ABO/Rhesus |
Blood types/groups. |
Amniocentesis |
The taking of fluid (also called liquor pronounced like-or) from mother’s uterus to do tests. |
Antenatal |
During pregnancy, before the birth. |
Antibodies |
Proteins produced in the blood. Checks are done to see that the mother is not developing antibodies against her baby's blood group. |
BP |
Blood pressure. |
Booking |
Your first antenatal check. |
Br, Breech |
Unborn baby is lying bottom down. |
BSL |
Blood sugar level. |
C, Ceph, Cephalic |
Unborn baby lying head down. |
CVS |
Chorionic villus sampling—taking a small sample of placenta to test for Down syndrome and other abnormalities in the baby. |
Cx (Pap) Smear |
Routine test to detect early warning of cancer of cervix (neck of uterus). |
Down risk |
Test for level of risk of Down syndrome. |
E, Eng, Engaged |
Unborn baby’s head has moved down into the mother’s pelvis ready to be born. |
EDD |
Expected (estimated) date of delivery for baby’s birth. It is normal for the baby to arrive up to two weeks before or after this date. |
Family doctor |
General practitioner, GP. |
Fetal heart (FH) |
Unborn baby’s heart rate. |
Fetal movements |
Unborn baby’s movements. |
Fetus/Foetus |
Unborn baby. |
FH (H) |
Fetal heart (heard). |
Fifths above brim |
Position of unborn baby’s head in relation to the mother’s pelvis. |
FMF: FMNF |
Fetal (baby) movements felt: fetal movements not felt. |
Fundal height |
Size of uterus. |
Gestation (gest’n) |
Number of weeks pregnant. |
Glucose screen |
Blood test to see how well your body uses sugar. It is a test for gestational diabetes, a problem that sometimes develops during pregnancy and may be a problem for the woman and unborn baby. |
Gravida |
The number of times you have been pregnant, including this pregnancy. Primigravida means first, multigravida means more than one pregnancy. |
Hepatitis B |
Viral infection of the liver. |
Hb |
Haemoglobin, how much iron is in your blood. |
HIV |
The virus that may lead to AIDS. |
Hypertension |
High blood pressure. |
Lie |
The direction the foetus is lying in the uterus, such as transverse, longitudinal or oblique |
Longitudinal |
The fetus is lying with its spine parallel to the mother's spine |
LMP |
Last menstrual period. |
Midwife |
A practitioner specially qualified to care for childbearing women and their babies. |
MSU, MSSU |
Mid-stream specimen urine,. |
NAD |
No abnormality detected (normal). |
NE |
Unborn baby’s head not engaged (has not moved down into the mother's pelvis). |
Neural tube defect |
Serious abnormality of the central nervous system - brain and spinal cord. |
Obstetrician |
Specialist doctor with extra qualifications in pregnancy and childbirth. |
Oedema |
Swelling of ankles, fingers or face. |
Parity |
The number of babies you have already had. |
PE, PETpre-eclampsia |
Pre-eclampsia or pre-eclampsia toxaemia (a pregnancy condition with high blood pressure and oedema.) |
Placenta |
The afterbirth. |
Postnatal |
After the birth. |
Presentation |
The part of the baby which is coming first, such as breech, vertex/cephalic or compound (eg arm with the head) |
Rubella |
German measles, a disease caused by a virus. |
STD/STI |
Sexually transmitted disease/infection. |
Syphilis |
A sexually transmitted disease. |
T, FT, term |
Full – term, baby is ready to be born. |
Transverse |
Unborn baby lying crossways in the uterus |
US, ultrasound, scan |
An examination of an unborn baby using sound waves. |
Uterus, womb |
Hollow muscle in which baby grows. |
Uterine size |
Size of uterus. |
VE |
Vaginal examinations, internal check of mother. |
Vx, Vertex |
Unborn baby lying head down in uterus. |