Understanding Your Maternity Notes: Abbreviations & Terms Explained

Your notes are yours. In the UK you are entitled to carry and keep your own maternity notes throughout pregnancy. If something in them concerns or confuses you, ask your midwife or GP to explain it at your next appointment — there is no such thing as a question too small about your own care.

📅 Dates & Pregnancy Timing 📋 Obstetric History 👶 Fetal Position & Presentation 📏 Symphysis-Fundal Height 🩸 Blood Tests & Urine Results 📡 Fetal Monitoring 🏥 Labour & Birth 🔤 Common Abbreviations A–Z

📅 Dates & Pregnancy Timing (6)

LMP

Last Menstrual Period — the first day of your last period before pregnancy. Used to calculate your due date.

EDD / EDC

Estimated Due Date / Estimated Date of Confinement — your due date, usually 40 weeks from the first day of your LMP, refined at the 12-week dating scan.

EGA / GA

Estimated Gestational Age / Gestational Age — how many weeks pregnant you are. Written as e.g. '28+4' meaning 28 weeks and 4 days.

SROM

Spontaneous Rupture of Membranes — your waters breaking on their own.

PROM

Premature/Prelabour Rupture of Membranes — waters breaking before labour begins or before 37 weeks.

Booking

Your first formal antenatal appointment, usually 8–12 weeks. 'Booking bloods' are the blood tests taken at this visit.

📋 Obstetric History (G & P) (14)

G / Gravida

Total number of times you have been pregnant, including the current pregnancy. G1 = first pregnancy ever; G2 = second, and so on. Includes pregnancies that did not continue to birth.

P / Para

Number of pregnancies delivered at or beyond 24 weeks, regardless of outcome. P0 = no previous deliveries beyond 24 weeks; P1 = one; P2 = two.

G3P1 (example)

Read together: third pregnancy overall, one previous delivery beyond 24 weeks. The difference (G3 minus P1 = 2) reflects two pregnancies ending before 24 weeks — miscarriages, ectopic, or terminations.

Nulliparous

Never given birth beyond 24 weeks — same as P0.

Primiparous

Given birth once beyond 24 weeks — same as P1.

Multiparous

Given birth two or more times beyond 24 weeks.

SVD / NVD

Spontaneous/Normal Vaginal Delivery — a straightforward vaginal birth without forceps or ventouse.

LSCS / CS

Lower Segment Caesarean Section / Caesarean Section.

EMCS

Emergency Caesarean Section — performed urgently during labour.

ELCS

Elective (planned) Caesarean Section.

TOP

Termination of Pregnancy.

ERPC

Evacuation of Retained Products of Conception — a surgical procedure after miscarriage.

IUD (obstetric)

Intrauterine Death — death of a baby in the womb. Different from IUD the contraceptive device.

NND

Neonatal Death — death of a baby within 28 days of birth.

👶 Fetal Position & Presentation (11)

Cephalic / Ceph

Head-down — the normal, ideal position for birth. The most common term from around 36 weeks.

Vertex / Vx / Vtx

Vertex presentation — the very top of the baby's head is presenting first. Slightly more specific than cephalic.

Breech

Baby bottom or feet first. Frank breech = legs extended straight up (most common). Complete breech = knees bent. Footling breech = foot or feet presenting.

Transverse / Oblique

Baby lying sideways or at an angle across the uterus. Requires caesarean if it persists to term.

Unstable lie

Baby's position changes between examinations — watched closely after 36 weeks.

LOA

Left Occiput Anterior — back of baby's head toward your front-left. The most favourable birth position.

ROA

Right Occiput Anterior — similar to LOA, slightly right. Also a good position.

OP / LOT / ROT

Occiput Posterior (baby facing forward, 'back-to-back') or Transverse (facing sideways). Can make labour longer; most babies rotate during labour.

Engaged / E

Baby's head has descended into the pelvis. In first pregnancies often from 36 weeks; in subsequent pregnancies may not happen until labour.

Not Engaged — head not yet in the pelvis.

Fifths palpable (5/5, 3/5…)

How much of the baby's head is still above the pelvis. 5/5 = not engaged. 3/5 = beginning to engage. 1–2/5 = well engaged. 0/5 = fully engaged, not palpable abdominally.

📏 Symphysis-Fundal Height (SFH) (6)

SFH

Symphysis-Fundal Height — distance in centimetres from your pubic bone to the top of the uterus. Measured at every appointment from around 24 weeks.

SFH ≈ weeks ± 2cm

A rough guide: SFH in cm should approximately equal the weeks of pregnancy, within ±2cm. At 30 weeks, expect roughly 28–32cm. Customised charts are more accurate.

Fundus / Fundal

The top of the uterus. 'Fundus at umbilicus' = the top of the womb has reached the level of your tummy button, expected around 20 weeks.

Small for dates

SFH smaller than expected for gestation — may prompt a growth scan to check the baby's size and placental function.

