A to Z of Pregnancy - Important Pregnancy Terms And Their Meanings
Image Credit: Tawny van Breda
When you become pregnant it is such an exciting time, but there is so much to learn and so much new vocabulary to get to grips with. There will be lots of new word, phrases and terms that might be completely new to you.
Furthermore, when you are pregnant, your body goes through some immense changes which can bring a number of common ailments, many of which can be treated easily at home with natural remedies.
So we’ve collected together the pregnancy vocabulary, words and terms that you need to know, in alphabetical order, along with lots of the symptoms that you may experience in pregnancy and some of the minor ailments that you might have to contend with while you are pregnant.
This article does not constitute medical advice and if you have any concerns about your pregnancy you should always consult a qualified medical professional such as a doctor, nurse or midwife.
Pregnancy Terms A-Z
Here are all the words related to pregnancy that you need to know, plus lots of advice about all the symptoms you may experience during your 9 months of pregnancy.
- Amniocentesis
- Anaemia
- Antenatal
- Backache
- Bleeding Gums
- Breathlessness
- Constipation
- Cramps
- Dizziness
- Due Date
- Exercise
- Fluid Retention
- Gestational Diabetes
- Gynaecology
- Haemorrhoids
- Hair
- Induction
- Indigestion
- High Blood Pressure
- Insomnia
- Itching
- Linea Nigra
- Luteal Phase
- Morning Sickness
- Multiple Births
- Nuchal Translucency Test
- Obstetrics
- Postpartum
- Primigravida
- Pre-eclampsia
- Quickening
- Smoking
- Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction
- Stretch Marks
- Ultrasound
- Urination
Amniocentesis is an invasive test which is carried out to detect a number of conditions including Down's syndrome, Edwards' syndrome or Patau's syndrome. It involves taking a small sample of amniotic fluid from the womb. It is usually only carried out if indicated by a Nuchal Transparency test.
Anaemia is very common in pregnant women and can lead to tiredness. It is caused by a lack of iron in the diet, and can be combatted by eating lots of iron rich foods, such as green vegetables, pulses, pumpkin seeds and red meat. It would also be helpful to include vitamin c in your diet as this is needed to assimilate iron.
Antenatal is the medical term for the time period of your pregnancy from the moment of conception to when the baby is born.
Backache in pregnancy is caused by the carrying the baby’s extra weight and by the relaxation of the muscles in preparation for labour. Try to stand with good posture and wear comfortable footwear. Resting with your feet up and not lifting heavy items will also help enormously in preventing backache.
If you have a desk job, make sure your chair and desk are correctly aligned and that you can see your computer screen easily and comfortably. If your job means that you have to stand for long periods of time, try to take frequent breaks.
During pregnancy you are more likely to suffer from dental problems, particularly bleeding gums caused by infections, so you need to be extra vigilant about dental hygiene. This is due to the hormonal changes taking place in your body, which make your gums more vulnerable to build-ups of plaque.
In the UK you are entitled to free dental treatment during pregnancy and up to 9 months after the birth, so make the most of your entitlement to free dental treatment.
This is quite common towards the end of pregnancy as the baby begins to put pressure on the diaphragm. Good posture can help to ease this, so sit and stand as straight as possible and you may need to use some extra pillows in bed. If you are at all worried about your breathlessness, talk to your GP or midwife.
Increased levels of progesterone and changes to your body can affect bowel movements and most pregnant women suffer from some constipation.
Drinking lots and lots of water and eating plenty of fibre will help keep this to a minimum.
Night time cramps are another unwelcome feature of pregnancy. If you do suffer, try giving yourself a leg massage just before bed to improve circulation. If you suffer from an attack, strong massage and forcing the leg straight will help. Have a quick walk around when the attack has passed to ease out the muscles.
Slight dizziness can be suffered by many pregnant women but do check with your midwife if it is frequent or severe, as it can be the first symptom of a serious illness. Otherwise, stand up and change position slowly, make sure you get up and go for short walks frequently and don’t go too long without food.
Your due date is the estimated date that your baby will be born. However it is just an estimate your baby could arrive at any time between 37 and 42 weeks of pregnancy and this is within the completely normal range.
You can calculate your baby’s due date using a pregnancy wheel or a due date calculator. The date is based upon the date of your last period, your luteal phase and the usual length of your menstrual cycle.
Gentle exercise is important during pregnancy, as the fitter you are the easier the birth will be and the quicker you will recover. However now is not the time to take up a new very physical sport and it is wise to check with your midwife about the level of activity that is right for you.
