Terms List Flashcards
Nullipara
A woman who has never been pregnant beyond 20 weeks gestation
Gravid
The number of pregnancies regardless of outcome
G6 P4
Gravid 6 Para 4 means pregnant 6 times (includes the current pregnancy) and has previously delivered 4 babies at more than 20 weeks gestation.
Grand multipara
A woman who has delivered 5 or more babies at more than 20 weeks gestation
Abortion/Miscarriage
A pregnancy loss before 20 weeks gestation
Labour
Regular painful contractions with cervical change after 20 weeks gestation
Lower uterine segment caesarean section
operative delivery of the baby through an incision in the lower uterine segment
Classical caesarean section
Operative delivery of the baby through a vertical incision in the upper section of the uterus
Hysterotomy
Operative delivery of the baby through a uterine incision at less than 20 weeks gestation
Preterm labour
Labour less than 37 weeks gestation
Prelabour ruputre of membranes (PROM)
Rupture of the membranes before the onset of labour
Premature prelabour rupture of membranes
rupture of the membranes before labour at less than 37 weeks gestation.
ARM/AROM
Artificial rupture of the membranes
SROM
Spontaneous rupture of the membranes
Braxton Hicks contractions
painless uterine contractions in the antenatal period
Naegles rule
To estimate the probable date of confinement, add 9 months and 7 days to the first day of the last menstrual period. A correction is required if the patient does not have 28 day cycles.
First stage of Labour
From start of labour until full dilation of the cervix
Second stage of labour
from full dilation of the cervix until birth of baby
Third stage of labour
from the birth of the baby until the delivery of the placenta and membranes
Spurious or false labour
Uterine contractions which may be regular and/or painful but are not associated with cervical effacement and dilatation
Oxytocic
Medication that stimulates contractions of the uterine muscle
Tocolytic
Medication to stop uterine contractions
Induction of labour
Process of causing labour to commence
Augmentation of labour
process of stimulating labour that has already started
Placenta priva
placenta that approches or covers the internal cervical os in late second or third trimester
Vasa praevia
Fetal vessels lying in the membranes in front of the presenting part
Antepartum Haemorrhage
Bleeding >5ml from the vagina after 20weeks gestation
Abruption
Seperation of the placenta from the uterus in the antenatal or intrapartum period
Post Partum Haemorrhage
Vaginal bleeding of greater than 500ml in the first 24 hours after delivery
Placenta accreta
Placenta that invades the myometrium
Uterine atony
Abnormal relaxation of the uterus after delivery usually causing bleeding.
Isoimmunisation
Blood group antibodies cross the placenta resulting in haemolysis of fetal red blood cells. Antibodies include D, C, K (Kell), Kidd, Duffy.
CTG
Cardiotocograph:
- measures baby’s HR and contractions of the womb.
Neonatal Death
infant who dies within 28 days of birth, of at least 20 weeks gestation or weighing >400gm if gestation is unknown
Stillbirth
A infant born after 20 weeks gestation (or birthweight >400gm) who did not show any signs of life after birth
Perinatal mortality rate
The number of stillbirths plus the number of neonatal deaths per 1000 births
Maternal Death
The death of a woman while pregnant (irrespective of the gestation) or within 42 days of the conclusion of pregnancy irrespective of the cause of death or gestation at delivery.
Maternal Mortality Rate
Number of Maternal deths per 100,000 live births
Infant death
death of an infant between 29 days -1 year of live
Station
The level of descent of the presenting part relative to the pelvic brim or symphysis on abdominal palpation, ir to the ischial spines on vaginal examination
Lie
The relationship between the long axis of the fetus and the long axis of the uterus e.g. longnitudinal, oblique, transverse
Position
The relationship of a defined area on the presenting part (denominator) to the mother’s pelvis.
