A-Z of pregnancy technology
Pregnant for the first time? Here is a valuable guide to understanding the technical terms used during pregnancy and leading up to the birth.
Accelerated "augmented" labour
A way of speeding up the labour by administering hormones
through a drip.
Afterbirth
The placenta and membranes, which are delivered shortly after the baby.
Alpha-fetoprotein
A protein produced by all developing babies and present in the
mother's blood. High or low levels of this protein may indicate fetal
abnormalities.
Amniocentesis
The removal of a small sample of amniotic fluid from the womb,
which can then be tested for abnormalities such as chromosomal disorders like
Down's syndrome or spina bifida.
Amniotic fluid
The fluid surrounding the fetus in the womb.
Apgar score
A score between 0 and 10 to show the baby's condition at birth. Points are
given for breathing, heart rate, skin colour, movements and reflexes.
ARM (Artificial Rupture of the Membranes)
The intentional breaking of the waters, done if it does not happen naturally
during labour.
Beta-carotene
An antioxidant found in breast milk, is a substance which is converted to
vitamin A in the body. Orange in colour, it is found in fruits such as apricots
and persimmons, in carrots and pumpkin, and in many green vegetables. It gives
a yellowish colour to milk.
Vitamin A is fat-soluble vitamin found in cream, butter, cheese and regular
milk, but not in low-fat milk.
Human milk and infant formulas contain both beta-carotene and vitamin A.
Braxton Hicks contractions
'Practice' contractions of the womb, which begin from 16 weeks of pregnancy.
Some of these may be completely painless and not noticed by the mother.
Breaking of the waters
The bag of fluid that surrounds the baby breaks before or during labour. It may
be felt as a flood, or as a trickle of fluid.
Breech delivery
The baby is born bottom first, rather than head first.
Breech presentation
The baby's bottom is lowest in the womb.
Caesarean section
The baby is delivered surgically, through the wall of the abdomen.
Carnitine
A vitamin-like nutrient made in the body. It plays an important role in fat
metabolism. Breast milk and formula provide carnitine. Meats are a food
source.
Cephalic presentation
The baby's head is lowest in the womb.
Cervix
The neck of the womb.
Choline
A natural amine closely related to the vitamin B complex. It can be made in the
human body though not always in optimum amounts. Breast milk and formulas
contain choline. Rich food sources include egg yolk, liver, meats, milk,
legumes and whole grain cereals.
Chorionic villus sampling
A few cells are taken from the edge of the placenta and tested
for signs of certain inherited disorders.
Contractions
The muscles of the womb contract, opening up the cervix to
allow the baby to pass through at birth.
Dilated cervix - fully dilated
The neck of the womb is gradually opened. Once the cervix is fully dilated the
baby can pass through.
Engaged
The baby's head has moved down into the pelvis, ready for birth.
Epidural
A local anaesthetic given as an injection into the epidural space near the
spinal cord, giving complete pain relief in labour.
Episiotomy
A small cut is made in the perineum to widen the vaginal opening and prevent a
tear.
Fetal distress
A term used when there is some indication that the baby may not be receiving
enough oxygen during labour.
Fetus (foetus)
An unborn baby, from the end of week 12 until birth.
Fontanelle
The soft spots on the top of the baby's head, where the bones of the skull have
not yet joined together.
Forceps delivery
During birth, the baby is helped out using forceps, to assist in the
delivery.
Fundus
The upper part of the uterus.
Gestation
The period of development of the unborn baby, from conception to birth.
Hypertension
High blood pressure (hypotension is low blood pressure).
Induction
Bringing on labour artificially, by inserting pessaries or a
gel around the cervix or giving hormones through a drip, or also by Artificial
Rupture of Membranes.
Kick chart
A record kept by the mother of the movements of her unborn baby.
Labour
The time immediately before and during childbirth.
Lactose
Lactose (milk sugar) is the sugar naturally occurring in milks. Plants do not
contain lactose. Breast milk is rich in lactose; cow's and goat's milk contain
less. It is less sweet than cane sugar or fruit sugar. Milk sugar is not just a
source of energy. Lactose aids absorption of calcium and its breakdown helps
increase beneficial bacteria in the intestines, preventing growth of harmful
ones like E.coli. Breast milk, cow and goat milk formulas have similar lactose
levels. There is none in soy-based milks. Special lactose-free formulas are
available for babies who have lactose intolerance.
Obstetrics
The branch of medicine that deals with pregnancy, labour and
childbirth (70% of all births are delivered by midwives).
Oedema
Swelling, commonly of the fingers or ankles during pregnancy, caused by fluid
retention.
Pelvic floor
A hammock of muscles, which supports the bowel, bladder and womb.
Pethidine
An analgesic (remedy given to relieve pain), given by injection
during labour.
Perineum
The area between the vagina and the rectum (back passage).
Placenta
The organ that joins the mother to her unborn baby in the womb. Acts as a
barrier, passing essential nutrients from mother to fetus and filtering waste
products back to the mother.
Pre-eclampsia
A condition of pregnancy in which both hypertension (raised
blood pressure) and proteinuria (protein in the urine) are present.
Premature labour
Labour that begins before the 37th completed week of pregnancy (normal
pregnancies last 40-42 weeks).
Quickening
The first recognisable movements of the fetus, usually
occurring around weeks 16 to 20.
Rhesus factor
Blood is either rhesus positive or negative. When a mother is rhesus negative
mother and baby will have their blood checked following delivery.
Rubella
German measles. A viral infection, which in pregnant women can cause serious
defects in the baby.
Rupture of membranes
Breaking of the waters.
Show
The plug of thick, sometimes blood-stained mucus that blocks the neck of the
womb during pregnancy passes out of the vagina before or during the early
stages of labour.
Taurine
An amino acid with many functions in the body, particularly for infants. The
body makes its own taurine, but newborn infants have limited ability to do so.
Human milk is high in taurine so it is added to infant formulas to copy this.
It is found in meats but not plants.
Toxoplasmosis
An infection which, during pregnancy can cause serious defects to the unborn
child. It is contracted from cat faeces.
Trimester
Any period of three months during pregnancy.
Ultrasound (ultrasonic) scan
A test normally carried out at around 18-20 weeks, in which a moving image of
the baby is shown on a screen. The growth and development of the baby can be
checked and an estimate made of the baby's age.
Umbilical cord
A cord of three blood vessels that link the fetus to the
placenta. All nutrients to and waste products from the fetus pass through the
umbilical cord.
