OB Visit Glossary of Terms

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AB screen - Antibody screen

AFP - Alpha fetoprotein A test done on mother's blood or amniotic fluid to determine the amount of a certain protein made by the fetus.

Amnio - Amniocentesis A test performed to detect various genetic characteristics or lung maturity by extracting a small amount of amniotic fluid through the pregnant women's abdomen.

Antepartum - a term used to describe the period before labor or childbirth

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BC method - Birth Control method

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CBC - complete blood count measures your hemoglobin, red and white cell counts and appearance of your blood platelets.

Cervical cultures - A sample of cells and mucus taken from the cervix to check for evidence of sexually transmitted diseases (such as gonorrhea, chlamydia, bacterial vaginosis, yeast, mycoplasma, etc.)

Circ circumcision - A procedure done on male infants that removes the foreskin from the penis

Corpuscles - Constituents of blood, divided into red and white varieties

CVS - Chorionic Villus Sampling A procedure where a small sample of chronic villi cells are removed from the placenta where it joins the uterus and used to test for a genetic handicap or chromosome abnormalities such as down syndrome.

Cystic Fibrosis Screening - A genetic disorder affecting the respiratory and digestive system, most commonly found among whites in Northern European descent.

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EDC - Estimated date of confinement or your due date

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GTT - glucose tolerance testing. A test to determine if a woman has gestatimal diabetes.

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Hemogram - A complete detailed record of the findings from a thorough examination of blood, especially with reference to the numbers, proportions and morphologic features of the formed elements.

Hepatitis B - A viral infection that affects the liver

HGB - Hemoglobin/ HCT - Hematocrit A constituent of the red blood cells that contains irons and stores oxygen. It determines whether or not you are anemic.

HIV - Human Immunodeficiency Virus

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IUGR - Intra Uterine Growth Restriction

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Kick counts - A record of how often you feel your baby move or kick.

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Lamaze - A birthing method which teaches a form of physical and emotional preparation of the mother for childbirth to reduce pain and the use of medications during birth.

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Macrosomia - Abnormally large size of the body of a fetus

MCV - mean cell volume

MSAFP - maternal serum alpha fetoprotein A blood test done to indicate an increased risk for defects of the spine.

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OB - obstetrician A physician who specializes in pregnant women, pregnancy issues and birth.

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Pap - Cervical secretions collected and examined for pre cancerous cells of the cervix.

P.I.H. - Prolactin-Inhibiting Hormone

PPTL consent - Post Partum Tubal Ligation

PTL precautions - Pre Term Labor Contractions that start opening the cervix before the 37th week of pregnancy; also called premature labor

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Quickening - First noticeable movements of the fetus

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RH - Rhesus factor A distinguishing characteristic of the red blood corpuscles. All humans are either Rh negative or Rh positive; most are RH positive

Rhogam - an injection of a naturally occurring blood product that almost always prevents the mother from producing antibodies against Rh-positive cells.

ROM - Range Of Motion

Round ligament pain - An occasional sharp pain in your groin. The muscles that support your uterus sometimes overstretch, usually when you're changing position, such as getting out of bed or a chair, producing a jab. The pain can last a few minutes or longer, but disappears usually with in a day.

Rubella -A normally mild, highly contagious disease marked by a red, eruptive rash; known as German Measles

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SAB - Spontaneous Abortion A miscarriage or loss of pregnancy.

Sickle Cell Anemia - An inherited genetic disorder common to people of African descent

Sonogram - Also known as ultrasound scan will clearly show your baby's size, its position and whether there is more than one fetus. It can also be used to rule out major abnormalities.

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Tay Sach's - A recessive, inherited genetic disorder more common among Ashkenazi Jews in which the enzyme needed to break down certain lipids is absent, causes early death by age 4.

Tubal ligation - The tying and cutting of a woman's fallopian tubes to prevent the egg from becoming fertilized during sexual intercourse; sterilization

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Ultrasound - The use of sound waves to scan a woman's abdomen to obtain a picture of the baby.

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Varicella - Chickenpox

VBAC - Vaginal Birth After Cesarean

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