Birth Terminology
Amniotic Fluid - The liquid that surrounds the baby while in the uterus. Also known as the waters
Anaesthetic - A drug that gives total or partial loss of sensation of a part or the whole of the body
Anaesthetist - A doctor who specialises in giving anaesthetic
Antenatal/Prenatal - A term that means ‘before birth’. Also known as prenatal and antepartum
Antepartum Haemorrhage - Bleeding from the vagina during pregnancy
Apgar Score - A test given one minute after a baby is born, then again five minutes later, that assesses a baby’s appearance (skin colour), pulse, grimace (reflex), activity (muscle tone) and respiration. A perfect Apgar score is 10; typical Apgar scores are seven, eight or nine. A score lower than seven means that the baby might need help breathing
Birth Canal - The passageway (made up of the cervix and vagina) that the baby travels through during birth
Birth Plan - A written document describing a woman’s preferences for her care during labour and birth
Braxton Hicks Contractions - A tightening of the uterus that may feel like a labour contraction. Braxton Hicks contractions are not painful and do not get stronger and closer together like true contractions also called ‘false labour
Breech - When the baby is positioned inside the uterus with its bottom or feet down, instead of its head
Caesarean Section - A surgical procedure in which a baby is delivered through a cut in the abdomen and uterus (also called a ‘C-section’)
Cervix - The narrow, lower end of the uterus that softens and opens during labour to allow the baby to come out
Conception - The process of becoming pregnant, when a sperm and egg join to form a single cell
Contraction - The often strong and painful tightening of the uterus during labour that causes the woman’s cervix to dilate and that helps push the baby through the birth canal
Crowning - Time during labour when the baby’s head has reached the external vaginal opening and can be seen from the outside
Dilation - The opening of the cervix, measured as the diameter of the cervix in centimetres
Ectopic Pregnancy - When a fertilised egg implants and grows outside of the uterus, usually in the fallopian tube. In most cases, an ectopic pregnancy is not viable
Epidural - A type of anaesthetic commonly used in labour where drugs are used to numb the lower half of the body
First Degree Tear - A tear involving only the perineal skin (adjacent to the vaginal opening) that occurs at the time of delivery that doesn’t always require stitches
Second Degree Tear - A tear of the perineum involving both skin and muscles, but not the anus. Second-degree tears often require stitches
Third Degree Tear - A severe tear of the perineum involving the skin, muscles and anus. Stitches are used to repair these tears
Fontanelle - The six soft spots on a baby’s head that allow its skull to compress during birth so it can pass through the birth canal. The fontanels completely fuse by the time the child is two years old
Forceps - Tong-shaped instruments placed around the baby’s head to help it travel through the birth canal during childbirth
Preterm - When a baby is born before 37 weeks’ gestation
Full-term - When a pregnancy is a normal duration 37+ weeks
Gestation - The length of time (in days or weeks) that a baby is in the uterus
Gestational Diabetes - A condition that develops during pregnancy when the woman’s blood sugar levels become too high because inadequate levels of insulin. The condition is treatable and usually disappears after pregnancy
Gynaecologist - A doctor who has undertaken specialist training in women’s health
Haemorrhage - Excessive bleeding
Induced - When a healthcare professional tries to artificially ‘start’ a woman’s labour
Jaundice - A condition where a person’s skin and the whites of their eyes take on a yellowish tinge. It is caused by an excess of a chemical called bilirubin in the blood and in newborns often resolves itself
Lactation Consultant - A healthcare professional who is trained to provide information and support about breastfeeding