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| Pregnancy Terms |
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Pregnancy terms starting with B
Get quick definitions of many of the most common pregnancy terms here! From fertility
treatment terminology to common pregnancy conditions to the stages of labor, find
out more about the hundreds of new words you will be hearing.
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Basal Body Temperature
Category:
Conception and fertility
A woman's base body temperature, measured at the same time each day, upon first waking up in
the morning, before getting out of bed. Used in fertility charting.
Back labor
Category:
Labor and birth
Intense back pain during labor, caused by a baby in a posterior presentation. (See Posterior
presentation.)
Bacteria
Category:
Pregnancy/Birth/Other
Tiny one-celled organisms present throughout the environment that require a microscope to be
seen. While not all bacteria are harmful, some cause disease. Examples of bacterial disease
include group B strep, diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, Haemophilus influenza and
pneumococcus (pneumonia).
Bicornate uterus
Category:
High risk/Complications
A heart shaped uterus, a condition called uterine didelphys or bicornate uterus, depending
on some other factors. Patients with this condition are at risk for preterm labor and
delivery, because the uterine cavity does not expand in the same manner to permit
enlargement of the term-sized fetus, possibly resulting in preterm contractions.
Birth center
Category:
Labor and birth
Home-away-from-home place to birth, equipped to care for low risk women. Registered
midwives, nurses, doula and volunteers usually staff a freestanding birth center, and many
centers have an obstetrician on call for emergencies. (http://www.birthcenters.org)
Birth defect
Category:
Birth defects
Any defect present at birth, whether caused by mutant genes or by prenatal events that are
not genetic.
Birth injury
Category:
Labor and birth
Impairment of the infant's body function or structure due to adverse influences that
occurred at birth.
Blessingway
Category:
Pregnancy/Birth/Other
A blessingway is a traditional Native American spiritual ceremony, held during pregnancy to
celebrate a woman's transition into motherhood. The expectant mother's closest friends
attend, and the ritual is meant to also help her prepare for her child's birth.
Bloody show
Category:
Labor and birth
A thick plug of mucus in the cervix that starts to come out as you near labor. Sometimes the
loss of the plug is accompanied by some streaks of blood, or bloody show. (Also see mucus
plug.)
BPM
Category:
General pregnancy
“Beats per minute,” referring to the fetal heart. A normal fetal heart rate ranges from 120
to 160 BPM. There is no correlation between fetal heart rate and the baby's gender, despite
common myths.
Brachial plexus injuries
Category:
Labor and birth
The brachial plexus is a network of nerves that conducts signals from the spine to the
shoulder, arm, and hand. Brachial plexus injuries are caused by damage to those nerves.
Symptoms may include a limp or paralyzed arm, lack of muscle control in the arm, hand, or
wrist, and lack of feeling or sensation in the arm or hand. Although injuries can occur at
any time, many brachial plexus injuries happen during birth: the baby's shoulders may become
impacted during the birth process causing the brachial plexus nerves to stretch or tear.
There are four types of brachial plexus injuries: avulsion, the most severe type, in which
the nerve is torn from the spine; rupture, in which the nerve is torn but not at the spinal
attachment; neuroma, in which the nerve has tried to heal itself but scar tissue has grown
around the injury, putting pressure on the injured nerve and preventing the nerve from
conducting signals to the muscles; and neuropraxia or stretch, in which the nerve has been
damaged but not torn. Neuropraxia is the most common type of brachial plexus injury.
Some brachial plexus injuries may heal on their own. Many children improve or recover by 3
to 4 months of age. Treatment for brachial plexus injuries includes occupational or physical
therapy and, in some cases, surgery.
Blighted ovum
Category:
High risk/Complications
A fertilized egg that develops into a gestational sac, but no embryo is formed. The cause
may be chromosomal or due to the quality of the egg or fertilizing sperm itself.
Bradley method
Category:
Labor and birth
A method of childbirth education, also known as "Husband-Coached Childbirth®." According to
AAHCC, "The standard Bradley® series is designed for small classes with lots of individual
attention. The standard length of the classes is 12 weeks covering 12 units of instruction."
Goals include natural childbirth, excellent nutrition during pregnancy, avoidance of drugs
and other medications, and relaxation and natural breathing.
Braxton-hicks contractions
Category:
Labor and birth
A usually painless tightening of the uterus. Occasional uterine contractions occur
throughout pregnancy, but have no effect on the cervix. Contractions during the ninth month
still tend to be brief, irregular, and imperceptible to the mother, but they are more
frequent and coordinated than earlier ones. An English doctor named John Braxton Hicks in
1872 first described these contractions.
Breastfeeding
Category:
Postpartum
Breastfeeding is the act of feeding your baby the milk created just for him or her. A
nursing baby suckles on the areola (pigmented part around the nipple) on the breast to get
this milk. In the first few days after birth, your baby gets colostrum, a small amount of
clear liquid. This is all your baby needs at this time. Mature milk arrives a few days after
birth.
Breastmilk is the healthiest food for your baby. Among it's numerous researched benefits
include that breastfeeding offers the correct amounts of protein and other vitamins and
nutrients for your baby, and also helps keep your baby from getting allergies and
infections.
Breech presentation
Category:
Labor and birth
At birth, the presentation of the fetal buttocks rather than the head, or other
malpresentation. The breech presentation occurs in about 3 to 4% of pregnancies at term (37
weeks and beyond).
There are three main types of breech presentation: Frank breech: Buttocks presenting, thighs
flexed, with feet extended up toward the body; Full breech: Buttocks presenting, thighs
flexed, with lower legs on thighs; Footling breech: One or both feet presenting.
Bladder Leakage
Category:
Mom's health
As your baby grows; it puts pressure on your bladder. A sneeze, cough or even a hearty laugh adds even more pressure on your bladder and can trigger bladder leaks. According to medical experts, your situation is common and most likely temporary. More than 50% of first time pregnant moms and up to 85% of second-timers develop bladder weakness.
Bladder leakage may begin in the first trimester but it's more common in the third trimester when the baby's growth accelerates. Then the expanding uterus leans up against the bladder almost continuously. A pregnant woman produces large amounts of progesterone, a muscle-relaxing hormone that helps make room for baby but can also contribute to unwanted urine leaks. About 40% of pregnant women also may experience urge incontinence: a sudden, uncontrollable need to urinate.
Bladder leakage usually goes away quickly once baby is born. It usually clears up within a few days to a few weeks after birth as muscle tone returns and hormone levels drop to normal. It can hang around longer if mom is a little older than usual, or if this is not her first pregnancy, or if she had a particularly difficult delivery. And, a few women may continue to have some ongoing leakage. However, diet, exercise, biofeedback, bladder retraining, medications, and several other treatments are available to help minimize or eliminate lingering bladder leakage.
There are feminine care pantiliners and pads specifically designed for urine leakage. They protect better than period-only products because they quickly draw wetness and odor away from your skin and lock it inside so you can stay dry and fresh. Find out more about Poise® products here!
Talk to your doctor at the first sign of bladder leakage. (S)he will be able to help determine what's best for you
More definitions
Click on any of the letters below to read more:
A B
C D
E F
G H
I J
K L
M N
O P
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