraternal twins formed from two separate eggs fertilized by two sperm.

Presumptive Signs of Pregnancy

Subjective changes felt by the woman—amenorrhea, nausea, breast tenderness, fatigue, quickening.

Probable Signs of Pregnancy

Objective findings—enlarged abdomen, positive pregnancy test, Goodell’s, Hegar’s, Chadwick’s signs, Ballottement.

Positive Signs of Pregnancy

Definitive evidence—fetal heartbeat, ultrasound visualization, or provider palpates fetal movement.

Chadwick’s Sign

Bluish discoloration of cervix and vagina caused by increased vascularity in pregnancy.

Goodell’s Sign

Softening of the cervix observed during pregnancy.

Hegar’s Sign

Softening of the lower uterine segment detected on bimanual exam early in pregnancy.

Ballottement

Rebound of the fetus when the cervix is tapped during a pelvic exam.

McDonald’s Rule

Measurement of fundal height from pubic symphysis to uterine fundus to estimate gestational age.

Supine Hypotension (Vena Cava Syndrome)

Drop in maternal blood pressure when lying flat due to uterine compression of the inferior vena cava.

Melasma (Chloasma)

Brownish facial patches (“mask of pregnancy”) caused by hormonal changes.

Linea Nigra

Dark vertical line appearing on the abdomen during pregnancy.

Striae Gravidarum

Stretch marks on skin from rapid expansion during pregnancy.

Quickening

First maternal perception of fetal movement, usually felt between 16-20 weeks.

Gestation

Duration of pregnancy measured from the first day of the last menstrual period to birth (about 40 weeks).

Prenatal (Antepartum) Care

Regular health supervision during pregnancy aimed at promoting healthy outcomes for mother and baby.

Nägele’s Rule

Method to estimate due date: LMP minus 3 months plus 7 days.

Fundal Height

Distance in centimeters from pubic symphysis to uterine fundus correlating roughly with weeks of gestation.

Group B Streptococcus Test

Vaginal/rectal culture at 36-37 weeks to screen for bacteria that can harm the newborn.

Lamaze

Childbirth education method emphasizing breathing, relaxation, and consumer empowerment during labor.

Recommended Weight Gain

Guidelines based on prepregnancy BMI: 28-40 lb underweight, 25-35 lb normal, 15-25 lb overweight.

Folic Acid

Vitamin B9 supplement (600 µg/day) that prevents neural tube defects in the fetus.

Pica

Craving and eating non-food substances like clay or chalk; linked to iron deficiency anemia.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids (DHA)

Essential fats (650 mg/day with ≥300 mg DHA) that aid fetal brain and eye development.