Large for dates

SFH larger than expected — may prompt a growth scan and glucose tolerance test to check for gestational diabetes or polyhydramnios.

GROW / customised charts

Many NHS trusts use customised growth charts that adjust the expected SFH range for your height, weight, ethnicity, and parity. Your expected range will differ from the standard rule.

🩸 Blood Tests & Urine Results (13)

BP (e.g. 118/75)

Blood pressure — systolic/diastolic, in mmHg. Normal in pregnancy is below 140/90. Above this on two occasions triggers investigation for gestational hypertension or pre-eclampsia.

Haemoglobin — oxygen-carrying protein in red blood cells, measured in g/dL. Normal in pregnancy is broadly 10.5–14.5 g/dL. Below 10.5 usually indicates anaemia.

MCV

Mean Corpuscular Volume — the average size of red blood cells. Low MCV with low Hb suggests iron deficiency. High MCV suggests folate or B12 deficiency.

Ferritin

Iron stores — can fall before haemoglobin does. Low ferritin with normal Hb = early iron depletion.

FBC

Full Blood Count — measures red cells (including Hb), white cells, and platelets. The routine test that picks up anaemia and clotting concerns.

Group and Screen / G&S

Blood group (A, B, AB, or O), Rhesus factor (positive or negative), and check for atypical antibodies. Done at booking and again around 28 weeks.

Anti-D

Injection given to Rhesus-negative women to prevent sensitisation — where maternal antibodies could affect the baby in a future pregnancy. Given routinely at 28 weeks and after sensitising events.

Urine: NAD / 1+ / 2+ protein

Urine dipstick result. NAD = Nothing Abnormal Detected. 2+ protein on two occasions prompts investigation for pre-eclampsia. Protein with nitrites/leucocytes suggests a UTI.

MSU

Midstream Urine — sent to the lab to check for infection if the dipstick is abnormal.

PCR (urine)

Protein:Creatinine Ratio — precise quantification of urinary protein. PCR ≥30 mg/mmol is significant for pre-eclampsia assessment.

GCT / OGTT

Glucose Challenge Test / Oral Glucose Tolerance Test — screening and diagnostic tests for gestational diabetes.

HbA1c

Average blood glucose over 2–3 months. Used in assessment and monitoring of diabetes in pregnancy.

PlGF

Placental Growth Factor — a blood test assessing risk of pre-eclampsia. A result below 100 pg/mL indicates elevated risk.

📡 Fetal Monitoring (10)

FH / FHH / FHHR

Fetal Heart / Fetal Heart Heard / Fetal Heart Heard and Regular — the baby's heartbeat was checked with a Doppler and was audible.

CTG

Cardiotocography — a continuous printed trace of the baby's heart rate and uterine contractions. Accelerations (normal), decelerations (need assessment), and variability (beat-to-beat fluctuation, reassuring when present) are the key features read by the team.

FM / FMF / FMAF

Fetal Movements / Fetal Movements Felt / Fetal Movements Absent or Felt less. If you have concerns about reduced movements, contact your maternity unit the same day.

USS Doppler

Ultrasound Doppler assessment of blood flow through the umbilical artery. Used to assess placental function in growth-restricted pregnancies.

AC / HC / FL

Abdominal Circumference / Head Circumference / Femur Length — measurements taken at growth scans and plotted on centile charts.

EFW

Estimated Fetal Weight — calculated from the AC, HC, and FL measurements. Plotted on a centile chart relative to expected weight for that gestation.

Centile (10th, 50th, 90th)

Where the baby's measurements sit relative to all babies at the same gestation. 50th = average. Below 10th centile for EFW = Small for Gestational Age (SGA). Above 90th = Large for Gestational Age (LGA).

AFI / Liquor

Amniotic Fluid Index — ultrasound measurement of amniotic fluid volume. Low (oligohydramnios) or high (polyhydramnios) both warrant further assessment.

Polyhydramnios

Excess amniotic fluid — can be idiopathic or associated with gestational diabetes, fetal anomaly, or multiple pregnancy.

Oligohydramnios

Low amniotic fluid — can indicate growth restriction, ruptured membranes, or post-dates pregnancy.

🏥 Labour & Birth (13)

IOL / Induction

Induction of Labour — labour started artificially, using prostaglandin pessary, balloon catheter, ARM, Syntocinon, or a combination.

ARM

Artificial Rupture of Membranes — the midwife or doctor deliberately breaks the waters using a small hook during a vaginal examination.

Syntocinon drip

Synthetic oxytocin via IV infusion to start or strengthen contractions. Used during induction or to augment slow labour.

Cx dilation / effaced / posterior

Cervical examination: dilation (centimetres), effacement (how thinned out, 0–100%), and position (posterior = tilted back, less favourable; anterior = forward-facing, more favourable).

Bishop score

A composite cervical score — higher = more favourable for induction. A score of 8 or above suggests good prospects.

Station (-2, 0, +2)

How far the baby's head is above or below the ischial spines of the pelvis. Negative = above; 0 = at the spines; positive = below — progressively in the birth canal.

