Pregnancy Labor and Delivery Glossary

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What are some common labor and delivery terms in pregnancy?

Pregnancy Labor and Delivery Glossary

There are many terms which surround the labor and delivery that a pregnant woman experiences during the birth of her baby. The following glossary lists some common labor and delivery terms.

* APGAR Score- This a score given to newborns at both one and five minutes immediately after birth. It measures an infant's response to birth on a rating from one to ten.

* Breech-This term refers to a baby who is positioned with his buttocks and/or feet first as delivery approaches.

* Cesarean-This refers to the birth of a baby by extraction from the uterus through surgery.

* Contraction-This is the regular tightening of the uterus, which occurs as the baby is advancing down the birth canal.

* Crowning-This term refers to the baby's head appearing at the top of the vaginal opening.

* Dilation-The cervix is measured from one to ten centimeters as it opens for childbirth.

* Effacement- The cervix begins to thin as birth approaches. The measurement is typically in percentages from one to 100 percent.

* Episiotomy-An incision that is made during childbirth to widen the vaginal opening for easier delivery of the baby.

* Labor-When the uterus contracts regularly to open the cervix.

* Post-partum-The period after childbirth has occurred.

   

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