A Pocket Guide for Student Midwives

Stella McKay-Moffat, Pamela Lee

• Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell
• Year: 2011
• ISBN:
  9781118278345
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Medicina
• Subtopic: Enfermería

A Pocket Guide for Student Midwives is an accessible, portable book offering student midwives everything they need to grasp the key elements of midwifery language, knowledge and skills.

The new edition of this useful aide-memoire is divided into two parts. The first includes relevant terms, abbreviations and definitions. The second part is a quick A-Z reference guide to common conditions, procedures, emergency situations, and supporting information, enhanced by visual material to aid comprehension of normality and anomalies. The innovative action flow charts enable rapid access to information that logically guides the reader through procedures in potentially life-threatening situations, in both home and hospital settings.

A Pocket Guide for Student Midwives is essential reading for the new non-nurse student midwife, the experiencednurse entering the midwifery profession, and senior student midwives.

Section 1

The language of midwifery

In a new environment, one key to understanding is to have knowledge of the language that is used. To this end, this section contains an alphabetical list of terms, abbreviations and definitions frequently used in midwifery, nursing and medicine. Terms in italics may be heard of but are colloquial; however, they are included here not only to help in the understanding of the ‘everyday’ language used but also to encourage the use of correct terminology.

Symbols are frequently used as a form of ‘shorthand’ in clinical practice, therefore some commonly used ones are included at the beginning of this section of the book to enhance understanding. Some may be used throughout the book.

≅ approximate	≤ less than or equal to
≥ more than or equal to	Δ diagnosis
↑ raised/increased	↓ lowered/decreased
< less than/before	> greater than/after
Rx prescribe/prescription	# fracture(d) (usually bone)
? query, question, possible	μmol/l micromol per litre

ABO blood groups – classification system according to the presence of antigens on red blood cells/antibodies in serum (see also Rhesus factor)

Blood group	Antigen on cell	Antibody in serum
O	none	anti-A and anti-B
A	A	anti-B
B	B	anti-A
AB	A and B	none

blood group O Rh negative = universal donor (can give to any group in an emergency)

blood group AB Rh positive = universal recipient (can receive from any group in an emergency)

Abortion – expulsion of the products of conception from the uterus <24th week of gestation – can be induced (termination) or spontaneous (miscarriage – see subsequent entry)

Acceleration/active phase of cervical dilatation – more rapid cervical dilatation after 5 cm – recorded on a partogram (approximately 1 cm per hour)

Acceleration/augmentation of labour – process by which spontaneous labour is made more efficient through intervention

Accountability – liability to be called to account for one’s conduct; responsibility for practising professionally

Active birth – one in which the woman participates fully in her labour, is totally aware of what is going on in her body and is able to respond naturally

Active management of labour – assessing/monitoring progress and implementing policies to prevent prolonged labour (see Acceleration/augmentation of labour)

Adoption – a formal legal procedure that severs the relationship between a child and its parent(s) and establishes a new one with its adoptive parents

Adoption agency/society – a local authority (LA) or voluntary organisation whose function consists of or includes making arrangements for the adoption of children. Voluntary agencies must be registered with the LA and be open to inspection, and are non-profit-making, but may charge fees for services provided

AFE – amniotic fluid embolism – see Section 2

AFP – alpha fetoprotein – a precursor to plasma protein produced by the fetus and excreted into the amniotic fluid. High levels of AFP in maternal blood can be used as part of a risk assessment for fetal neural tube defects and low levels for Down’s syndrome. Prenatal diagnosis of neural tube defects is effected by assessing AFP in the liquor following amniocentesis

Alternative birth positions – positions other than the dorsal position that the mother may choose when giving birth, e.g. a squatting position, an upright position, a kneeling position Amnion – a tough, smooth, translucent membrane derived from the inner cell mass of the embryo. It lines the chorion and covers the fetal surface of the placenta as far as the insertion of the umbilical cord. It contains the amniotic fluid (liquor) and contributes to its formation

Amniotomy – rupturing the forewaters – see ARM, Acceleration/ augmentation of labour AN – antenatal (ly)

Anaesthesia – loss of sensation induced by anaesthetic agents to allow surgery – total/partial anaesthesia, with/without loss of consciousness

Analgesia – insensibility to pain without loss of consciousness, i.e. pain relief

Antepartum haemorrhage (APH) – bleeding from the genital tract >24 weeks of pregnancy

Anti-D immunoglobulin – a blood product given IM to Rhesus-negative women to prevent isoimmunisation to the D part of the Rhesus factor (see Rhesus factor)

Apgar score – a scoring system devised by Dr Virginia Apgar in 1958 to assess the newborn’s condition for resuscitation purposes (see Delivery technique, Delivery of head in occipito-anterior position in Section 2)

APH – antepartum haemorrhage – bleeding from the genital tract >24 weeks of pregnancy

APTT – activated partial thromboplastin time – a blood test related to the clotting mechanism – normal clotting time approximately 25–35 seconds

ARDS – adult/acute respiratory distress syndrome (see RDS)

ARM – artificial rupture of membranes – manually perforating the bag of forewaters containing the fetus (see Section 2 and Acceleration/augmentation of labour)

AST – aspartate aminotransferase – an enzyme that catalyses salts of the amino acid aspartamine – blood levels raised with liver/heart damaged (see PIH and Pre-eclampsia in Sections 1 and 2)

Attitude – relationship of fetal head and limbs to the trunk, e.g. flexion, deflexion (often called a military attitude), partial extension and full extension

Baby – the fetus when completely expelled from the uterus >24 weeks gestation

Baby blues – third/fourth day blues – feeling emotionally low following childbirth (see Postnatal depression in Section 2)

