I’m going to be completely honest: I often forget that my patients don’t know everything I’m talking about when it comes to labor and delivery. And then when they nervously ask what I’m talking about I feel terrible!! Bad nurse!
Before I was a labor and delivery nurse, I had very basic knowledge about childbirth that I learned in nursing school. And I was often confused but too embarrassed to ask questions because, well, I’m a nurse and felt like I should know! But most people don’t have any of that knowledge, and sometimes your medical team needs a gentle reminder to speak in terms that can be understood by the patient.
It’s so normal in medical culture for the providers, nurses, techs, etc. to speak in slang amongst one another without recognizing the patient may not understand. It’s totally not to keep you in the dark, it’s just how communication happens sometimes. You should always feel free to speak up and ask for clarification!
I want to give you the tools to be informed and stay in the know. I’ve compiled a sort of “labor term dictionary” so that hopefully you and your partner can feel empowered and comfortable with any words your team uses to describe you and your labor.
Please note: This post is not medical advice – it is meant for entertainment purposes. The posts on this website are personal opinions only and do not represent the opinions or policies of any provider or institution that I am affiliated with. Information on this website is not intended to diagnose, or treat any form of any disease. This article is for informational and entertainment purposes only. You should always refer to your own medical provider when making medical decisions for yourself and/or your baby. Please refer to my Terms and Conditions for more information
Words Used to Describe Pregnancy
Gestational age
How many weeks pregnant you are.
G’s and P’s
G = gravida – the total number of confirmed pregnancies
P = para – number of births past 20 weeks gestation
Example:
Sally (made up person) has a two year old at home. She had an early miscarriage, and is now coming to the hospital to deliver at 39 weeks. So she is a G3P1, and after the baby is born she will be a G3P2.
You may also hear the slang words “primip” or “multip.” These are shortened versions of the words primiparousor multiparous.
To put it simply, a “primip” is someone who has never had a delivery before and a “multip” is someone who has. This is relevant to your medical team because a “primip” is likely to have a longer labor or induction than a “multip.”
Fundus
The upper part of the uterus. Your provider may measure your “fundal height” at your appointments to measure the growth of your uterus. After delivery, your nurse will do “fundal massage” to rid your uterus of blood and clots.
Words Used to Describe Labor Progress
Rupture of Membranes
Describes the breaking of water.
Spontaneous rupture of membranes, or SROM, means your water broke on its own.
Artificial rupture of membranes, or AROM, means that the provider broke your water for you.
Cervix
The narrow end of the uterus that dilates during labor with strong contractions.
Effacement
How thin your cervix is, often assigned a percentage. 100% effaced is the goal of labor, meaning the cervix is completely thinned out, whereas 0% effaced means the cervix is very thick.
Dilation
How open your cervix is. You can be anywhere from 0cm to 10cm. Don’t get too obsessed with the dilation number, effacement and station are also important. The combination of dilation, effacement and station give a complete picture of how labor is progressing.
Station
Where the baby’s head is located in your pelvis. This is measured during a cervical exam.
- Ballotable means the baby’s head is very high and hard to reach
- Negative numbers (-5, -4, -3, -2, -1) means the baby is not quite engaged in the pelvis yet
- Positive numbers (+1, +2, +3, +4, +5) means the baby’s head is in the birth canal
Example:
A doctor may say, “you’re 2cm, 50% and -2” which would mean your cervix is just starting to open, it’s halfway thinned out, and the baby is not engaged in the pelvis, but the head can be felt. This would be a cervical exam in early labor.
When it’s time to push, they may say, “you’re 10cm, 100% and +1” which means you’re cervix is completely dilated, fully thinned out, and the baby has moved into the vaginal canal.
Fully/Complete
10cm dilated and 100% effaced, or ready to push. You may hear your provider say, “you’re fully” or “she’s complete” which just means that the cervix has opened all the way.
Words Describing Baby
Decelerations
This refers to the baby’s heart rate. It is often shortened to “decel.”
An early deceleration is a sign of head compression, and is very common at the end of labor. It is not a bad sign!
A variable deceleration is a sharp drop in the baby’s heart rate, usually related to cord compression. The baby usually recovers quickly, and these typically aren’t concerning unless they are occurring frequently or with each contraction.
A late deceleration is very concerning. It’s a dip in the heart rate that lasts after the contraction is over and can be a sign that the baby isn’t getting great blood flow from the placenta.
A prolonged deceleration is the most concerning. It is a drop in the baby’s heart rate that lasts several minutes. These can be scary for everyone involved, and if it lasts long enough it may lead to a c-section to protect your baby.
If your team is concerned about decelerations, they should discuss them with you. You may be asked to change positions, wear an oxygen mask, or receive IV fluids. These interventions are called “intrauterine resuscitation” and are the ways to help your baby recover.
Acceleration
Also called an “accel,” it is a jump in the baby’s heart rate, often associated with fetal movement. They are a reassuring sign that the baby looks good and is receiving enough oxygen and blood flow from the placenta.
Variability
Fluctuations in the baby’s heart rate. To put it super simply, the baby’s heart rate should trace like a little squiggly line – this is called moderate variability and it’s great! If the line gets flat, that’s called minimal variability, which becomes concerning if it lasts a long time or is associated with a high or low heart rate. If the line becomes very jagged, this is called marked variability, and can also be concerning.
Position
What position the baby is in.
Breech means the baby is butt or feet first.
Vertex means the baby is head down (this is the best position).
Transverse means the baby is sideways.
Posterior means the back of baby’s head is towards your back. You may experience labor pains in your back, butt or legs if your baby is posterior. It is also referred to as OP, or occiput posterior.
Anterior means the back of baby’s head is towards the front of your body. This is an ideal position. It is often shortened to OA, or occiput anterior. You may also hear “LOA” or “ROA”, with the L meaning to the left and R meaning to the right.
Words Describing Equipment Used in Labor
IUPC (Intrauterine pressure catheter)
A tube placed through the vagina into the uterus that measures the exact strength, length and frequency of contractions. It may also be used for amnioinfusion (see below).
Amnioinfusion
Often shortened to “amnio,” it’s a way to put fluid back into the uterus after your water breaks through an IUPC. It is done when the baby is having decelerations to help reduce umbilical cord compression.
FSE (Fetal Scalp Electrode)
A tiny wire that is placed on the baby’s head to get accurate heart rate measurements. It is often used if it is hard to trace baby’s heart rate, if baby’s heart rate is continuously dropping, or if there is a possibility that your heart rate is being traced instead of baby’s.
EFM (external fetal monitoring)
Monitors placed on the outside of your belly to trace the baby’s heart rate. They are used during non-stress tests (NSTs) and sometimes during labor to make sure the baby is doing OK.
Knowledge is power!
Please don’t stress yourself out if you don’t have all of these words memorized, but it may be a good reference and/or a good foundation for knowledge.
Was anything confusing? Have you heard any words that you want me to add to the list?
Let me know! <3
Planning to breastfeed? You’ll love this post!
