Chapters 9, 10, 11, & 12 Flashcards
(180 cards)
asynclitism
oblique presentation of the fetal head at the superior strait of the pelvis; the pelvic planes and those of the fetal head are not parallel.
attitude
relationship of fetal parts to each other in the uterus (e.g., all parts flexed or all parts flexed except neck extended.)
biparietal diameter
Largest transverse diameter of the fetal head; measured between parietal bones.
approx. 9.25 cm at term
bloody show
vaginal discharge that originates in the cervix and consists of blood and mucous; increases as the cervix dilates during labor.
dilation
stretching of the external os from an opening a few millimeters in size to an opening large enough to allow the passage of the fetus
effacement
Thinning and shortening or obliteration of the cervix that occurs during late pregnancy or labor or both
engagement
in obstetrics, the entrance of the fetal presenting part into the superior pelvic strait and the beginning of the descent through the pelvic canal; usually the lowest part of the presenting part is at or below the level of ischial spines
Ferguson reflex
reflex contractions (urge to push) of the uterus after stimulation of the cervix when the presenting part of the fetus reaches the perineal floor. Caused by endogenous oxytocin
fontanels
broad areas, or soft spots, consisting of a strong band of connective tissue contiguous with cranial bones and located at the junctions of the bones.
lie
relationship existing between the long axis of the fetus and the long axis of the mother; in longitudinal lie, the fetus is lying lengthwise or vertically, whereas in a transverse lie, the fetus is lying crosswise or horizontally in the uterus.
lightening
sensation of decreased abdominal distention produced by uterine descent into the pelvic cavity as the fetal presenting part settles into the pelvis; usually occurs 2 weeks before the onset of labor in nulliparas
molding
overlapping of cranial bones or shaping of the fetal head to accommodate and conform to the bony and soft parts of the mother’s birth canal during labor
position
relationship of a reference point on the presenting part of the fetus, such as the occiput, sacrum, chin, or scapula, to its location in the front, back, of sides of the maternal pelvis
presentation
the part of the fetus that lies closest to the internal os of the cervix
station
relationship of the presenting fetal part to an imaginary line drawn between the ischial spines of the pelvis
suboccipitobregmatic diameter
smallest anterior-posterior diameter of the fetal head; follows a line drawn from the middle of the anterior fontanel to the undersurface of the occipital bone.
9.5 cm
valsalva maneuver
forced expiratory effort against a closed airway, such as holding one’s breath and tightening the abdominal muscles. (e.g., pushing during the second stage of labor)
vertex
crown, or top, of the head.
The 5 P’s
Passenger (fetus & placenta) Passageway (birth canal) Powers (contractions) Position of the mother Psychologic response.
The way the passenger moves through the birth canal is determined by
the size of the fetal head, fetal presentation, fetal lie, fetal attitude, and fetal position.
How many bones comprise the fetal skull
6 - 2 parietal, 2 temporal, frontal and occipital.
How many sutures and their names
4 - sagittal, lambdoidal, coronal, and frontal
The two most important fontanels
anterior and posterior
Anterior fontanel facts
diamond shaped, larger than the posterior, and lies at the junction of the sagittal, coronal, and frontal sutures.
closed by 18 months