A downy like covering of hair over baby’s body. Most of this has usually fallen off at birth, although some babies do have some remaining. It is common for babies to be born with lanugo covering their neck, shoulders, and back.

A dark line made up of the melanin in your skin that forms vertically down the centre of your bump during pregnancy. Around 90% of women develop Linea Nigra in their pregnancy (DermNet, 2018). In most, it disappears after birth as your hormones settle back to pre-pregnancy state, however, in some cases, it never completely [...]

The maternity certificate that verifies the pregnancy and enables you to claim Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) from your employer, and Maternity Allowance (MA) from Jobcentre Plus (Gov.UK, 2012). The certificate needs to be completed by a Midwife or Doctor who is required to complete an examination to verify the pregnancy and confirm the estimated/expected due [...]

Babies first stool. It begins to form in the gut between 12 and 16 weeks of pregnancy and is made up of what baby has ingested in utero, or what they have produced. This can include but is not limited to: amniotic fluid (definition link), lanugo (definition link), cells, water, and bile. It is very [...]

Routinely offered at 41 weeks for first time mothers, and forty weeks for second or subsequent mothers, the membrane sweep involves inserting a finger(s) into the cervix (definition link) and sweeping the finger(s) round the cervix in a circular motion to separate it from the membranes above and to stimulate the release of natural hormones [...]

The collection of fluid at the back of babies neck that is measured during the 11–14-week screening test. An increase in the amount of this fluid is a factor commonly linked to foetal abnormalities. This measurement is used to determine, alongside other factors, the risk of Down’s, Edward’s, or Patau’s syndrome.

A condition of pregnancy defined as itching, particularly on the hands and feet in the absence of a rash in combination with abnormal liver function tests (LFT’s). It affects approximately 0.7% of pregnancies (RCOG, 2011).

Oral Glucose Tolerance Test. This test is usually completed between 24-28 weeks of pregnancy. For this test you will need to fast for between 8-12 hours before. You may also be asked not to take certain medications during this period. During the test you will initially have a blood test, then drink a sugary drink, [...]

Reduced volume of amniotic fluid in utero of less than 300ml. This occurs in around 4.5% of pregnancies, however severe cases are much lower around 0.7% of pregnancies (Payne, J. 2016). It can be caused by maternal dehydration, reduced foetal blood volume, and reduced foetal urine output among other factors. In most cases, this condition [...]

A medical device inserted into the vagina. In relation to induction of labour a pessary will often contain an artificial version of the hormone prostaglandin and is inserted behind the cervix. It looks similar to a tampon and is usually left in place for 24 hours. If contractions don’t start within the first 24 hours [...]