This glossary is to learn and understand words related to my future field of study, which is midwifery. The words below are related to pregnancy, childbirth and maternity.
Amniotic fluid
noun
The amniotic fluid is the fluid surrounding a fetus in the womb.
Example: I did not have enough amniotic fluid during my first pregnancy.
fr: Liquide amniotique
Birth plan
noun
A birth plan is a written summary of your preferences for when you are in labour and giving birth.
Example: In my birth plan, I wrote that I want to give birth at home.
fr: Projet de naissance
Breastfeeding
verb
Breastfeeding is the action of feeding a baby with milk from the breast.
Example: I would like to breastfeed my first baby.
fr: Allaitement
Cesarean section
noun
A cesarean section is a surgical operation for delivering a child by cutting through the wall of the mother's abdomen.
Example: I will have to get a cesarean section because my baby is not upside-down in the womb.
fr: Césarienne
Childbirth
noun
Childbirth is the act of giving birth to a baby.
Example: The childbirth is the last step of pregnancy.
fr: Accouchement
Contraction
noun
A contraction is a shortening of the uterine muscles occurring at intervals before and during childbirth.
Example: The contractions were hurting really bad before labour.
fr: Contraction
Doula
noun
A doula is a woman experienced in childbirth who provides advice, information, emotional support, and physical comfort to a mother before, during, and just after childbirth.
Example: I asked a doula to come with me to the hospital so she can help me during birth.
fr: Doula
Epidural
noun
The epidural is an anaesthetic that is put into the nerves in a person's lower back with a special needle.
Example: I didn't want to take the epidural for my first childbirth, but I changed my mind because I was in too much pain.
fr: Péridurale
Fertility
noun
Fertility is the ability to conceive children.
Example: My friends sought medical advice to assess their fertility because they wanted to have a baby.
fr: Fertilité
Fetus
noun
A fetus is an offspring of a human or other mammal in the stages of prenatal development that follow the embryo stage.
Example: I need to take folic acid to help the development of the fetus.
fr: Foetus
Hypnobirthing
verb
Hypnobirthing is a method of managing pain and anxiety during childbirth, involving various therapeutic relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing and visualization.
Example: I want to use hypnobirthing methods during delivery to be concentrated and relaxed.
fr: Hypnonaissance
Maternity
adjective
Maternity is related to a period during which a woman is pregnant and has a baby, and often to a period following this.
Example: During pregnancy, I have to wear maternity clothes.
fr: Maternité
Midwife
noun
A midwife is a person trained to assist women in childbirth.
Example: A midwife helped me give birth to my first baby.
fr: Sage-femme
Newborn
noun
A newborn is a baby that was born recently.
Example: My newborn will stay in the hospital for two weeks.
fr: Nouveau-né
Placenta
noun
The placenta is a temporary organ that feeds a foetus inside its mother's womb.
Example: My placenta is giving nutrients to my developing baby.
fr: Placenta
Postpartum
adjective
Postpartum is after giving birth.
Example: The midwife provides prenatal, delivery, and postpartum care.
fr: Post-partum
Pregnant
adjective
Being pregnant is having a baby or babies developing inside the womb.
Example: I am pregnant of my first baby.
fr: Enceinte
Ultrasound
noun
An ultrasound is a sound or other vibrations having an ultrasonic frequency, particularly as used in medical imaging to examine the fetus.
Example: I am having an ultrasound to check if my baby is okay during the third-semester.
fr: Échographie
Umbilical cord
noun
The umbilical cord is a tube that connects you to your baby during pregnancy.
Example: The ombilical cord carries food and oxygen from the placenta to the baby.
fr: Cordon ombilical
Womb
noun
The womb is the organ in the lower body of a woman or female mammal where offspring are conceived and in which they gestate before birth; the uterus.
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