Term
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Definition
| Condition resulting from accumulation of acid (hydrogen ions) or depletion of base (bicarbonate); acid-base balance measured by pH. |
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Term
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Definition
| Infusion of a sterile isotonic solution into the uterine cavity during labor to reduce umbilical cord compression; may also be done to dilute meconium in amniotic fluid and reduce the risk that the infant will aspirate thick meconium at birth. |
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Term
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Definition
| Insufficient oxygen and excess carbon dioxide in the blood and tissues. |
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Term
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Definition
| Cells that are sensitive to blood pressure changes. |
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Term
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Definition
| Cells that are sensitive to chemical changes in the blood, specifically changes in oxygen and carbon dioxide levels, and changes in acid-base balance. |
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Term
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Definition
| Excess carbon dioxide in the blood, evidenced by an elevated PCO2. |
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Term
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Definition
| Uterine contractions that are too long or too frequent, have too short a resting interval, or have an inadequate relaxation period to allow optimal uteroplacental exchange. |
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Term
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Definition
| Reduced oxygenation of the blood, evidenced by a low PO2. |
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Term
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Definition
| Reduced availability of oxygen to the body tissues. |
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Term
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Definition
| Variation of electronic fetal monitoring in which an initial strip is obtained on admission. If patterns are reassuring the woman is remonitored for 15 minutes at regular intervals (such as every 30 minutes). |
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Term
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Definition
| Method to quantify intensity of labor contractions with uterine activity monitoring. The baseline intrauterine pressure for each contraction in a 10-minute period is subtracted from the peak pressure. The resulting net pressures (peak minus baseline) are added to calculate Montevideo units, or MVUs. |
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Term
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Definition
| Lowest point, such as the lowest pulse rate in a series. |
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Term
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Definition
| Umbilical cord around the fetal neck. |
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Term
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Definition
| Abnormally small amount of amniotic fluid, less than about 500 mL at term. |
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Term
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Definition
| Wireless transmission of electronic fetal monitoring data to the bedside or central monitor unit. |
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Term
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Definition
| Drug that inhibits uterine contractions. |
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Term
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Definition
| Device that translates one physical quantity to another, such as fetal heart motion into an electrical signal for rate calculation, generation of sound, or a written record. |
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Term
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Definition
| Degree of uterine muscle tension when the woman is not in labor or during the interval between labor contractions |
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Term
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Definition
| Peak, or period of greatest strength, of a uterine contraction. |
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Term
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Definition
| Relationship of fetal body parts to one another. |
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Term
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Definition
| Mixture of cervical mucus and blood from ruptured capillaries in the cervix; often precedes labor and increases with cervical dilation. |
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Term
| Braxton Hicks contractions |
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Definition
| Irregular, mild uterine contractions that occur throughout pregnancy and become stronger in the last trimester. |
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Term
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Definition
| Period of decreasing strength of a uterine contraction |
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Term
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Definition
| Period from the beginning of a uterine contraction to the end of the same contraction. |
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Term
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Definition
| Descent of the widest diameter of the fetal presenting part to at least a zero station (the level of the ischial spines in the maternal pelvis). |
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Term
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Definition
| Space at the intersection of sutures connecting fetal or infant skull bones. |
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Term
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Definition
| Period from the beginning of one uterine contraction to the beginning of the next. |
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Term
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Definition
| Period of increasing strength of a uterine contraction. |
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Term
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Definition
| Strength of a uterine contraction. |
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Term
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Definition
| Period between the end of one uterine contraction and the beginning of the next. |
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Term
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Definition
| Relationship of the long axis of the fetus to the long axis of the mother. |
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Term
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Definition
| Descent of the fetus toward the pelvic inlet before labor. |
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Term
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Definition
| Vaginal drainage after birth. |
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Term
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Definition
| Shaping of the fetal head during movement through the birth canal. |
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Term
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Definition
| A woman who has not completed a pregnancy to at least 20 weeks of gestation. |
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Term
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Definition
| A woman who has given birth after a pregnancy of at least 20 weeks of gestation; also designates the number of pregnancies that end after at least 20 weeks of gestation (multifetal gestation such as that of twins is considered as one birth when calculating parity). |
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Term
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Definition
| Relation of a fixed reference point on the fetus to the quadrants of the maternal pelvis. |
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Term
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Definition
| Fetal part that enters the pelvic inlet, or the presenting part |
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Term
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Definition
| Softening of the cervix as labor nears as the result of an increase in water content and the effects of relaxin on the connective tissue of the cervix. |
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Term
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Definition
| Measurement of fetal descent in relation to the ischial spines of the maternal pelvis (see also engagement). |
