Labor and Delivery

4. the regular tightening of the uterus working to push the baby down the birth canal
8. when the afterbirth, consisting of the amniotic sac, placenta, and umbilical cord, is expelled
9. Opening of the cervix, usually the longest stage of labor while the cervix dilated form 0-10 cm and becomes effaced
12. without any medication.
14. how low the baby is in the birth canal, 0 is at the cervix.
15. begins when the baby’s head is in the birth canal and ends when the baby is born. Does not last long, usually 5-10 minutes

1. after delivery, bloody vaginal discharge comparable to a heavy period will last for up to six weeks.
2. the time after delivery where rest is the mother’s primary physical need.
3. tool used by obstetricians to guide the fetal head during delivery.
5. pain medication injected into a space within the expecting mother’s spinal cord region that numbs from the abdomen or pelvis downward. Given to relieve pain during the labor and delivery process. Continuous anesthesia through a catheter.
6. a narcotic or anesthetic is injected below the spinal column directly into the spinal fluid and provides pain relief for up to 2 hours. Commonly used for cesarean sections. Injected once with a needle.
7. regular contractions of the uterus that result in dilation and effacement of the cervix
10. a surgical incision made on the perineum used to enlarge the vaginal opening to help deliver a baby. The incision is stitched after the third stage of labor.
11. the baby settles, or drops lower, into the mother’s pelvis. Also known as dropping. It is not a good predictor of when labor will begin. In first-time mothers, lightning usually occurs 2-4 weeks before delivery, but it can happen earlier.
13. tool used by obstetricians to guide the fetal head during delivery