A hollow, cone shaped device with a flat bottom attached to the smaller end of the cone. It is used to auscultate the foetal heartrate directly (rather than using reflected sound waves as is the case with a sonicaid).

A flat, disc shaped structure that grows to around a 20cm in diameter and 2.5cm thick by term (37+ weeks). On the maternal side, it is made up of about 20 lobe like structures, called cotyledons, and on the foetal side, it is shiny as it is covered by the amnion (definition link). On the [...]

A condition that occurs in approximately 0.3% to 0.5% of pregnancies (RCOG, 2018) where the placenta adheres too deeply into the uterine wall. This means that it may not, or only partially, detach after baby has been born which can lead to increased blood loss and is linked to increased morbidity and mortality for both [...]

A condition that occurs in approximately 0.5% of pregnancies (RCOG, 2018) where the placenta attaches either very close to, partially covering, or completely covering the internal os (the top of your cervix). It is usually detected during the 20-week scan and will usually mean baby is delivered via a planned caesarean section.

Increased volume of amniotic fluid in utero of more than 1500ml. This occurs in around 1% of pregnancies, and within that 1%, around 70% of cases are mild and around 10% are severe. For the majority of polyhydramnios cases, the cause is unknown (some research suggests around 40% of cases have a known cause although [...]

A condition of pregnancy that usually develops after 20 weeks of pregnancy. The exact causes are unknown however it is thought to be linked to the placenta. Symptoms include severe headaches, blurry vision, and swollen hands, feet, and face. It may also be detected through proteinuria and high blood pressure. It affects around 6% of [...]

The piece of cartilage in the centre of your pubic bone.

Inherited blood disorders. If you are a carrier of either of these blood disorders, you can pass them on to your children. If both baby’s parents are carriers, there is a 1 in 4 chance that baby will be born with the condition. Both of these blood disorders impact the way in which oxygen is [...]

Medical instrument shaped like a ducks bill. It is commonly used to visualise the cervix and determine whether waters have broken (seen as a collection of fluid in the speculum beneath the cervix). It is typically used in pregnancy or early labour rather than in established labour.