Many people request copies of their maternity notes after
a traumatic birth. To guide you when reading through them
at home, we have compiled the list below with the help
of a midwife (Thanks Angela!). If you have something to
add to the list below or a term you are unsure of, please
email us for further help.
| 28+3 |
28 weeks and three days
pregnant |
| ABO |
Blood test to check what
your blood group is – Different Blood Groups |
| Above
Spines |
Where baby is positioned
in the pelvis in relation to the ischial spines (landmarks
on the pelvis) |
| AC |
Abdominal circumference |
| AF |
Artificial feed i.e. bottle
fed |
| Anal
Dilatation |
As baby’s is being
pushed out and gets nearer the entrance to the vagina,
the anus (bottom) begins to slightly open |
| ANC |
Antenatal clinic |
| Apgars |
Score given to all newborn
babies at 1/5/10 minutes of age measuring colour /
tone/ heart rate/ respiratory effort / respiratory
stimulation |
| APH |
Ante partum haemorrhage.
Bleed whilst pregnant |
| ARM |
Artificial Rupture of Membranes
(having your waters broken) |
| BF |
Breast Fed |
| BO |
Bowels opened |
| BNO |
Bowels not opened |
| BP |
Blood Pressure e.g. 120/70
(the lower figure should not be higher than 90) |
| BPD |
Biparietal Diameter – Measurement
from one side of baby’s head to the other across
the top of the head |
| BR |
Breech (Bottom down) |
| Bupivicane |
Drug use for Epidural |
| Caput
++ |
Soft Tissue Swelling on
the baby’s head noted on vaginal examination
(each + will denote severity) |
| Catheter |
Sterile plastic tube used
to drain urine out of the bladder via the Urethra |
| CEPH |
Cephalic (Head-down) |
| C/S
or CS |
Caesarean section |
| Contractions
FS-S 1:3 |
Contractions Fairly Strong-Strong.
Having one every 3 minutes |
| CTG |
Cardiotocograph – Monitor
to record uterine activity and baby’s heart rate |
| CVS |
Chorionic Villus Sampling |
| Cx |
Cervix |
| D&C |
Dilatation and curettage |
| Dilated |
Usually written in relation
to the cervix dilating in labour – cervix gradually
opening |
| EDD |
Estimated date of delivery |
| Effaced |
Cervix Thinning – Starts
off at 2.5 cm long and things through labour to become
paper thin (effaced) |
| Entonox |
Gas and Air – Pain
Relief in Labour
O2 + Nitrous Oxide (Laughing Gas) |
| Epidural |
Anaesthesia delivered by
a fine catheter (inserted by an anaesthetist) into
the epidural space in your back – lumber area.
Tube stays in place once inserted and midwives give
prescribed doses of epidural drug via the tube as needed,
for pain relief |
| ELSCS |
Elective Lower Segment
Caesarean Section |
| Eng |
Engaged (your baby’s
head is sitting in the pelvis) |
| FBC |
Full blood count |
| F/D
or FD |
Forceps Delivery |
| Fe
/ FE04 |
Iron Tablets |
| FMF |
Fetal movements felt |
| Fundus |
Top of the Uterous |
| FHH
/ FHHR |
Fetal Heart Heard /Regular |
| FHNH |
Fetal Heart not Heard (can
just mean your baby was lying in an awkward position!) |
| FMF |
Fetal Movements Felt |
| FMNF |
Fetal Movements not Felt |
| Forewaters |
Bag of fluid in front of
your baby’s head |
| Forceps |
Instruments used by Doctors
to cradle your baby’s head whilst assisting in
delivery |
| GA |
General Anaesthetic |
| Hb |
Haemoglobin i.e. Iron levels
( a low Hb level indicates anaemia) |
| H/T |
Hypertension/high blood
pressure |
| HVS |
High Vaginal Swab |
| IM |
Intra muscular |
| IOL |
Induction of Labour |
| IV |
Intra venous (going into
vein) |
| IVI |
Intra venous infusion i.e.
a drip |
| Ketones |
Chemical produced by your
body when dehydrated – usually noted in urine
test |
| LA |
Local Anaesthetic |
| Liquor |
Fluid around the baby /
waters |
| Lithotomy |
Both legs placed in stirrups
for procedure or delivery |
| LOA |
The back of your baby's
head is on your left-hand side and towards the front
of your tummy |
| LOP |
The back of your baby's
head is on your left-hand side and towards the back
of your tummy |
| LSCS |
Lower segment caesarean
section |
| Mec |
Meconium |
| Moulding
+ |
Over-riding of baby’s
skull bones felt during a vaginal examination (+ denotes
how much) |
| NAD |
Nothing abnormal detected |
| N/Eng |
Not engaged |
| NNU
/ SCBU |
Neonatal Unit / Special
Care Baby Unit |
| OP |
Occiput Posterior (T his
means your baby’s spine is next to yours, which
can result in a more painful labour) |
| OP
Deflexed |
Deflexed – Baby’s
chin is not tucked on it s chest – its at a 90
degree angle to chest |
| OA
or O/A |
Occiput Anterior |
| Obl |
Oblique Lie – Baby
is lying diagonally in utero |
| Oed |
Oedema |
| Oedematous |
Swollen – Fluid Retention |
| P |
Pulse |
| Palp |
Palpable - w hen your baby’s
head starts to engage, your midwife will note how much
of your baby’s head is palpable (i.e can be felt)
4/5 indicates that your baby has started to engage,
1/5 means nearly engaged. |
| Palpation |
Abdominal Examination |
| Pethadine |
Opiate Pain Relief used
in labour – Intra Muscular Injection |
| PPH |
Post Partum Haemorrhage |
| PIH |
Pregnancy induced hypertension
(high bp) |
| PET |
Pre-eclamptic toxaemia |
| PMH |
Past medical history |
| PR |
Per Rectum Examination |
| PROM |
Prelabour rupture of membranes |
| PPROM |
Preterm prelabour rupture
of membranes, ie before 37 weeks |
| PP |
The PP is the presenting
part, which will be born first ie PP Cephalic – Head
First |
| PU |
Passed Urine |
| Ranitidine |
Oral Antacids – Tablet
form |
| Reduced
baseline |
Fetal Heart Rate baseline
lower on the CTG monitor than previously noted or lower
than normal limits |
| ROA |
The back of your baby's
head is on your right-hand side and towards the front
of your tummy |
| ROM |
Rupture of Membranes |
| SCBU |
Special care baby unit |
| Sodium
Citrate |
Oral Antacids given prior
to theatre |
| SHO |
Senior house officer |
| SPD |
Symphisis Pubis Dysfunction |
| Speculum |
Instrument used to visualise
cervix during a smear of HVS ( High Vaginal Swab ) |
| SROM |
Spontaneous Rupture of
Membranes (when your waters break) |
| Syntocinon |
Synthetic Hormone to make
your uterus contract |
| T
/ Temp |
Temperature |
| TOS |
Trial of Scar |
| Tr
/ Trans |
Transverse ie Lying sideways |
| U&E |
Urea and Electrolytes |
| USS |
Ultrasound Scan |
| VBAC |
Vaginal Birth after a Caesarean
Section |
| +ve |
Positive |
| -ve |
Negative |
| VE |
Vaginal examination |
| Ventouse |
Instrument used to help
deliver baby. Suction cap placed on top of baby’s
head. |
| Vx |
Vertex – Top of the
Baby’s head |
| Variability |
Difference between each
heart beat of the baby on the CTG monitor – depicts
fetal wellbeing |
