Given the chance, would you like to have a baby shower? Vote now! How satisfied were you with your hospital birth experience? Vote now! What is your main pregnancy worry? Vote now!

Win a fantastic prize when you recommend the babyworld shop to 6 friends click here

Glossary of pregnancy and birth

A Glossary of terms used during pregnancy, labour and birth.

  Abruptio Placentae
  Acceleration of labour
  Afterpains
  Alpha Feto Protein (AFP)
  Amniotic fluid
  Anal fissure
  Apgar
  Artificial rupture of membranes (ARM)
  Assisted delivery
  Baby blues
  BP or bp
  Braxton Hicks contractions
  Breech presentation
  Brow/face presentation
  Cephalic Presentation
  Cephalopelvic disproportion
  Cervix
  Choironic villus sampling (CVS)
  Colostrum
  Contractions
  Crowning
  Deep transverse arrest
  Dilation
  Domino
  Doppler

Where to next?

Use our pregnancy timeline to see what you should be doing and when
Choose the perfect name for your little 'un with our baby names pages
In our Pregnancy section you'll find all you need to know about you and your bump
Share your memories and pictures with others by starting a pregnancy diary
Go shopping in the babyworld shop