Epidural / Spinal

Regional anaesthesia. Epidural = ongoing catheter infusion, adjustable throughout labour. Spinal = single injection, used for caesarean section, faster onset.

FBS

Fetal Blood Sampling — a blood sample from the baby's scalp during labour to check for oxygen deprivation, done when the CTG is concerning.

Ventouse / Kiwi

Vacuum-assisted delivery — a suction cup on the baby's head to assist delivery. Leaves a temporary swelling (chignon) on the scalp.

Forceps

Instrumental delivery using curved blades that cradle the baby's head. Requires more space than ventouse — episiotomy usually performed alongside.

APGAR (e.g. 8, 9)

Newborn assessment at 1 and 5 minutes: Appearance, Pulse, Grimace, Activity, Respiration. Maximum 10. Written as two numbers (1-min/5-min score). 7 or above is normal.

PPH

Postpartum Haemorrhage — blood loss of 500ml or more after birth. Major PPH = 1,000ml or more.

OASI

Obstetric Anal Sphincter Injury — a 3rd or 4th degree perineal tear involving the anal sphincter. Requires specialist repair and follow-up.

🔤 Common Abbreviations A–Z (28)

APH

Antepartum Haemorrhage — vaginal bleeding after 24 weeks, before delivery.

BMI

Body Mass Index — calculated at booking from height and weight. Affects care pathway.

CM / MW

Community Midwife / Midwife.

Cons

Consultant — a senior hospital doctor. 'Seen by Cons' = reviewed by a consultant obstetrician.

D/W

Discussed With — e.g. 'D/W consultant' means the midwife discussed your care with the consultant.

Iron (from the Latin ferrum) — used when iron supplements are prescribed.

f/u

Follow-up — a follow-up appointment is planned.

GDM / GD

Gestational Diabetes Mellitus / Gestational Diabetes.

Health Visitor — the community nurse who takes over care after birth.

History — your medical and obstetric history.

IUGR

Intrauterine Growth Restriction — baby growing more slowly than expected.

LGA

Large for Gestational Age — estimated weight above the 90th centile.

N&V

Nausea and Vomiting.

NAD

Nothing Abnormal Detected — all clear on examination or test result.

O/E

On Examination — what was found during physical examination.

PET / PEt

Pre-Eclampsia Toxaemia — older term for pre-eclampsia, still seen in some notes.

PIH

Pregnancy-Induced Hypertension — raised blood pressure in pregnancy before it meets pre-eclampsia criteria.

PNMH

Perinatal Mental Health — referral to or involvement of the perinatal mental health team.

Per Vaginum — vaginal examination performed.

RCOG

Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists — whose guidelines underpin UK obstetric care.

Reduced Movements — reported or assessed reduction in fetal movements.

SGA

Small for Gestational Age — estimated weight below the 10th centile.

SOB

Shortness of Breath.

T/O

Turned Over — continuation on the next page of handwritten notes.

UTI

Urinary Tract Infection.

URTI

Upper Respiratory Tract Infection — a cold or similar.

VTE

Venous Thromboembolism — blood clot risk. VTE risk assessment done at booking; higher-risk women prescribed low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) injections.

WNL

Within Normal Limits.

🔍

Term not found

Try a shorter search or a different spelling. You can always ask your midwife — no question about your own notes is too small.

How to Read Your Notes

Maternity notes in the UK are hand-held — you keep them and bring them to every appointment. The entries follow a broadly consistent format but vary between NHS trusts and individual midwives. A typical antenatal entry might look like:

28+3. BP 112/70. Urine NAD. SFH 27cm. Ceph. 5/5. FHHR. Fe started. f/u 32/40.

Translated: at 28 weeks and 3 days, blood pressure normal (112/70), urine clear, symphysis-fundal height 27cm (normal for 28 weeks), baby head-down, not yet engaged, heartbeat heard and regular, iron supplements started, follow-up at 32 weeks.

The G and P numbers

G (gravida) is the total number of times you have been pregnant including now. P (para) is the number of those pregnancies that were delivered at or beyond 24 weeks. So G3P1 means third pregnancy overall, one previous delivery beyond 24 weeks — the other two ended before 24 weeks (miscarriage, ectopic, or termination). P0 means never previously delivered beyond 24 weeks, even if you have been pregnant before.

The fifths system for engagement

Engagement is recorded as how many fifths of the baby's head are still above the pelvis — so a lower number means more engaged. 5/5 = head completely above the pelvis (not engaged). 3/5 = beginning to descend. 1–2/5 = mostly in the pelvis (well engaged). 0/5 = fully engaged, no longer palpable abdominally.

If something in your notes concerns you

You are entitled to ask your midwife or GP to explain any entry at any appointment. "I noticed this in my notes — can you explain what it means?" is a completely appropriate question. If something has been flagged in your notes that hasn't been discussed with you, ask about it directly.

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