Your Pregnancy Glossary

Do you flick through your pregnancy notes and wonder what on earth they actually mean? Do you hear language being used around you and wish they would just speak in plain English?! Hopefully this glossary of medical terms will help you unpick some of what you are seeing and hearing, if you'd like anything added, just shout!

G

Gravida

Number of pregnancies

P

Parity

Number of births to babies over 24 weeks gestation

G3P1+1

Gravida 3, Para 1 + 1

This would be a woman who is currently pregnant and has given birth once before, and has a miscarriage or termination before 24 weeks.

Primip/ Primagravida

Women who have not given birth before

Multip/multigravida

Women who have given birth more than once (to babies over 24 weeks gestation)

Grand Multip

Women who have given birth more than five times (to babies over 24 weeks gestation)

ROA

Right Occipital Anterior

Baby is head down, with their back facing diagonally forwards to the right

LOA

Left Occipital Anterior

Baby is head down, with their back facing diagonally forwards to the left

OA

Occipital Anterior

Baby is head down, with their back facing directly forwards

ROP

Right Occipital Posterior

Baby is head down, with their back facing diagonally backwards to the right

LOP

Left Occipital Posterior

Baby is head down, with their back facing diagonally backwards to the left

OP

Occipital Posterior

Baby is head down, with their back faching directly backwards.

LOT

Left Occipital Transverse

Baby is head down, with their back facing directly to the left.

ROT

Right Occipital Transverse

Baby is head down, with their back facing directly to the right

Breech

Baby is bottom down.

Frank Breech

Baby is bottom down, with both legs straight upwards by their head

Footling Breech

Baby is bottom down, with one or both feet below their bottom

Complete Breech

Baby is bottom down with their legs bent at the knees

Oblique (lie)

Baby is lying diagonally across the uterus (can be breech or cephalic)

Transverse

Baby is lying sideways across the uterus

Cephalic

Baby is head down

Presentation

Which part of the baby's body is presenting at the pelvis/vagina.

Lie

Which way is the baby lying in the uterus

Engaged

Baby's head is within the pelvis

2/5 Palpable

The amount of baby's head that can be felt above the pelvis- measured in 5ths. 0/5 palpable would be fully engaged.

Head Free

Baby's head is not engaged at all.

Brim

Top of your pelvis.

LMP

Last Menstrual Period

Used to date a pregnancy until a scan is used

USS

Ultrasound Scan

CRL

Crown Rump Length

The length of a fetus from head to bottom, this length is used to 'date' a pregnancy

SROM

Spontaneous Rupture of Membranes

When your waters have broken spontaneously

ARM

Artificial Rupture of Membranes

Part of the induction process, where a doctor or midwife artificially breaks your waters using a small plastic hook.

PROM

Premature Rupture of Membranes

When your waters have broken but you have not gone into labour or your baby has not been born in the UK this is currently within 24 hours.

BMP

Beats Per Minute

Relating to baby's heart rate

FH (FHR)

Fetal Heart Rate

Baby's heart rate (in utero)

FHH

Fetal Heart Heard

You may see this if they have not timed baby's heart rate

BP

Blood Pressure

CTG

Cardiotocograph

The machine used to monitor you contractions and baby's heart rate

EDD

Estimated Date of Delivery

DOB

Date of birth

ECV

External Cephalic Version

A procedure offered to women with a breech baby, where they will try to turn baby around

FBC

Full Blood Count

A blood test offered in pregnancy

FSE

Fetal Scalp Electrode

A way of monitoring baby's heart during birth where a small hood it attached to baby's scalp, after your waters have broken.

GBS

Group B Strep

GTT

Glucose Tolerance Test

Test for Gestational Diabetes

GDM

Gestational Diabetes

Hb

Haemoglobin

A low Hb in pregnancy may be an indication of anaemia

IOL

Induction of Labour

IUGR

Intrauterine growth restriction

When a baby's growth slows down or is below the expected level in pregnancy

LSCS

Lower Segment Caesarean Section

MSU

Midstream Specimen Urine

Where your urine is dipped with a dipstick or sent to a lab for testing- this can help indicate possible urine infections, thrush, diabetes, pre-eclampsia and other medical conditions.

NBBS

Newborn Blood Spot

A test given to new born babies to check for genetic conditions. Baby's heel is pricked and 5 spots of blood are sampled. Also known as the 'heel prick test'.

PPH

Post Partum Haemorrhage

Bleeding of over 500ml after birth

SBR

Serum Bilirubin

A blood test done on babies with symptoms of jaundice, to measure the level of bilirubin in their blood

SVD

Spontaneous Vaginal Delivery

A vaginal birth that was not induced or assisted with forceps or ventouse

TTO

To Take Out (Medicine)

Medicine that you take home from hospital

TOP

Termination of Pregnancy

UTI

Urinary Tract Infection

VBAC

Vaginal Birth After Caesarean

VE

Vaginal Examination

 


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