All This Is In The Maternity Passport

At their second checkup, pregnant women are given their maternity passport, a small blue booklet that will be their constant companion for the next nine months. The progress of the pregnancy is precisely documented in it – from the mother’s weight gain, the position of the child, infections to the results of the three ultrasound examinations. We tell you what is behind the abbreviations that the doctor enters in the gravidogram.

Week Of Pregnancy

Designates the exact day of pregnancy duration: 9 d7 means approximately that the woman is in the 9th week of pregnancy plus 7 days.

Fundal State

The size of the uterus is entered here. For example, 2/S (or S+2): this means that the uterus ends two centimeters above the pubic bone. N/1 (or N-1) means that it reaches one centimeter below the navel, Rb/3 (or Rb-3) means that the uterus has arrived three centimeters below the costal arch.

Child Position

Here are abbreviations such as QL, BEL or SL. They provide information about how the baby is lying in the uterus: Transverse position (QL), feet or bottom down in breech or pelvic end position (BEL), or head down in cranial position (SL).

Heart Sounds

With an ultrasound machine, fetal heart sounds can be heard as early as the 7th week of pregnancy. It is a regular double beat reminiscent of horse patter. There is a “+” in the maternity record when this proof of life is provided.

Edema / Varicosis

Many pregnant women suffer from water retention (edema) or varicose veins (varicosis) in the legs. This is not only a cosmetic problem. Blood “pooling” in the veins can lead to circulatory problems and functional disorders.

Weight

The scale brings to light whether the expectant mother is gaining weight within normal limits or whether she is eating too much. Pregnant women should not gain more than 12 to 15 kg.

RR Syst. / Diast.

The blood pressure values are entered here. If the blood pressure is too low, the uterus runs the risk of not being supplied with sufficient blood and the child is at risk of a deficiency. Excessively high blood pressure can indicate the dreaded EPH gestosis – a metabolic disorder in late pregnancy that can be dangerous for mother and child.

Hb (Ery)

“Hb” stands for hemoglobin, which is the red blood pigment in red blood cells (erythrocytes) that plays an important role in oxygen transport. If the Hb value is below 11 g/dl, there is an iron deficiency. The doctor will then prescribe an iron supplement.