Defintions

Chapter 34 — Obstetrics and Neonatal Care

Vital Vocabulary (Page Shown)

Abruptio placentae

Definition:
Premature separation of the placenta from the wall of the uterus.

Amniotic sac

Definition:
The fluid-filled, baglike membrane in which the fetus develops.

Anemic

Definition:
Describes a condition in which the patient has too few red blood cells, resulting in a decreased ability to transport oxygen throughout the body via the bloodstream.

Apgar score

Definition:
A scoring system for assessing the status of a newborn that assigns a number value to each of five areas.

Birth canal

Definition:
The vagina and cervix.

Bloody show

Definition:
A small amount of blood in the vagina that appears at the beginning of labor and may include a plug of pink-tinged mucus that is discharged when the cervix begins to dilate.

Breech presentation

Definition:
A delivery in which the buttocks come out first.

Cervix

Definition:
The lower third, or neck, of the uterus.

Crowning

Definition:
The appearance of the fetus’s head at the vaginal opening during labor.

Eclampsia

Definition:
A pregnancy complication that is characterized by new-onset hypertension (systolic blood pressure >140 mm Hg or diastolic blood pressure >90 mm Hg) with seizure activity and preceded by systemic effects, such as blurred vision, headache, or protein in the urine. It is differentiated from preeclampsia by the presence of seizure activity.

Ectopic pregnancy

Definition:
A pregnancy that develops outside the uterus, typically in a fallopian tube.

Embryo

Definition:
The early stage of development after the fertilization of the egg (first 10 weeks).

Endometrium

Definition:
The lining of the inside of the uterus.

Fetal alcohol syndrome

Definition:
A condition caused by the consumption of alcohol by a pregnant woman, characterized by growth and physical problems, mental retardation, and a variety of congenital abnormalities in her child.

Fetus

Definition:
The developing, unborn infant inside the uterus, from 10 weeks after fertilization until birth.

Fundus

Definition:
The dome-shaped top of the uterus.

Gestational diabetes

Definition:
Diabetes that develops during pregnancy in women who did not have diabetes before pregnancy.