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Abortion
An abortion is the intentional interruption or termination of pregnancy at any time from conception through birth. ‘Spontaneous abortion’ is what the medical community sometimes calls a miscarriage.
Abruptio Placenta
Abruptio Placenta is the premature separation of the placenta from the inner wall of the uterus.
Accidental Hemorrhage
An accidental hemorrhage is an unexpected loss of blood or bleeding.
Afterbirth
The afterbirth is the placenta after being expelled from the mother, after a baby is born.
Alpha-Fetoprotein (AFP)
APF or Alpha-Fetoproteing is a protein made by the baby as it grows inside the womb.
Amniocentesis
Amniocentesis is a test used to detect various genetic defects or lung maturity of an unborn baby by using a needle to remove a small amount of fluid from the amniotic sac surrounding the baby.
Amniotic Fluid
Amniotic fluid is the liquid surrounding the baby in the womb or, the ‘water’ that breaks when a woman is ready to give birth.
Amniotic Sac
Amniotic sac is the sac that surrounds the baby inside the womb which contains the baby, the placenta and amniotic fluid.
Amniotomy
Amniotomy is the intentional rupturing of the amniotic sac to induce labor.
Anemia
Anemia is a condition where the blood has too few red blood cells.
Anesthesia
Anethesia is a partial or complete loss of sensation (or consciousness) caused by an anesthetic medication.
Apgar score
The Apgar score or scale is a rating given to a newborn at one & five minutes old, to assess color, heart rate, muscle tone, respiration and reflexes. Scores closest to 10 are the best.
Areola
The areola is the pigmented or dark-colored skin around the nipple.
Asthma
Asthma is a condition often caused by an allergic reaction. Symptoms include: attacks of shortness of breath, coughing or gasping, wheezing and sense of constriction in the chest or throat.
Autism
Autism is a developmental disorder that usually appears by age 3. Some symptoms include: difficulty in forming sentences, difficulty in forming social relationships and impairment in communicating with others.
Birth Canal
The birth canal is a channel which a baby passes through during birth.
Birthing Center
A birthing center is a facility which encourages natural childbirth, where a woman labors, delivers and recovers all in the same room. Some are located inside hospitals, while others are completely separate facilities.
Bleeding
Bleeding is losing blood.
Bloody Show
The bloody show is discharge of blood-tinged mucus from the vagina at the onset of labor.
Bradycardia
The condition called bradycardia is a slow heart rate, usually less than 60 beats per minute.
Braxton-Hicks
Braxton-Hicks contractions are irregular and relatively painless contractions during pregnancy that doesn’t effect dialation or effacement.
Breech Presentation
A breech presentation is when the baby is abnormally positioned, where the bottom or legs come into the birth canal before the head.
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