Bandl’s ring – an exaggerated retraction ring that occurs when labour is obstructed – ? palpated abdominally, and is a serious sign (see Retraction ring)

Barlow’s test – screening test for CDH, modified from Ortolani’s test

Battledore insertion – cord inserted at the very edge of the placenta (see Placental examination in Section 2)

BBA – born before arrival – baby born before arrival of midwife/doctor

BD/bid (bis in die) – twice daily – often on a prescription

BF – breastfeeding

BFI – Breastfeeding Initiative or Baby Friendly Initiative (see Section 2)

Biophysical profile – assessment of the fetal condition using indicators such as fetal breathing movements, Doppler techniques, amniotic fluid measurement

Bipartite/tripartite placenta – one divided into two or three distinct areas (see Placental examination in Section 2)

Bishop’s score – method of assessing the suitability of the cervix for induction of labour by noting the length and softness and dilatation of the cervical os (opening)

Blades – obstetric forceps

BLS – basic life support (see Birth asphyxia and BLS – adult in Section 2)

BM sticks/test – originally a colour-changing reagent strip for measuring peripheral blood glucose made by Boehringer Mannheim. Term often used colloquially for all estimations of peripheral blood glucose. Modern sticks from various makers are used with an electrical-optical measuring device for greater accuracy

BMI – body mass index – indicator of ideal weight, obesity or underweight. Calculation: weight in kilograms is divided by square of height in metres (weight [kg]/height [m²]) –undertaken at antenatal booking interview (see Obesity in pregnancy in Section 2)

BO – bowels opened – faeces passed

Bradycardia – slowing of the heart rate: in adults <60 beats per minute and in fetus < 100 beats per minute

Brandt–Andrews – method of delivering the placenta without oxy-tocic drugs (see Delivery technique, Third-stage management in Section 2)

Braxton Hicks contractions – painless uterine contractions, part of the physiological growth/stretching process during pregnancy

Breech – the lower fetal pole, including buttocks and legs (see Presentation and Breech delivery in Section 2)

Brim of the pelvis – bony ring formed by the following landmarks (posteriorly to anteriorly): sacral promontory, sacral ala or wing, sacroiliac joint, iliopectineal line, iliopectineal eminence, superior ramus of the pubic bone, upper inner body of the pubic bone and the symphysis pubis, continuing round in a circle

Brow – area on fetal skull from supra-orbital ridges to coronal suture (see Presentation and Occipito-posterior position in Section 2)

Buttonholing – of perineum, i.e. as the perineum is distending during advancement of the fetal head, small areas of tissue begin to separate, causing an opening

C & S – culture and sensitivity – request on a form sent to laboratory with a specimen, e.g. MSSU, HVS – for culture (growth and identification of the organism) and testing its sensitivity (to antibiotics that may be used against it)

Caput succedaneum – soft swelling because of fluid (oedema) on the fetal scalp due to pressure on the head during labour (can cross a suture line of the skull bones – compare with cephalhaematoma)

CCT – controlled cord traction (see Delivery technique, Third-stage management in Section 2)

CDH – congenital dislocation of the hip

CEMACH – Confidential Enquiry into Maternal and Child Health (see Section 2 and Maternal mortality rate)

Ceph/cephalic – pertaining to the fetal head (see Presentation)

Cephalhaematoma – swelling on newborn’s head due to bleeding beneath the periosteum associated with traumatic delivery (does not cross a suture line of the skull – compare with caput succedaneum)

Cephalo-pelvic disproportion (CPD) – fetal head will not pass through the maternal pelvis (see Section 2)

Cervix – the lower one-third of the uterus

CESDI – Confidential Enquiry into Stillbirth and Deaths in Infancy (see Section 2 and CEMACH)

Chasing the dragon – smoking heroin (diamorphine) by lighting the powder on aluminium foil and inhaling the fumes

CF – cystic fibrosis (see Heel prick and Neonatal screening in Section 2)

Chignon – swelling on newborn’s head following vacuum extraction (see Instrumental delivery in Section 2) as soft tissues are drawn into the cup during the procedure (compare with caput succedaneum and cephalhaematoma)

Chorion – a thick, opaque, friable membrane that develops from the trophoblast. It is continuous with the edge of the placenta, lines the amnion and is closely adherent to the deciduas

CHT – congenital hypothyroidism (see Hypothyroidism in Section 2)

CIN – cervical intra-epithelial neoplasm – early cervical cell changes that could progress to cancer if not treated

Circumvallate placenta – one with a double fold of chorion round the edge of the placenta, causing a ridge (see Placental examination in Section 2)

CONI – care of next infant (see Sudden infant death syndrome in Section 2)

Confidentiality – a trusting relationship in which secrets may be imparted – the midwife has a duty to respect confidentiality except where disclosure is required by law (see The Code: Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics for Nurses and Midwives (NMC 2008))

Coombs test – performed on cord blood to detect maternal antibodies on fetal red cells (see Rhesus factor)

Cotyledon – a clump of chorionic villi surrounded by maternal blood: 10–30 of them form the maternal surface of the placenta, i.e. the surface attached to the uterus (see Placental examination in Section 2)

CPD – cephalo-pelvic disproportion (see Prolonged labour in Sections 1 and 2)

CPR – cardiopulmonary resuscitation

Cracking on – labour is progressing, often rapidly

Crash bleep – emergency bleep – method of urgently summoning aid (usually medical) – familiarise yourself with your unit’s protoco...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Dedication
• Title page
• Copyright
• About the authors
• Preface
• Acknowledgements
• Section 1: The language of midwifery
• Section 2: Quick reference topics
• References