GLOSSARY
BLACK COALITION FOR SAFE MOTHERHOOD – BCFSM™
Advocate- Someone you trust who is willing to act on your behalf as well as someone who can work well with other members of your healthcare team.
Pulse Center for Patient Safety – Guide for Patient Advocates
Advocate Info from Pulse Center and Joint Commission
Anesthesia and Analgesia (pain relief)- Using medicine to prevent the feeling of pain or another sensation during surgery or other procedures that might be painful (e.g. C-section or in terms of childbirth, epidural).
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists – Pain Relief in Labor and Delivery
Augmenting Labor- Stimulating the uterus with medication during labor to increase how frequent, how long, and how strong the contractions are.
What to Expect in Labor and Delivery – Augmentation of Labor
Baby Friendly Birth- Designed to optimize mother-baby bonding and to protect, promote and support breastfeeding in the first few days of a new baby’s life.
La Leche League – Skin to Skin with Baby after the Birth
Birth- The baby comes out of the mother’s body.
Women’s Health/pregnancy – Childbirth – Stages of Labor
Birthing Room- A room in a hospital that is used for labor and childbirth and is designed to be comfortable and homelike.
Breast Feeding / Lactation- The action of feeding a baby with milk from the breast.
Women’s Health – It’s Only Natural – Breastfeeding
Black Mothers Breastfeeding Association – Breastfeeding Facts
Cesarean Section (c-section)- When surgery is used to take the baby out of the mother. Doctors cut into the mother’s abdomen to get to the baby.
Women’s Health/pregnancy – Childbirth – Labor and Birth – Cesarean Birth
Diabetes- A disease in which blood glucose (blood sugar) levels are above normal.
Centers for Disease Control – Diabetes and Pregnancy
Doula Support- Doulas are trained to give emotional, physical, and educational support to birthing people and their partners during labor and birth; and sometimes during pregnancy and postpartum.
Maternal Health Task Force – Access to Doula Care
National Black Doula Association
Episiotomy- A procedure that involves making a small cut in the area between the vagina and the anus to enlarge the opening when the baby is about to be born. Episiotomy is not needed for most births and it may cause increased risk of severe tears.
Mayo Clinic – Labor and Delivery – Episiotomy
Family Practice Doctors- Medical doctors who provide care during pregnancy, delivery, and following birth. Family practice doctors do not perform c-sections.
Women’s Health/Pregnancy – Prenatal Care and Tests
Fetal Monitoring- Detecting or listening to the unborn baby’s heart beat to check on their wellbeing while still inside their mother.
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Patient Resources
Women’s Health/Pregnancy – Childbirth – Labor and Birth
Forceps- A tool shaped like salad tongs used to assist the doctor in bringing the baby outside the mother.
Cleveland Clinic Forceps Delivery
High Blood Pressure- Blood pressure greater than 140 over 90 mmHg (millimeters of mercury) or higher than usual for the pregnant mom.
Centers for Disease Control High Blood Pressure and Pregnancy
High-risk Pregnancy- Pregnancies with a greater chance of complications.
Women’s Health/Pregnancy – Prenatal Care and Tests – High-risk Pregnancy
Induction of Labor- When a doctor starts your labor for you.
How To Decide about Inducing Labor
March of Dimes – Pregnancy – Inducing Labor
Mayo Clinic Labor and Delivery in Depth
Informed Consent- Informed consent is the process in which a health care provider educates a patient about the risks, benefits, and alternatives of a given procedure or intervention.
Labor- The process in which the baby and the placenta leave the uterus in three stages.
Women’s Health/Pregnancy – Childbirth – Stages of Labor
Maternal Fetal Medicine (Specialist)- A medical doctor that cares for high-risk pregnancies.
Wikipedia – Maternal Fetal Medicine Specialist
Midwife- Provider of prenatal, birth, and postpartum care. Midwives do not perform c-sections.
Normal Delivery/Birth- Labor started on its own, low-risk at the start of labor and remaining so throughout labor and delivery.
Nurse- A healthcare professional who helps individuals, families, and communities to attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and quality of life.
Obstetrician- Medical doctors who specialize in care of pregnant and birthing mothers.
Women’s Health / Pregnancy – Prenatal Care and Tests
Patients’ Rights- Those basic rules of conduct between patient and medical caregiver as well as the institutions and people that support them.
New York City Standards for Respectful Care
Physiologic Birth- Allowing your body to go through labor naturally.
Postpartum Care- Getting care, taking care of yourself after giving birth.
Women’s Health/Pregnancy – Childbirth – Recovering
Postpartum Warning Signs- Signs that something may be wrong and you should get checked out by your doctor or midwife, or go to the nearest emergency room.
March of Dimes/Pregnancy – Warnings Signs after Birth
Preeclampsia- High blood pressure, plus other possible signs and symptoms, which put mom and baby at risk for complications.
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists/Patients – Preeclampsia and High Blood Pressure
Prenatal Care- Health care you get while you are pregnant.
Women’s Health/Pregnancy – Prenatal Care and Tests
Provider or Healthcare Provider- A Midwife, Doctor, Nurse Practitioner, or Physician Assistant permitted (licensed) by the state to give a range of medical services depending on the training they received.
Women’s Health/Pregnancy – Prenatal Care – choosing a prenatal provider
Respectful Care- Care organized for and provided to all pregnant and birthing people in a manner that maintains their dignity, privacy and confidentiality, ensures freedom from harm and mistreatment, and enables informed choice and continuous support during labor and childbirth.
New York City Standards for Respectful Care
Rooming In- When the baby stays in the room with you after you’ve given birth.
Cleveland Clinic Health Articles Rooming In
Spontaneous Vaginal Delivery- Giving birth through the vagina without the help of tools to bring the baby out.
Vacuum Assisted Vaginal Delivery- When suction is used to help bring the baby out of the mother.
Wikipedia Vacuum Assisted Vaginal Delivery
Vetting Services- To make a prior examination and critical analysis, or detailed evaluation, of a document, a line of action regarding someone or people, etc.: If something is vetted, it is checked carefully to make sure that it meets the requirements that government officials have established regarding the quality of Maternity Care available in the local area.