NCLEX: Maternity Nursing Flashcards
amniotic fluid
pale, straw-colored fluid in which the fetus floats. It serves as a cushion against injury from sudden blows or movements and helps maintain a constant body fluid through the process of swallowing, urinating, and movement through the respiratory tract.
ballottement
rebounding of the fetus against the examination’s finger on palpation. When the examiner taps the cervix, the fetus floats upward in the amniotic fluid. The examinar feels a rebound when the fetus falls back.
chadwick’s signdelivery
violet coloration of the mucus membranes of the cervix, vagina, and vulva, that occurs at about 4 weeks of pregnancy caused by increased vascularity. This is considered a probable sign of pregnancy.
delivery
actual event of birth; the explusion or extraction of the neonate
embroyo
stage of fetal development that lasts from day 15 until approximately 8 weeks after conception or until the embroyo measures 3 cm from the crown to rump
fertilization
uniting of the sperm and ovum, which occurs within 12 hours of ovulation and within 2 to 3 days of insemination, the average duration of viability for the ovum and sperm.
goodell’s sign
softening of the cervix that occurs at the beginning of the second month of gestation. this is considered a probable sign of pregnancy
gravida
a pregnant women; called gravida I (primigravida) during the first pregnancy, gravida II during the second pregnancy, and so on.
Hegar’s sign
compressibility and softening of the lower uterine segment that occurs at about week 6 of gestation. this is considered a probable sign of pregancy
implantation
embedding of the fertilized ovum in the uterine mucosa 6 to 10 days after conception
infant
a human born alive; also, a human from 28 days of age until the first birthday
labor
coordinated sequence of rhythmic involuntary uterine contractions resulting in effacement and dilation of the cervix, followed by explusion of the products of conception
lecithin-tospingomyellin (L/S) ratio
ratio of two components of amniotic fluid, used for predicting fetal lung maturity; normal L/S ratio in amniotic fluid is 2:1 or greater when the fetal lungs are mature
lochia
discharge from the uterus that consists of blood from the vessles of the placental site and debris from the decidua; lasts for 2 to 6 weeks after delivery
Nagele’s rule
determines the estimated date of birth based on the premise that the women has 28 day menstrual cycle. add 7 days to the first day of the last menstrual period; subtract 3 months and add 1 year. alternatively, add 7 days to the last menstrual period and count forward 9 months
newborn
a human from the time of birth to the twenty-eighth day of life; also called neonate
parity
number of pregnancies that have reached viability regardless of whether the fetus was born alive or stillborn
placenta
organ that provides for the exchange of nutrients and waste products between the fetus and the mother and produces hormones to maintain pregnancy. the placenta develops by the third month of gestation and is also called afterbirth
quickening
maternal perception of fetal movement for the first time, occurring usually in the sixteenth to twentieth week of pregnancy
surfactant
phospholipid that is necessary to keep the fetal lung alveoli from collapsing; amount is usually sufficient after 32 weeks gestation
uterus
organ located behind the symphasis pubis, between the bladder and the rectum. it has four parts- fundas (upper), corpus (body), isthmus (lower segment) and cervix
vagina
tubular structure located behind the bladder and in front of the rectum; it extends from the cervix to the vaginal opening in the perineum. it functions as the outflow tract for menstrual fluid and for vaginal and cervical secretions, the birth canal, and the organ for coitus
viability
capability of the fetus to survive outside the uterus; about 22 to 24 weeks of gestation or fetal weight more than 500 g.
