A–Z Glossary

Vaginal examination

An internal examination used during labor to assess cervical dilation, position, effacement, station, or membrane status.

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Monitoring labor during interventions

Monitoring labor during interventions

What changes when interventions are used Labor monitoring becomes more intentional when an intervention is introduced because the clinical situation is no longer purely observational. An intervention may be used to start labor, strengthen contractions, relieve pain, rupture membranes, treat a complication, or prepare for assisted or cesarean birth. Each action has a reason, an […]

Birth center labor experience and process

Birth center labor experience and process

What makes birth center labor different A birth center is typically separate from the acute-care hospital environment, although some are hospital-affiliated and others are freestanding. The defining feature is not the building itself but the care model: birth center care is generally intended for low-risk pregnancy birth setting candidates who are expected to tolerate labor […]

Monitoring mother and baby during home birth

Monitoring mother and baby during home birth

What monitoring means at a home birth Monitoring during a planned home birth is not simply taking numbers. It is a cycle of observing, recording, interpreting, and planning care with the labouring woman and her support team. The World Health Organization’s approach to labour monitoring emphasizes regular assessment of the woman and baby, documentation of […]