A walk will provide you with lots of fresh air as well as some exercise and you may be able to find yoga or pilates classes near you which are aimed specifically at pregnant women.
Of course if you already have one child, especially if it is a toddler, you may find that you get plenty of exercise running around after them without having to do anything extra.
Many women will suffer from fluid retention, or oedema, when pregnant. This common pregnancy symptom can cause feet, legs and hands to swell. Rest by sitting down regularly and try to sit with your feet raised when possible. Rotating your feet regularly may help as will taking light exercise such as walking.
If the swelling becomes severe or comes on very suddenly, accompanied with other symptoms such as a headache, vomiting, blurred vision or pain, do mention it to your midwife or doctor. It could be the first symptom of pre-eclampsia, which will need to be monitored and may require treatment to prevent complications in the pregnancy.
Some women who have not had the condition previously develop diabetes during pregnancy, which stops as soon as they give birth. This is caused by the body being unable to produce enough insulin to meet your extra needs during pregnancy.
This can cause a number of complications in your pregnancy and birth and as it often has no symptoms. If you are determined to be at risk of gestational diabetes, you will be offered a screening blood test.
Gynaecology is the area of medicine that involves the treatment of women's diseases, especially those of the reproductive organs. It is a specialism that is often combined with obstetrics.
Piles, also known as haemorrhoids, are a very common occurrence in pregnancy. Piles are caused by constipation, which is another very common thing during pregnancy. The symptoms are pain or itching in the anus, pain when passing a motion and bleeding afterwards. The best way to avoid piles is by avoiding constipation, which is helped if you eat a diet with plenty of fibre and drink lots of water.
Your hair will change quite unpredictably due to the hormone changes in pregnancy. Some women will find their hair seems thicker while others find that they lose more hair than before. Your hair may also be greasier or drier than normal.
You may wish to avoid having any chemical treatments on your hair when you are expecting a baby, as there have been concerns that some of the chemicals may find their way into your body.
The NHS recommends waiting until you are past the first 12 weeks of pregnancy before dying your hair. The hormones in pregnancy may also affect how your hair responds to hair treatments and dyes, so strand testing is extra important when you are pregnant.
Induced labour or induction is where labour is medically started. This is usually recommended where it is better for labour to begin. Situations where labour may be induced include pre-eclampsia, if the waters have broken but labour has not begun, the baby is very overdue, where there is concern about the function of the placenta or if the mother has health issues such as high blood pressure or diabetes.
It may be achieved by several methods, most commonly by breaking the mother’s waters, or using a synthetic hormone such as oxytocin to start labour.
Even if you never normally suffer from indigestion or heartburn, you may find that you do during your pregnancy. This can range from slight discomfort through to burning sensations in the upper chest and is caused by the change in hormones to your body, along with the pressure of the baby against your stomach.
You may find that eating smaller, light meals helps. Talk to your pharmacist about using over the counter indigestion remedies or some people find drinking peppermint tea helpful.
High blood pressure in pregnancy, known as Gestational Hypertension, may not cause the mother any symptoms, but is can cause serious complications of pregnancy and labour, in particular Pre-eclampsia. This is why your blood pressure is checked by your midwife at every antenatal appointment.
Insomnia is common in pregnancy and may be caused by anyone of a number of factors. General discomfort and the need to go to the toilet frequently due to the pressure of the baby on your bladder are the most common ones. However it is important to continue to drink enough water during pregnancy.
Some mothers find that a V-shaped pillow can be very comfortable and this can be used to breastfeed when the baby has been born. Taking regular, light exercise during the day if you are able to will help, especially if you can manage to get some fresh air.
Itchiness is another common and usually minor but irritating side effect of pregnancy, often caused by sweating as many women feel warmer when pregnant. Keep cool during pregnancy by wearing loose clothes made natural fabrics and have frequent cool baths or showers.
Applying calamine lotion to the affected area can help. If you suffer from severe itching on your hands or feet during the later stages of your pregnancy, this could be a symptom of a rare but serious illness called cholestasis and you should see your doctor.
A Linea Nigra is a temporary change in skin colour, where a dark line appears on the mother’s stomach. It may run from the pubis to the belly button or even further up the stomach in the direction of the chin.
The line will slowly fade after the baby is born.
