HealthPartners - Your guide to pregnancy

Glossary

Amniocentesis – A test of the fluid surrounding the baby to detect certain disorders, other factors, and the sex of the baby. Usually done at 14-16 weeks of pregnancy, Areola – The dark ringed area that surrounds the nipple on each breast. Baby blues – Feelings of sadness or mood swings, commonly experienced for several weeks after giving birth. Bloody show – Bloody discharge caused by the thinning of the cervix. Usually associated with thick mucus. May be one of the first signs of labor. Braxton Hicks contractions – Intermittent uterine contractions with unpredictable frequency throughout pregnancy. These contractions are most often painless and occur more frequently as the pregnancy progresses. Cesarean birth – The method used to birth a baby through a surgical incision in the abdomen and uterus. Colostrum – The yellow to almost colorless breast milk that is produced during pregnancy and is present at birth. Contractions – Rhythmical tightening and relaxing of the uterine muscles that cause changes to occur to the cervix. Due date – The estimated birth date of the baby. Usually computed from the first day of the last regular period, minus 3 months, plus 7 days. Ectopic pregnancy – The development of a pregnancy outside the womb, usually in a fallopian tube. Often causes early bleeding and pain. Embryo – What a baby is called 2-8 weeks after conception. Epidural – An anesthetic injected through a catheter in the lower back to numb the lower abdomen, legs, and birth canal during labor. Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder – The medical term for physical and mental problems that affect children born to mothers who drank alcohol during pregnancy. Fetus – What the baby is called from 9 weeks after conception until delivery. Folic acid – One of the B vitamins that is a key factor in fetal development. Too little folic acid during pregnancy may increase the risk for the baby to have a birth defect involving the spinal cord and brain. Genetic disorder – A disease caused by an alteration of a gene or group of genes in a person’s genetic material. May be passed to a baby from the parents’ genes (hereditary). Gestational diabetes – A type of diabetes that occurs in pregnant people and usually subsides after pregnancy. Glucose challenge screening – A simple test to measure the way your body handles sugar in the blood stream. Group B streptococcus (GBS) – A type of bacteria normally found in the birth canal of up to ⅓ of all pregnant people. May infect the baby during a vaginal birth if not treated.

Hemorrhoid – A dilated blood vessel inside the anus and beneath its thin lining (internal), or outside the anus and beneath the surface of the skin (external). High-risk pregnancy – If you have a medical condition or pregnancy-related complication that threatens the well-being of you or your baby. Kegel exercises – An exercise contracting the pelvic floor muscles to improve muscle tone and help prevent urinary incontinence. Kick count – Counting the baby’s movements toward the end of pregnancy. You should note the time it takes to feel 10 kicks, twists, turns, or rolls. Lactation consultant – A health professional who specializes in the clinical management of breastfeeding. Latch – The baby positioned on the breast with the entire nipple and at least an inch of the areolar tissue in their mouth. The compression of the suck and the baby’s tongue resting on the lower gum allows the baby to draw milk through the nipple. Miscarriage – The spontaneous loss of a pregnancy before 20 weeks gestation. Oxytocin – A hormone that contributes to the start of labor and later affects the “let-down” response. Pica – A medical term for craving unusual foods during pregnancy. Placenta previa – Occurs when the placenta partially or completely covers the cervix. Placental abruption – Occurs when the placenta prematurely detaches from the inner lining of the womb. Preeclampsia – A very serious condition that includes a rise in blood pressure, large amounts of protein in the urine, and swelling of the hands, feet, and face. Preeclampsia is the most common complication of pregnancy. Prenatal care – The regular health care you should receive from a health care provider during pregnancy. Preterm labor – Labor that begins before 37 weeks of pregnancy. Quickening – The first flutter of life (movement by baby) felt during pregnancy. Rooming-in – Parents’ bed and baby crib in the same room, while in the hospital or at home. Round ligament pain – Pain in one or both groin regions from stretching or spasm of the round ligaments. Sonogram (ultrasound) – The use of sound waves to produce a “picture” of the developing fetus inside the uterus. It is also called an ultrasound. VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Cesarean) – A possible vaginal birth option for someone who has had a previous cesarean birth.

64 Your Guide to A Healthy Pregnancy