OB Mod II terms Flashcards
Active acquired immunity
Formation of antibodies by the pregnant woman or child in response to illness or immunization
Brown adipose tissue (BAT)
Fat deposits in neonates that provide greater heat-generating activity than ordinary fat. Found around the kidneys, adrenals, and neck; between the scapulas; and behind the sternum. Also called brown fat.
Cardiopulmonary adaptation
Adaptation of the neonate’s cardiovascular and respiratory systems to life outside the womb.
Conduction
Loss of heat to a cooler surface by direct skin contact.
Convection
Loss of heat from the warm body surface to cooler air currents.
Evaporation
Loss of heat incurred when water on the skin surface is converted to a vapor.
Habituation
Infant’s ability to diminish innate responses to specific repeated stimuli.
Meconium
Dark green or black material present in the large intestine of a full-term infant; the first stools passed by the newborn.
Neonatal transition
The first few hours of life, in which the newborn stabilizes its respiratory and circulatory functions.
Neutral thermal environment
(NTE) An environment that provides for minimal heat loss or expenditure.
Orientation
Infant’s ability to respond to auditory and visual stimuli in the environment.
Passive acquired immunity
transfer of antibodies (IgG) from the mother to the fetus in utero
Periodic breathing
Sporadic episodes of apnea, not associated with cyanosis, that last for about 10 seconds and commonly occur in preterm infants.
Periods of reactivity
Predictable patterns of neonate behavior during the first several hours after birth.
Physiologic anemia of infancy
A harmless condition in which the hemoglobin level drops in the first 6-12 weeks after birth, then reverts to normal levels.
Physiologic jaundice
A harmless condition caused by the normal reduction of red blood cells, occurring 48 or more hours after birth, peaking at the 5th to 7th day, and disappearing between the 7th and 10th day.
Radiation
Heat loss incurred when heat transfers to cooler surfaces and objects not in direct contact with the body.
Self-quieting ability
Infant’s ability to use personal resources to quiet and console himself or herself.
Surfactant
A surface-active mixture of lipoproteins secreted in the alveoli and air passages that reduces surface tension of pulmonary fluids and contributes to the elasticity of pulmonary tissue.
Total bilirubin
Sum of conjugated (direct) and unconjugated (indirect) bilirubin.
Acrocyanosis
Cyanosis of the extremities.
Barlow maneuver
Test designed to detect subluxation or dislocation of the hip. A dysplastic joint will be felt to be dislocated as the femur leaves the acetabulum.
Brazelton Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale
A brief examination used to identify the infant’s behavioral states and responses
Caput succedaneum
Swelling or edema occurring in or under the fetal scalp during labor.
Cephalohematoma
Subcutaneous swelling containing blood found on the head of an infant several days after birth; it usually disappears within a few weeks to 2 months.
Chemical conjunctivitis
Irritation of the mucous membrane lining of the eyelid; may be due to instillation of silver nitrate ophthalmic drops.
Epstein pearls
Small, white blebs found along the gum margins and at the junction of the hard and soft palates; commonly seen in the newborn as a normal manifestation.
Erb-Duchenne paralysis (Erb’s Palsey)
Paralysis of the arm and chest wall as a result of a birth injury to the brachial plexus or a subsequent injury to the fifth and sixth cervical nerves.
Erythema toxicum
Innocuous pink popular rash of unknown cause with superimposed vesicles; it appears within 24 to 48 hours after birth and resolves spontaneously within a few days.
Forceps marks
Reddened areas over the cheeks and jaws caused by application of forceps. The red areas usually disappear within 1 or 2 days.
Gestational age assessment tools
Systems used to evaluate the newborn’s external physical characteristics and neurologic and/or neuromuscular development to accurately determine gestational age. These replace or supplement the traditional calculation from the woman’s last menstrual period.
Harlequin sign
A rare color change that occurs between the longitudinal halves of the newborn’s body, such that the dependent half is noticeably pinker than the superior half when the newborn is placed on one side; it is of no pathologic significance.
Jaundice
Yellow pigmentation of body tissues caused by the presence of bile pigments. See also physiologic jaundice.
Lanugo
Fine, downy hair found on all body parts of the fetus, with the exception of the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet, after 20 weeks’ gestation.
Milia
Tiny white papules appearing on the face of a neonate as a result of unopened sebaceous glands; they disappear spontaneously within a few weeks.
Molding
Shaping of the fetal head by overlapping of the cranial bones to facilitate movement through the birth canal during labor.