Glossary: Complications of labor and delivery
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Terms and Definitions
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Meconium, moderate/heavy -- Meconium consists of undigested debris from swallowed amniotic fluid, various products of secretion, excretion, and shedding by the gastrointestinal tract; moderate to heavy amounts of meconium in the amniotic fluid noted during labor and/or delivery.
Premature rupture of membranes (more than 12 hours) -- Rupture of the membranes at any time during pregnancy and more than 12 hours before the onset of labor.
Abruptio placenta -- Premature separation of a normally implanted placenta from the uterus.
Placenta previa -- Implantation of the placenta over or near the internal opening of the cervix.
Other excessive bleeding -- The loss of a significant amount of blood from conditions other than abruptio placenta or placenta previa.
Seizures during labor -- Maternal seizures occurring during labor from any cause.
Precipitous labor (less than 3 hours) -- Extremely rapid labor and delivery lasting less than 3 hours.
Prolonged labor (more than 20 hours) -- Abnormally slow progress of labor lasting more than 20 hours.
Dysfunctional labor -- Failure to progress in a normal pattern of labor.
Breech/Malpresentation -- At birth, the presentation of the fetal buttocks rather than the head, or other malpresentation.
Cephalopelvic disproportion -- The relationship of the size, presentation, and position of the fetal head to the maternal pelvis prevents dilation of the cervix and/or descent of the fetal head.
Cord prolapse -- Premature expulsion of the umbilical cord in labor before the fetus is delivered.
Anesthetic complications -- Any complication during labor and/or delivery brought on by an anesthetic agent or agents.
Fetal distress -- Signs indicating fetal hypoxia (deficiency in amount of oxygen reaching fetal tissues).