Luteal Phase refers to the number of days in the menstrual cycle between ovulation and menstruation. If you have been keeping a record of your cycle whilst trying to become pregnant, this is useful to know as it is helpful in calculating your baby’s due date.
While some lucky women will hardly suffer; others will carry on being sick all the way through their pregnancy. It doesn’t just strike in the morning either. Some will actually be sick, others will suffer from nausea for hours without needing to be sick. Strong smells, especially artificial ones such as air freshers and perfumes can make it worse.
Some people find that ginger helps with nausea, so maybe try eating a ginger biscuit or make ginger tea by steeping grated fresh ginger in hot water for a few minutes. Eat little and often, even if you don’t really feel hungry, have a dry biscuit or banana and stave off the hunger pains later in the day. Some mothers find that fatty, rich or spicy foods make things worse, so you may need to avoid those for a few months.
Severe morning sickness, known as Hyperemesis Gravidarum, is a very rare condition where the vomiting is so extreme that the mother cannot meet her or the baby’s nutritional needs during the pregnancy.
About 1 in 60 pregnancies are a multiple birth, which means that there are 2, 3 or maybe more foetuses. If you are expecting twins, triplets or more you will be given extra checks and scans. While most multiple births are healthy, complications are more common, and these increase as the number of babies increases.
You can find out about a bit more about what to expect when you are having twins from a mum of twins who has been there already.
A Nuchal scan is a non-invasive test which is carried out during your first ultrasound scan between 13 and 20 weeks of pregnancy. This test looks at the fluids in the back of the baby’s neck and is used to identify whether the baby may have various conditions including Down syndrome, Patau syndrome, Edwards Syndrome, and non-genetic body-stalk anomaly. If the test indicates a possibility of these conditions, further tests are usually offered to confirm.
Obstetrics is the field of medicine specializing in on pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period. It includes care of both the unborn child and the mother.
The Postpartum or Postnatal period is the medical term for the period after a mother has given birth, usually regarded as up to 6 weeks after the baby is born
Privagravida is the medical term for a woman who is pregnant for the first time. An “Elderly Primagravida” is a woman who is pregnant for the first time and is over 35 years of age.
Pre-eclampsia is a condition where there is a problem with the placenta, which is the organ that provides the baby with blood while it is in the womb. While the exact cause is unknown, it is associated with high blood pressure, diabetes and kidney diseases as well as some autoimmune conditions.
If you develop pre-eclampsia you will have to remain in hospital for monitoring, as the only way to relieve the condition is by giving birth to the baby.
Quickening is the sweet and lovely, old-fashioned sounding term for the stage in pregnancy when the mother starts to feel the baby moving in the womb.
At first these may feel like fluttering or a light tapping and become stronger as the pregnancy progresses.
Or baby might start with a thumping great kick straight away.
It is well known that all smoking, including passive smoking during pregnancy is harmful to your baby. Both you and your partner should stop smoking altogether. Your GP or midwife will be delighted to help you with this.
Smoking during pregnancy can cause an increased risk of stillbirth and miscarriage, low birth weight, and an increased risk of premature delivery. This is due to the dangerous chemicals which can be passed to the baby via the mother’s bloodstream if she smokes.
Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction (SPD) or Pelvic Girdle Pain (PGP) is a painful condition due to stiffness in the pelvic joints caused by the hormone Relaxin.
Those with the condition are advised to rest often and may be offered crutches in severe cases. The experience of SPD can also lead to postpartum depression due to the severity of the pain.
The condition usually goes away once the baby is born.
These are red lines on your stomach that will eventually turn silver in time. Stretch marks are caused by the skin stretching as the body changes shape during pregnancy.
You may not be able to avoid them completely, but keeping the skin supple, with lots of massage and good moisturiser, will help. There are lots of pregnancy moisturisers available, but any gentle moisturiser will do the job.
An Ultrasound scan, sometimes referred to as a Sonogram is an image produced by using high frequency sound waves. It is non-invasive investigation method that means that it is safe during pregnancy.
During an Ultrasound scan the sonographer will be able to estimate the baby’s due date based on the size of the foetus, and may carry out a Nuchal Translucency to screen for Down’s Syndrome. They may also be able to determine the sex of the baby, depending on the position that the baby is in.
At various stages of your pregnancy, you are likely to find that you pass water frequently – typically early on in the pregnancy when the uterus is still low and towards the end when the baby presses against the bladder.
If it wakes you at night, you could try drinking more during the day and less as the evening progresses but don’t cut down on the total amount that you drink.