Word parts
matern/o mother-al relating to
What it means
Used for anything about the mother as opposed to the baby: maternal vital signs, maternal blood type, maternal age. Maternal-newborn nursing cares for the pregnant client and the newborn together. Maternal antibodies are those that cross from mother to baby. The word for the fetus or baby side is fetal or neonatal.
In a chart
"Maternal temperature 38.2 °C; fetal heart rate baseline 165."
At a glance
| Spanish | materno |
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Related terms
postpartum
The time after giving birth, usually the first six weeks, while the body returns to its non-pregnant state.
uterine contraction
A tightening and then relaxing of the muscle of the uterus (womb), as happens during labor.
labor
The process of childbirth, from the start of regular contractions that open the cervix to the delivery of the baby and placenta.