In most cases, an ectopic pregnancy is not viable.Įmbryo – the name given to a fertilised egg from the time of conception until the eighth week.Įpidural – a type of anaesthetic commonly used in labour where drugs are used to numb the lower half of the body.įallopian tubes – the narrow ducts or tubes in a woman’s abdomen that carry the egg from the ovaries to the uterus. Often used to speed up a labour that has slowed.īreech – when the baby is positioned inside the uterus with its bottom or feet down, instead of its head.Ĭaesarean section – a surgical procedure in which a baby is delivered through a cut in the abdomen and uterus (also called a ‘C-section’).Ĭervix – the narrow, lower end of the uterus that softens and opens during labour to allow the baby to come out.Ĭonception – the process of becoming pregnant,when a sperm and egg join to form a single cell (alternative terms include ‘fertilisation’, ‘impregnation’ and ‘insemination’).Ĭontraction – the often strong and painful tightening of the uterus during labour that causes the woman’s cervix to dilate and that helps push the baby through the birth canal.Ĭrowning – time during labour when the baby’s head has reached the external vaginal opening and can be seen from the outside.ĭilation – the opening of the cervix, measured as the diameter of the cervix in centimeters.Įctopic pregnancy – when a fertilised egg implants and grows outside of the uterus, usually in the fallopian tube. Braxton Hicks contractions are not painful and do not get stronger and closer together like true contractions (also called ‘false labour’).īreaking of water – when a healthcare practitioner bursts the sac holding the amniotic fluid using an instrument with a pointy tip. A score lower than 7 means that the baby might need help breathing.Īssisted reproductive technology – any procedure performed to help achieve a pregnancy.īirth canal – the passageway (made up of the cervix and vagina) that the baby travels through during birth.īirth plan – a written document describing a woman’s preferences for her care during labour and birth.īlood transfusion – a procedure where a woman is given blood.īraxton Hicks contractions – a tightening of the uterus (womb) that may feel like a labour contraction. A perfect Apgar score is 10 typical Apgar scores are 7, 8 or 9. This can be achieved either through a surgical procedure or by taking a combination of prescribed medications ( medical abortion).Īmniotic fluid – the liquid that surrounds a baby in the uterus (also called ‘waters’).Īmniotic sac – the sac around the baby inside the uterus.Īnaesthetic – a drug that gives total or partial loss of sensation of a part or the whole of the body.Īnaesthetist – a doctor who specialises in giving anaesthetic.Īntenatal – a term that means ‘before birth’ (alternative terms are ‘prenatal’ and ‘antepartum’).Īntepartum haemorrhage – bleeding from the vagina during pregnancy.Īpgar score – a test given one minute after a baby is born, then again 5 minutes later, that assesses a baby’s appearance (skin colour), pulse, grimace (reflex), activity (muscle tone) and respiration. Medical terms and definitionsĪbortion – termination (end) of a pregnancy. The following list provides definitions for some of the more common terms. Like all areas of medicine, pregnancy and childbirth has a number of specialised terms, many of which you will hear during your own pregnancy and labour and the birth of your baby.
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