1. Process of Labor and Delivery
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2. Process of Labor and Delivery Vocabulary
1. Labor –the process of bringing the baby into the world
2. Dilation—the opening of the cervix to a 10 centimeter opening
3. Effacement—taking up of the cervix
4. Contractions—the muscular movements of the uterus that push the baby into the birth canal
5. Crowning—the baby’s head being visible through the cervix
Copyright © Notice: The materials are copyrighted © and trademarked ™ as the property of The Curriculum Center for Family and Consumer Sciences, Texas Tech University.

3. Process of Labor and Delivery
6. Lanugo—the downy soft hair on baby’s skin
7. Vernix caseosa—creamy substance on baby’s skin that protects the baby from rash
8. Apgar score—scoring system that rates the baby on five factors one minute and five minutes after birth
9. Episiotomy—incision of the perineum
Copyright © Notice: The materials are copyrighted © and trademarked ™ as the property of The Curriculum Center for Family and Consumer Sciences, Texas Tech University.

4. Process of Labor and Delivery
10. Delivery—the process of the baby working its way down the birth canal 11. Lithotomy—normal delivery position with female lying on back with feet in stirrups 12. Forceps delivery—the use of large tongs to deliver baby 13. Puerperium—process of shrinking uterus after birth
Copyright © Notice: The materials are copyrighted © and trademarked ™ as the property of The Curriculum Center for Family and Consumer Sciences, Texas Tech University.

5. Process of Labor and Delivery
14. Involution—uterus shrinking from 2 lbs. to 3 oz. 15. Colostrum—yellow fluid secreted by breasts before milk comes 16. Postpartum depression—depression after baby comes—result of hormonal changes 17. Amniocentesis—process of putting needle in uterus to withdraw amniotic fluid—much can be determined about the baby’s health
Copyright © Notice: The materials are copyrighted © and trademarked ™ as the property of The Curriculum Center for Family and Consumer Sciences, Texas Tech University.

6. Three Signs That Labor is About to Occur
Passage of the bloody show or mucous plug
Rupture of the bag of waters—amniotic sac
Contractions—uterus pushing baby through the birth canal
Copyright © Notice: The materials are copyrighted © and trademarked ™ as the property of The Curriculum Center for Family and Consumer Sciences, Texas Tech University.

7. The Three Stages of Labor
The onset of contractions until full dilation
From full dilation until the baby is completely born
Passage of the afterbirth (placenta and umbilical cord)
Copyright © Notice: The materials are copyrighted © and trademarked ™ as the property of The Curriculum Center for Family and Consumer Sciences, Texas Tech University.

8. Types of Pain Relief Psychological Drugs
Method of pain relief by conditioned reflex-Lamaze method is based on this
Drugs
Analgesic—drug which relieves or diminishes the sense of pain (aspirin)
Anesthetic—obliterates all sensation—depresses nerve mechanisms—not particularly the best form of relief
Copyright © Notice: The materials are copyrighted © and trademarked ™ as the property of The Curriculum Center for Family and Consumer Sciences, Texas Tech University.

9. General Anesthesia Regional Anesthetics
Puts the mother completely to sleep—affects the whole body and can be hazardous to mother and baby
Regional Anesthetics
Epidural—injected between two vertebrae in the lower back
Copyright © Notice: The materials are copyrighted © and trademarked ™ as the property of The Curriculum Center for Family and Consumer Sciences, Texas Tech University.