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Term
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Definition
| Narrow areas of flexible tissue that connect fetal skull bones, permitting slight movement during labor. |
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Term
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Definition
| Acronym for vaginal birth after cesarean. |
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Term
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Definition
| A pregnancy that ends before 20 weeks of gestation, either spontaneously (miscarriage) or electively. Miscarriage is a lay term for spontaneous abortion that is often used by health professionals. |
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Term
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Definition
| Artificial rupture of the membranes (amniotic sac). |
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Term
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Definition
| Area of edema over the presenting part of the fetus or newborn that results from pressure against the cervix (usually called caput). |
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Term
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Definition
| Appearance of the fetal scalp or presenting part at the vaginal opening. |
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Term
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Definition
| Abbreviation for estimated date of delivery; also may be abbreviated EDB (estimated date of birth) |
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Term
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Definition
| Incision of the perineum to enlarge the vaginal opening. |
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Term
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Definition
| Microscopic appearance of amniotic fluid resembling fern leaves when the fluid is allowed to dry on a microscope slide; also called fern test. |
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Term
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Definition
| A pregnant woman; also refers to a woman's total number of pregnancies, including the one in progress, if applicable. |
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Term
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Definition
| A woman who has given birth after two or more pregnancies of at least 20 weeks of gestation; also informally used to describe a pregnant woman before the birth of her second child. |
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Term
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Definition
| Umbilical cord around the fetal neck. |
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Term
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Definition
| A woman who has not completed a pregnancy to at least 20 weeks of gestation. |
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Term
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Definition
| A woman who has given birth after a pregnancy of at least 20 weeks of gestation; also designates the number of a woman's pregnancies that have ended after at least 20 weeks of gestation. (A multifetal gestation, such as twins, is considered one birth when calculating parity.) |
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Term
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Definition
| Paper or commercial swab used to test pH; helps determine whether the amniotic sac has ruptured; Nitrazine test |
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Term
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Definition
| A woman who has given birth after a pregnancy of at least 20 weeks of gestation; also used informally to describe a pregnant woman before the birth of her first child. |
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Term
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Definition
| Substance that causes a physiologic effect. |
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Term
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Definition
| Systemic agent that relieves pain without causing loss of consciousness. |
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Term
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Definition
| Loss of sensation, especially to pain, with or without loss of consciousness |
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Term
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Definition
| Physician who specializes in administration of anesthesia. |
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Term
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Definition
| Substance that blocks the action of another substance or of body secretions. |
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Term
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Definition
| Chemical injury to the lungs that may occur with regurgitation and aspiration of acidic gastric secretions. |
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Term
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Definition
| Substance similar to opioids that occurs naturally in the central nervous system and modifies pain sensations; related to enkephalins. |
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Term
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Definition
| Substance similar to opioids that occurs naturally in the central nervous system and modifies pain sensations; related to endorphins. |
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Term
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Definition
| Area outside the dura, between the dura mater and the vertebral canal. |
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Term
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Definition
| A theory about pain based on the premise that a gating mechanism in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord can open or close a “gate” for transmission of pain impulses to the brain. |
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Term
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Definition
| Systemic loss of sensation with loss of consciousness. |
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Term
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Definition
| Loss of voluntary movement caused by regional anesthesia. |
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Term
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Definition
| A registered nurse who has advanced education and certification in administration of anesthetics; also, certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA). |
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Term
| pain threshold (or pain perception) |
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Definition
| The lowest level of stimulus one perceives as painful; relatively constant under different conditions. |
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Term
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Definition
| Maximum pain one is willing to endure. Pain tolerance may increase or decrease under different conditions. |
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Term
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Definition
| Anesthesia that blocks pain impulses in a localized area without loss of consciousness. |
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Term
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Definition
| Loss of sensation caused by regional anesthesia. |
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Term
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Definition
| Space between the arachnoid mater and the pia mater containing cerebrospinal fluid. |
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Term
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Definition
| Premature separation of a normally implanted placenta. |
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Term
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Definition
| Artificial rupture of the amniotic sac (fetal membranes). |
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Term
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Definition
| Artificial stimulation of uterine contractions that have become ineffective. |
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Term
| cephalopelvic disproportion |
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Definition
| Fetal head size that is too large to fit through the maternal pelvis at birth (also called fetopelvic disproportion). |
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Term
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Definition
| Surgical birth of the fetus through an incision in the abdominal wall and uterus. |
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Term
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Definition
