Midwifery Exam key terms

The period of pregnancy from conception until the onset of labor, during which the midwife monitors maternal health, fetal growth, and screens for complications through regular prenatal visits.

The length of pregnancy measured in weeks from the first day of the last normal menstrual period; used to date the pregnancy and schedule screening, testing, and interventions.

The projected calendar date on which a pregnancy reaches 40 weeks of gestation, calculated from the last menstrual period or confirmed by first-trimester ultrasound findings.

The total number of times a woman has been pregnant, including the current pregnancy, regardless of whether those pregnancies ended in birth, miscarriage, or termination.

The number of pregnancies a woman has carried past the age of viability, typically 20 weeks, regardless of whether the infant was born alive or stillborn.

A five-part obstetric history notation recording gravidity, term births, preterm births, abortions or miscarriages, and living children, giving a compact summary of prior pregnancy outcomes.

Tests offered during pregnancy, such as maternal serum markers, cell-free DNA, and ultrasound, that estimate the chance of fetal chromosomal or structural conditions rather than providing a diagnosis.

A pregnancy-specific hypertensive disorder marked by new elevated blood pressure after 20 weeks with proteinuria or other organ dysfunction, requiring close surveillance and possible preterm delivery.

New-onset high blood pressure arising after 20 weeks of pregnancy without proteinuria or signs of organ damage, which may resolve after birth or progress to preeclampsia.

A severe variant of preeclampsia characterized by hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelets, producing symptoms such as right upper quadrant pain, nausea, and malaise that demand urgent obstetric evaluation.

Glucose intolerance first recognized during pregnancy, identified through screening and managed with diet, activity, glucose monitoring, and sometimes insulin to reduce maternal and neonatal complications.

An intravenous medication given to prevent or treat eclamptic seizures in preeclampsia and for fetal neuroprotection in imminent preterm birth, requiring monitoring for toxicity.

The opening and thinning of the cervical canal measured in centimeters from 0 to 10, reflecting progress through the first stage of labor and guiding clinical decision-making.

The shortening and thinning of the cervix expressed as a percentage, from thick and closed to fully thinned, which occurs alongside dilation as the cervix prepares for and progresses in labor.

The level of the fetal presenting part relative to the maternal ischial spines, graded in centimeters from minus five to plus five, indicating how far the fetus has descended into the pelvis.

The part of the fetus that enters the maternal pelvis first, most commonly the head but sometimes the breech or shoulder, determining the safest route and mode of birth.

A fetal lie in which the buttocks or feet present first in the pelvis, occurring in a minority of term pregnancies and requiring counseling about vaginal versus cesarean birth options.

A manual procedure in which the clinician applies pressure to the maternal abdomen to turn a breech or transverse fetus to a head-down position before labor begins.

Intermittent or continuous recording of the fetal heart rate together with uterine activity, used to assess fetal oxygenation and guide interventions during labor.

A fetal heart rate pattern considered normal, with a baseline of 110 to 160 beats per minute, moderate variability, and no late or variable decelerations, requiring no intervention.

Symmetrical slowing of the fetal heart rate that begins after the peak of a uterine contraction and returns after it ends, suggesting uteroplacental insufficiency and prompting repositioning and evaluation.

Abrupt, often V-shaped drops in the fetal heart rate that vary in timing relative to contractions, typically caused by umbilical cord compression and often relieved by maternal position change.

More than five contractions in ten minutes averaged over thirty minutes, which can reduce fetal oxygenation and may require reducing or stopping uterotonic medication.

The artificial initiation of uterine contractions before spontaneous labor begins, using methods such as membrane sweeping, cervical ripening agents, or oxytocin, when continuing pregnancy poses greater risk.

A numerical rating of cervical dilation, effacement, consistency, position, and fetal station used to predict how readily the cervix will respond to labor induction.

A birth emergency in which the fetal anterior shoulder becomes lodged behind the maternal pubic bone after the head delivers, requiring prompt maneuvers to free the shoulder and deliver the baby.

A first-line response to shoulder dystocia in which the mother's hips are sharply flexed against her abdomen to rotate the pelvis and free the impacted fetal shoulder.

Excessive blood loss after birth, commonly defined as more than 500 milliliters after vaginal birth or 1000 milliliters after cesarean, and a leading cause of maternal mortality worldwide.

Failure of the uterus to contract firmly after delivery of the placenta, resulting in continued bleeding from the placental site and representing the most common cause of postpartum hemorrhage.

A measured approach to estimating bleeding after birth using calibrated collection drapes and weighing of saturated materials, which detects hemorrhage more accurately than visual estimation alone.

A surgical incision of the perineum made to enlarge the vaginal opening during birth, used selectively rather than routinely because it can increase pain and extend into deeper tissue.

A tear of the tissue between the vagina and anus during birth, classified from first to fourth degree by depth, with fourth-degree injuries extending through the anal sphincter and rectal mucosa.

A rapid assessment performed at one and five minutes after birth that rates heart rate, respiratory effort, muscle tone, reflex response, and color to summarize the newborn's condition.

A structured sequence of warming, drying, positioning, clearing the airway, and providing breathing support or chest compressions to a newborn who does not breathe adequately at birth.

The newborn's ability to maintain a stable body temperature, which is limited by a large surface area and immature mechanisms, making warming and skin-to-skin contact essential after birth.

Feeding an infant only human milk, whether directly from the breast or expressed, without additional food or liquid except vitamins, minerals, or medicines, generally for the first six months.

The production and secretion of breast milk, initiated by the delivery of the placenta and sustained by infant suckling that stimulates prolactin and oxytocin release.

Placing the unclothed newborn prone on the mother's bare chest immediately after birth, which supports temperature control, breastfeeding initiation, and maternal-infant bonding.

A process in which the midwife explains a proposed test or procedure, its benefits, risks, and alternatives, and confirms the client voluntarily agrees before it is performed.

A collaborative conversation in which the midwife presents evidence-based options and the client's values and preferences guide the choice of care, documented in the record.

The legally defined set of services, procedures, and responsibilities a midwife is authorized to perform under state or national law, regulation, and licensure.

The process of involving another clinician or transferring care when a condition exceeds the midwife's scope or expertise, ensuring timely access to appropriate specialist management.