The A to V of pregnancy and birth: A glossary for expectant parents
If you’re new to the parenting thing and are expecting your first baby, you already know that it can be a super-steep learning curve. All kinds of new experiences lie ahead, and even more new terminology you’ve never heard before.
With that in mind we’ve rustled up a bunch of often used words surrounding birth and delivery so you can bone up ahead of all those antenatal appointments! Speaking of which …
F is for ...
Foetal heart (or FH)
This refers to the baby’s heart.
FHM
An abbreviation meaning foetal heart monitoring.
FMF or FMNF
This stands for ‘foetal movements felt’ or alternatively ‘foetal movements not felt’.
Fontanelles
The soft spots on a baby’s head where the skull bones haven’t yet fused together are called fontanelles.
Forceps
Forceps are an instrument shaped like a pair of tongs which are sometimes used to grip the baby’s head and help him to be born.
Fundal height
Fundal height is a way of measuring the size of the uterus. It’s measured from the top of the mother’s uterus to the top of the her pubic symphysis.