HealthPartners - Preparing for childbirth

Terminology Checkup Test your knowledge by writing in the blank the correct word that matches its definition.

Amniotic Sac Amniotic Fluid Braxton Hicks Contractions Cervix Dilation Effacement Placenta Presentation

Fundus Lightening Mucus Plug Station Umbilical Cord

The necklike lower part of the uterus that dilates and thins during labor to allow passage of the baby

Intermittent uterine contractions with

Indicates the location of the baby’s head in the pelvis in relation to the bony ischial spines of the pelvis

The upper, rounded portion of the uterus

unpredictable frequency throughout pregnancy

The circular, flat organ in the pregnant uterus that serves as the exchange station for nutrients and oxygen

The gradual opening of the mouth of the womb (cervix) to permit passage of the baby into the vagina

Structure that contains blood vessels that connect the baby to the placenta

A thick plug that develops in the cervix early in pregnancy due to hormone shifts

A thin membrane that encloses the developing fetus and contains the amniotic fluid

Refers to the part of the baby that is lying closest to the cervix

The sensation of the baby “dropping” as the baby descends into the pelvic cavity

The gradual thinning, shortening, and drawing up of the cervix

Waterlike fluid that surrounds the baby in the uterus

44 Your Guide to Labor and Birth