B Terms

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Baby Blues (Post partum depression)
Beginning three to four days after delivery and lasting for 10 days or so, many women experience “baby blues”. This is characterized by mood ... Read More
Back labor
Some women have labor pains that are concentrated in their back. This is more common when the baby is presenting in the birth canal with the ... Read More
Bag and Mask
Bag and mask—Two items available during delivery and in the Newborn Intensive Care Unit (NICU) to help a baby breathe in an emergency. The mask ... Read More
Bag of Waters
Refers to the amniotic membranes which contain the amniotic fluid, commonly referred to as a "bag of waters."
Basal body temperature
The body’s temperature at baseline, early in the AM, when it is the lowest. A record of this temperature taken daily for several weeks can be ... Read More
Betamethasone
A steroid medication. It can be given to pregnant women to hasten fetal lung development. This reduces the risk of severe respiratory ... Read More
Bilirubin
A by-product of hemoglobin metabolism. Hemoglobin is found within red blood cells. As old, damaged or unneeded cells are cleared from the ... Read More
Biophysical profile
A series of measurements made to evaluate the fetus' condition before delivery. The biophysical profile is similar to the Apgar system, but ... Read More
Biopsy
Obtaining a fragment of tissue for examination. This is done with many body tissues to look for abnormalities such as malignancy. ... Read More
Birth canal
The tunnel comprised of the vagina and cervix, through which the infant must pass during birth.
Bisphenol-A (BPA)
BPA is an organic compound and a building block to several important polymers and polymer additives. BPA has become controversial because it ... Read More
Bladder Infection
Infection of the urinary bladder. Some people are at more risk for bladder and other urinary tract infections (UTIs) than others. Women are at ... Read More
Blastocyst
A very early stage of embryonic development. About 4-5 days after conception the embryo consists of a ring of cells with fluid in the center and ... Read More
Blood Gas
Test used to determine the oxygen, carbon dioxide, and acid content of the blood. A blood gas is used to evaluate the status of the infant’s ... Read More
Bloody show
As the cervix dilates, blood and the cervical mucous plug (from the cervical canal) pass from the vagina. The bloody show is a classic ... Read More
Real-mom dispatches from the Baby Zone
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