Terminologies

Table of Contents

TERMS USED IN MIDWIFERY

Midwifery: It is the profession of providing assistance and medical care to women undergoing labor and childbirth during the antenatal, prenatal, and postnatal periods.

Obstetrics: This is a branch of medicine dealing with pregnancy, labor, and the postpartum period.

Caesarian section: It is an incision made on the uterus through the anterior abdominal wall to remove products of gestation after 28 weeks of gestation.

Cephalic: Refers to the head.

Cervix: It is the neck of the uterus.

Colostrum: This is a fluid found in the breasts from the 16th week of pregnancy up to the 2nd and 3rd day after delivery.

Crowning: This is when the largest transverse diameter of the fetal skull emerges under the subpubic arch and does not recede back between contractions.

Gestation: Pregnancy or the maternal condition of having a developing fetus in the body.

Fetus: Refers to the human conceptus from the 9th week to delivery.

Viability: The capability of the fetus to live outside the womb, usually accepted between 24 and 28 weeks, although survival is rare.

Gravida: A woman who is or has been pregnant, regardless of pregnancy outcome.

Primigravida: A woman pregnant for the first time.

Multigravida: A woman who has been pregnant more than once.

Nullipara: A woman who is not currently pregnant and has never been pregnant.

Parity: The number of children born alive or dead after 28 weeks of gestation.

Vernix caseosa: A greasy substance that covers the baby’s skin at birth.

Meconium: This is the stool of the neonate that is present in the lower bowel at 16 weeks of gestation and is passed within 3 days following birth. It is greenish-black in color.

Lightening: This refers to the descent of the baby into the pelvis, resulting in a drop in fundal height.

Show: The bloody stained mucoid discharge seen at the onset of labor.

Additional Midwifery Terms

Lochia: The vaginal discharge that occurs after childbirth, consisting of blood, mucus, and uterine tissue.
Antenatal care: Medical care and monitoring provided to pregnant women before childbirth.
Postpartum: The period following childbirth, typically lasting six weeks, during which the mother’s body undergoes physical and hormonal changes.
Perineum: The area between the vagina and anus in females, which may stretch or tear during childbirth.
Amniotic fluid: The fluid surrounding the fetus within the amniotic sac, providing protection and cushioning.
Placenta: A temporary organ that develops during pregnancy, providing oxygen and nutrients to the fetus and removing waste products.
Episiotomy: A surgical incision made in the perineum during childbirth to enlarge the vaginal opening and facilitate delivery.
Postpartum depression: A mood disorder characterized by feelings of sadness, anxiety, and exhaustion experienced by some women after giving birth.
Lactation: The production and secretion of breast milk.
Umbilical cord: The flexible cord connecting the fetus to the placenta, through which nutrients and oxygen are transferred.
Neonate: A newborn baby, typically in the first 28 days after birth.
Preterm birth: Delivery of a baby before completing 37 weeks of gestation.
Ectopic pregnancy: A pregnancy that occurs outside the uterus, usually in the fallopian tube.
Intrauterine growth restriction: A condition in which the fetus fails to grow at the expected rate inside the uterus.
Preeclampsia: A pregnancy complication characterized by high blood pressure and damage to organs, usually occurring after 20 weeks of gestation.
Fetal distress: A condition in which the fetus is not receiving adequate oxygen, typically detected through abnormal heart rate patterns.
Postpartum hemorrhage: Excessive bleeding after childbirth, often caused by the uterus not contracting properly.
Neonatal intensive care unit (NICU): A specialized medical unit providing care for newborns with serious health conditions or premature babies.
Midwifery-led care: A model of care in which midwives are the primary providers for pregnant women, providing continuity of care throughout pregnancy, labor, and postpartum.
Birth plan: A written document created by the pregnant woman outlining her preferences and expectations for labor, delivery, and postpartum care.

PARA: The number of pregnancies resulting in a viable birth (≥28 weeks gestation), regardless of whether the baby was born alive or stillborn.
Primipara: A woman who has given birth to one child.
Multipara: A woman who has given birth to two or more children.
Grand Multipara: A woman who has given birth to five or more children.
Pregnancy: The period from conception to the delivery of the baby.
Antepartum: Before birth.
Parturition: The process of giving birth.
Postpartum: After birth.
Intrapartum Haemorrhage: Bleeding occurring during labor and delivery (e.g., after delivery of the first twin).
Antepartum Haemorrhage: Bleeding from the genital tract between 28 weeks of gestation and the end of the second stage of labor.
Postpartum Haemorrhage (PPH): Significant blood loss from the genital tract after delivery of the baby and placenta (generally defined as ≥500mL blood loss, or any amount leading to maternal hemodynamic instability). This can occur up to 8 weeks postpartum.
Labour: The physiological process of expelling the products of conception from the uterus after 28 weeks of gestation.
Puerperium: The period after childbirth or abortion, lasting approximately 6-8 weeks.
Lying-In Period: The period immediately following delivery, typically 14 days, during which the mother receives close postpartum care from a midwife or other healthcare professional.
Perinatal: Relating to the period around birth (typically from 28 weeks gestation to 7 days postpartum).
Lochia: Vaginal discharge following childbirth or abortion.
Involution: The natural process by which the uterus returns to its pre-pregnancy size and state.
Perinatal Mortality Rate: The number of stillbirths and neonatal deaths (within the first week of life) per 1000 total births.
Mortality Rate: The number of deaths per 1000 individuals in a specified population.
Neonate: A newborn infant up to 28 days old.
Neonatal Mortality Rate: The number of deaths of neonates within the first 28 days of life per 1000 live births.
Infant: A child from birth to one year of age.
Infant Mortality Rate: The number of infant deaths within the first year of life per 1000 live births.
Toddler: A child between one and two years of age.
Abortion: Termination of pregnancy before 28 weeks of gestation.
Maternal Mortality Rate: The number of maternal deaths attributed to pregnancy, childbirth, or the puerperium per 1000 women of childbearing age.
Lie: The relationship between the long axis of the fetus and the long axis of the uterus. This can be longitudinal (cephalic or breech), transverse, or oblique.
Attitude: The relationship of the fetal head and limbs to its trunk. This can be complete flexion, flexion, partial extension, or extension.
Presentation: The fetal part that enters the maternal pelvis first. Common presentations include cephalic (head), breech (buttocks), face, brow, and shoulder.
Denominator: The specific part of the fetal presenting part used to describe fetal position (e.g., occiput in cephalic presentation, sacrum in breech).
Position: The relationship of the denominator to the maternal pelvis (e.g., ROA – right occiput anterior).
Presenting Part: The portion of the fetal presentation that lies over the internal os of the cervix (e.g., anterior or posterior parietal bone in cephalic presentation).