Obstetrics nursing | Nursing homework help
One branch of medicine dealing with the care and treatment of pregnant women, their children, and their babies is called Obstetrics. These are the key terms that refer to obstetrics:
Antepartum – refer to the period before childbirth during which expectant mothers are monitored for any complications leading up to delivery.
Intrapartum – refers to the actual process of labor and delivery when a baby is born.
Postpartum – refers to the period after childbirth, typically lasting up to six weeks, where additional medical care may be needed in order to ensure both mother and baby have recovered appropriately from labor and delivery.
Gestational Age – refers to how far along a woman’s pregnancy has progressed based on her last menstrual period (LMP).
Fetal Monitoring – refers to the use of specialized equipment during labor and delivery designed to monitor fetal heartbeat or contractions in order provide warning signs for any potential problems that could arise during labor.
Amniocentesis – an invasive procedure used by doctors during pregnancy in which amniotic fluid is extracted from uterus via needle inserted into abdomen or vagina; purpose usually involves testing for genetic abnormalities within fetus such as Down Syndrome etc..