| Newborn scalp edema created by a vacuum extractor. |
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Term
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Definition
| Inflammation of the amniotic sac (fetal membranes); usually caused by bacterial and viral infections (also called amnionitis). |
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Term
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Definition
| Difficult or prolonged labor; often associated with abnormal uterine activity and cephalopelvic disproportion. |
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Term
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Definition
| Surgical incision of the perineum to enlarge the vaginal opening. |
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Term
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Definition
| Excessive volume of amniotic fluid, more than about 2000 mL at term (also called polyhydramnios). |
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Term
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Definition
| Term used to describe an adverse condition resulting from treatment. |
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Term
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Definition
| Artificial initiation of labor. |
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Term
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Definition
| A unit of measure expressing the intensity of uterine contractions in millimeters of mercury as measured with an intrauterine pressure catheter; the contraction intensity minus the resting tone multiplied by the number of contractions in 10 minutes. |
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Term
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Definition
| Umbilical cord around the fetal neck. |
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Term
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Definition
| Abnormally small quantity of amniotic fluid, less than about 500 mL at term. |
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Term
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Definition
| Abnormal implantation of the placenta in the lower uterus. |
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Term
| premature rupture of the membranes |
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Definition
| Spontaneous rupture of the membranes before the onset of labor (term, preterm, or postterm gestation). |
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Term
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Definition
| Turning the fetus from one presentation to another before birth, usually from breech to cephalic. |
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Term
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Definition
| Premature separation of a normally implanted placenta. |
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Term
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Definition
| Transabdominal puncture of the amniotic sac to obtain a sample of amniotic fluid that contains fetal cells and biochemical substances for laboratory analysis. |
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Term
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Definition
| An embolism in which amniotic fluid with its particulate matter is drawn into the pregnant woman's circulation, lodging in her lungs. |
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Term
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Definition
| A disorder in which amniotic fluid with its particulate matter enters the pregnant woman's circulation, lodging in her lungs. Previously called amniotic fluid embolism. |
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Term
| cephalopelvic disproportion |
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Definition
| Condition in which the fetal head is too large to fit through the maternal pelvis at birth. Also called fetopelvic disproportion. |
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Term
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Definition
| Encircling of the cervix with suture to prevent recurrent spontaneous abortion caused by early cervical dilation. |
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Term
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Definition
| Inflammation of the amniotic sac (fetal membranes); usually caused by bacterial or viral infection. Also called amnionitis. |
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Term
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Definition
| Difficult or prolonged labor; often associated with abnormal uterine activity and cephalopelvic disproportion. |
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Term
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Definition
| Excessive volume of amniotic fluid (more than 2000 mL at term). Also called polyhydramnios. |
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Term
| hypertonic labor dysfunction |
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Definition
| Ineffective labor characterized by erratic and poorly coordinated contractions. Uterine resting tone is higher than normal. |
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Term
| hypotonic labor dysfunction |
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Definition
| Ineffective labor characterized by weak, infrequent, and brief but coordinated uterine contractions. Uterine resting tone is normal. |
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Term
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Definition
| Unusually large fetal size; infant birth weight more than 4000 g (8.8 lb). |
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Term
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Definition
| A pregnancy in which the woman is carrying two or more fetuses. Also called multiple gestation. |
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Term
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Definition
See prolapsed cord.
Displacement of the umbilical cord in front of or beside the fetal presenting part. An occult prolapse is one that is suspected on the basis of fetal heart rate patterns; the umbilical cord cannot be palpated or seen. |
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Term
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Definition
| Abnormally small volume of amniotic fluid (less than 500 mL at term). |
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Term
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Definition
| A placenta that is abnormally adherent to the uterine muscle. If the condition is more advanced, it is called placenta increta (the placenta extends into the uterine muscle) or placenta percreta (the placenta extends through the uterine muscle). |
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Term
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Definition
| Abnormal implantation of the placenta in the lower uterus, at or very near the cervical os. |
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Term
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Definition
| A birth that occurs without a trained attendant present. |
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Term
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Definition
| An intense, unusually short labor (less than 3 hours). |
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Term
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Definition
| Onset of labor after 20 weeks and before the beginning of the 38th week of gestation. |
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Term
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Definition
| Displacement of the umbilical cord in front of or beside the fetal presenting part. An occult prolapse is one that is suspected on the basis of fetal heart rate patterns; the umbilical cord cannot be palpated or seen. |
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Term
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Definition
| Delayed or difficult birth of the fetal shoulders after the head is born. |
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Term
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Definition
| A drug that inhibits uterine contractions. |
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Term
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Definition
| Turning of the uterus inside out after birth of the fetus. |
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Term
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Definition
| Degree of uterine muscle tension when the woman is not in labor or during the interval between labor contractions. |
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Term
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Definition
| A tear in the wall of the uterus. |
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