APPENDICES & GLOSSARY
Glossary Assisted vaginal birth A vaginal birth that needs assistance (e.g. forceps, vacuum extraction). Body Mass Index is a measure of body fat based on height and weight that applies to adult men and women (mass (kg)/ (height (m))2. Caesarean section An operative birth through an abdominal incision. This includes emergency and elective, lower segment and classical and it is identified by the presence of any caesarean section clinical code. Cephalic Head down presentation. CM Health community midwife Antenatal, labour, and postnatal care is provided by a CM Health employed midwife. Care during labour is provided by CM Health employed midwives at Middlemore Hospital or one of the three primary birthing units. CM Health employed LMC Midwife A midwife who carries a full clinical primary workload including antenatal, intra-partum and postnatal care. Used to describe salaried position in DHB as opposed to LMC midwife who claims off the Section 88 Notice. Epidural An injection of analgesic agent outside the dura mater that covers the spinal canal. It includes lumbar, spinal (inside the dura mater) and epidural anaesthetics. Episiotomy An incision of the perineal tissue surrounding the vagina at the time of birth to facilitate birthing, identified by the presence of an episiotomy clinical code. Exclusive breastfeeding The infant has never, to the mother’s knowledge, had any water, formula or other liquid or solid food. Only breast milk, from the breast or expressed, and prescribed medicines (as per the Medicines Act 1981) have been given from birth.
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Fellow A doctor who is has usually completed their specialised exams and is completing final year of training requirements. Fully breastfeeding The infant has taken breast milk only, no other liquids or solids except a minimal amount of water or prescribed medicine, in the past 48 hours. Gravida Number of pregnancies. House officer A junior doctor, in their first 1-3 years of working, who is not yet on a specialist training scheme. Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy Brain trauma that occurs when there is an insufficient supply of blood and oxygen carried to the brain. Induction of labour An intervention to stimulate the onset of labour by pharmacological or other means, identified by induction of labour clinical codes. Intact lower genital tract Identified by an absence of clinical codes indicating an episiotomy or a tear of any degree (first to fourth, and including unspecified degree). Large for gestational age Greater than the 90th percentile for their gestational age. Lead maternity carer A person who a) is a general practitioner with a Diploma in Obstetrics (or equivalent), a midwife or an obstetrician and b) is either a maternity provider in his or her own right; or an employee or contractor of a maternity provider; and c) had been selected by the women to provide her lead maternity care.
Level II neonatal care Level 2 units within New Zealand generally care for babies 32/40 weeks and above and babies who have been transferred from Level 3 units after being clinically stabilised. They do not ventilate babies (except in emergencies) and generally use a less invasive form of ventilation continuous positive airways pressure (CPAP) for babies that are clinically stable. Some Level 2 units provide intermediate (Level 2+) care for babies over 28 weeks. Level III neonatal care Level 3 unit provides neonatal intensive care and high dependency care. This means that they have the facilities to care for extremely premature infants (from 24 weeks gestation) and sick babies requiring ventilation, intravenous feeding and other types of intensive care monitoring and treatment. Live birth The complete expulsion or extraction from its mother of a product of conception, irrespective of duration of pregnancy, which, after such separation, breathes or shows any other evidence of life, such as breathing, beating of the heart, pulsation of the umbilical cord, or definite movement of voluntary muscles, whether or not the umbilical cord has been cut or the placenta is attached. Each product of such a birth is considered liveborn (WHO 1975). Maternity facility A facility that provides labour and birth services and inpatient postnatal care. Midwife A person who has successfully completed a midwifery education programme that is duly recognised in the country where it is located and that is based on the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) Essential Competencies for Basic Midwifery Practice and the framework of the ICM Global Standards for Midwifery Education who has aquired the requisite qualifications to be registered and/or legally licensed to practice midwifery and use the title ‘midwife’; and who demonstrates competency in the practice of midwifery.