In cephalic presentation - denominator is the occiput, therefore positions are:
- occipito-anterior (OA)
- occipito-posterior (OP)
- left or right occipito-transverse (L/ROT)
breech presentation the denominator is the sacrum:
- SA
- SP
- ST
Presentation
The part of the fetus which is presenting e.g. vertex/breech
Asynclitism
Side to side tilt of the fetal head
Caput
Oedema from obstructed venous return in the fetal scalp caused by pressure of the head against the cervix
Cervical incompetence
Painless cervical dilatation in the second trimester causing preterm labour
Cord Prolapse
the cord is alongside or below the presenting part in the presence of ruptured membranes
Episiotomy
Surgical incision of the perineum during the second stage of labour
Third degree tear
Perineal trauma which involves the vaginal mucosa, perineal muscles and the external anal sphincter
Second Degree Tear
Perineal trauma which involves the vaginal mucosa and perineal muscles
Lochia
vaginal discharge during the puerperium (6 weeks after childbirth when the organs are returning to normal)
Oligohydramnios
Reduced amniotic fluid
Polyhydramnios
Excess amniotic fluid
Pre-eclampsia
HTN and proteinuria in pregnancy
Eclampsia
a seizure in the clinical setting of pre-eclampsia
Amniocentesis
Sampling of amniotic fluid using a needle through the abdominal wall of the abdomen
Chorionic villus sampling CVS
Sampling of placenta using a needle under US guidance
External cephalic version
Turning a breech baby to cephalic presenation through the maternal abdominal wall
Retained placenta
a placenta still in utero 1 hr after delivery of the baby
Precipitate labour
Labour <4 hrs duration
Shoulder dystocia
Difficulty delivering the shoulders after delivery of the fetal head
Puerperinum
the 6 weeks following delivery
Quickening
Maternal perception of fetal movement
Restitution
Rotation of the fetal head after delivery to align with its back and shoulders
Show
A discharge of blood and mucous from the vagina in early labour or the days preceeding labour
Phototherapy
Use of standard fluorescent white light or blue light therapy to photoisomerise bilirubin to allow for its excretion
Exchange transfusion
Procedure to treat severe newborn pathological jaundice in which blood is removed and replaced with donor blood. This removed the bilirubin and also the antibodies that have been causing hemolysis and jaundice.
Low Birthweight
<2500gm (2.5kg)
Very low birthweight
<1500gm (1.5Kg)
Neonatal respiratory distress
- Tachypnoea,
- increased effort of breathing,
- noisy breathing and
- central cyanosis.
Caesarean Hysterectomy
Laparotomy which the contents of the gravid uterus are delivered then the uterus is excised (e.g. due to placenta accreta)
Perimortem CS
Caesarean performed on a moribund or dead woman with view of preserving her life.
Abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB)
An overarching term for disturbed mentrual bleeding which includes bleeding that is abnormally heavy or abnormal in timing
Primary Ammenorrhea
Failure to menstruate by 15-16 years of age in someone with secondary sexual characteristics
Delayed Puberty
Failure to menstruate by 13-14 years of age in someone without secondary sexual characteristics
Secondary amenorrhea
Absence of periods for a 6-month period in a woman who has previously had menstrual periods
Intramenstrual Bleeding
Bleeding episodes between normally timed menstrual periods that are either random or follow a cyclical pattern
Irregular menstrual bleeding
A range of varying lengths of bleeding-free intervals >17 days within one 90-day reference period
Prolonged menstural bleeding
Prolonged bleeding for greater than or equal to 10 days in one episode
Acute AUB
an episode of heavy bleeding that, in the clinicians opinion is sufficiently heavy to require immediate treatment to prevent further blood loss.
Chronic AUB
Bleeding from the uterine corpus that is abnormal in volume, duration, and/or frequency and has been present for most of the past 6 months.
Heavy menstrual bleeding
Excessive menstrual blood loss that interferes with a women’s physical, emotional, social and material QOL
Note that this definition is deemed excessive by the patient irregardless of regularity, duration or frequency.
Infrequent menstrual bleeding
one or two episodes in a 90 day period.
Dysmenorrhea
Pelvic pain during menstruation
Dyspareunia
Painful sexual intercourse.
- Deep - deep in vagina or pelvis
- Superficial - introitus (hole), vulva or lower vagina.
Cervical excitation
Pain felt by the woman when her cervix is moved during vaginal examination, typically from free blood in the peritoneal cavity.
Cervical Ectropion
Endometrial columnar epithelium protrudes through the external os of the cervix and onto the vaginal portion of the cervix.
Infertility
The failure to achieve a clinical pregnancy after 12 months or more of regular unprotected sexual intercourse
Endometriosis
The occurance of endometrial tissue outside the uterus, most commonly on the pelvic peritoneal surfaces.
Adenomyosis
Endometrial tissue within the myometrium
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)
Infection of the uterus, fallopian tubes or pelvis
Menopause
the term natural menopause is defined as the permanent cessation of menstruation resulting in loss of ovarian follicular activity where the last period was 12 months prior.
Premature Menopause
Menopause occuring before 40 years of age
Induced Menopause
The term induced menopause is defined as the cessation of menstruation which follows either surgical removal of both ovaries (with or without hysterectomy) or iatrogenic ablation of ovarian function (e.g. chemo or radiotherapy)
Climateric/Perimenopause
Ovarian function declines and menopausal symptoms appear
Postmenopause
the time after menopause
Lactational amenorrhea methos
Effective contraception provided when a woman is fully breast-feeding a baby less than 6 months of age and has no return of menses.
