1. Thoracic breathing : This type of breathing replaces abdominal breathing
as pregnancy progresses and is accomplished by using the diaphragm
instead of the costal muscles.
2. Trimesters: The three 3-month periods into which pregnancy is divided.
3. Progesterone : Hormone responsible for the decreased tone and motility of
smooth muscles and decreasing uterine contractility.
4. Estrogen : Hormone responsible for enlargement of uterus and breast,
relaxing pelvic ligaments and joints, and a decreased secretion of
hydrochloric acid and pepsin.
5. Prolactin : Hormone responsible for preparing breasts for lactation.
6. Oxytocin : Hormone responsible for stimulating uterine contractions and
milk ejection from breasts after birth.
7. Supine hypotension : Change in blood pressure that can occur when a
pregnant woman lies on her back for an examination of her abdomen. The
vena cava is compressed by the weight of the abdominal contents, including
the uterus.
8. Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) : The biologic marker on which
pregnancy tests are based. Its presence in urine or serum results in a
positive pregnancy test result.
9. Braxton Hicks contractions : Irregular, painless uterine contractions that
can be felt through the abdominal wall soon after the fourth month of
pregnancy.
10. Uterine souffle : A rushing or blowing sound of maternal blood flow
through the uterine arteries to the placenta that is synchronous with the
maternal pulse.
11. Funic souffle : Sound of fetal blood coursing through the umbilical cord;
it is synchronous with the fetal heart rate.
12. Quickening : Fetal movements first felt by the pregnant woman as early
as 14–16 weeks of gestation.
13. Orthostatic hypotension : Change in blood pressure as a result of
compression of abdominal blood vessels and decrease in cardiac output
when a woman lies down on her back.
