Reference Guide📋Your Maternity Notes: What the Abbreviations Mean
Ceph, NAD, SFH, LOP, 3/5 — a plain English reference for the most common abbreviations in your maternity notes, grouped so you can find what you're looking for.
⏳ Reference guide✓ NHS-aligned🇬🇧 UK-specific
Maternity notes are handed to pregnant women at the booking appointment and carried to every appointment — but rarely explained. Here's what the most common abbreviations actually mean, grouped so you can find what you're looking for.
📋 Pregnancy measurements & history
EDDEstimated due date
LMPLast menstrual period — used to calculate EDD
G / GravidaNumber of pregnancies (including current)
P / ParaNumber of births past 24 weeks
EGA / AOGEstimated gestational age / Age of gestation
BMIBody mass index — calculated at booking
EDCEstimated date of confinement — another term for EDD
+1, +2Weeks + days of gestation, e.g. '36+4'
🕯 Fetal measurements & position
FH / FHHFetal heart / fetal heart heard
FHNHFetal heart not heard — often routine early on
FHRFetal heart rate
FMFetal movement
SFHSymphysis-fundal height — measurement from pubic bone to top of uterus in cm
CephCephalic — baby is head down
BreechBaby is bottom or feet down
TransverseBaby is lying sideways
LOA / ROALeft / right occiput anterior — head down, facing back (ideal)
LOP / ROPLeft / right occiput posterior — head down, facing forward (back-to-back)
Eng / EEngaged — baby's head has descended into the pelvis
NENot engaged
5/5, 4/5, 3/5Fifths of head palpable above the pelvis. 5/5 = fully up; 0/5 = fully engaged
🔪 Maternal health observations
BPBlood pressure — e.g. 120/80
NADNo abnormality detected — a reassuring notation
AlbAlbumin — protein in urine (tested at most appointments)
Nil/NegNothing found — often next to protein or glucose
GLU / GlucGlucose in urine
HbHaemoglobin — iron level in blood. Normal in pregnancy: 110+ g/L
MSUMidstream urine — sent for culture if infection suspected
UTIUrinary tract infection
OGTTOral glucose tolerance test — the gestational diabetes screening test
GDMGestational diabetes mellitus
PIHPregnancy-induced hypertension
PET / PEPre-eclampsia / pre-eclamptic toxaemia
DVTDeep vein thrombosis
ICP / OCIntrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy / obstetric cholestasis
SPD / PGPSymphysis pubis dysfunction / pelvic girdle pain
📋 Administrative & care pathway
ANCAntenatal clinic
SROMSpontaneous rupture of membranes — waters breaking naturally
PROMPremature rupture of membranes — waters breaking before labour
IOLInduction of labour
LSCSLower segment caesarean section
EMCSEmergency caesarean section
ELCSElective (planned) caesarean section
VBACVaginal birth after caesarean
ECVExternal cephalic version — procedure to turn a breech baby
NNDNeonatal death
TOPTermination of pregnancy
IUFD / IUDIntrauterine fetal death / intrauterine death — stillbirth
SGA / LGASmall / large for gestational age
IUGRIntrauterine growth restriction
NVDNormal vaginal delivery
VEVaginal examination
Something not listed here? The WiseMama maternity notes guide covers the full reference including blood test abbreviations, screening terminology, and how to read the gestational age section of your notes. Read the full maternity notes guide →
📖 Want to go deeper?
Understanding Your Maternity Notes — the full guide
A complete reference to maternity note abbreviations, how to read the antenatal chart, and what all the measurements mean.
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