Below is a list of abbreviations commonly used in maternity notes, along with their meanings:
| Abbreviation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| AFI | amniotic fluid index |
| AFP / SAFP | alpha fetal protein / serum alpha fetal protein |
| Amnio | Amniocentesis |
| ANC | Antenatal Clinic |
| A/N | antenatal |
| APH | antepartum haemorrhage |
| ARM | artificial rupture of membranes |
| BD | twice daily |
| BNO | bowels not opened |
| BO | bowels opened |
| BP | blood pressure |
| bpm | beats per minute |
| CBD | continuous bladder drainage |
| Ceph | cephalic |
| CRP | C-reactive protein |
| CTG | cardiotocograph |
| CUBS | combined ultrasound and biochemical screening |
| C/S | caesarean section |
| Cx | cervix |
| EBM | expressed breast milk |
| EFW | estimated fetal weight |
| FBC | full blood count |
| FBS | fetal blood sampling |
| FHHR / FH | fetal heart heard regular / fetal heart |
| FM / FMF | fetal movements / fetal movements felt |
| FSE | fetal scalp electrode |
| GIRFEC | getting it right for every child |
| Gluc | glucose |
| GP | general practitioner |
| GTT | glucose tolerance test |
| Hb | haemoglobulin |
| Hb A1C | glycosylated haemoglobulin |
| Hep B/C | hepatitis B or C |
| HFFD | haig ferguson forceps delivery |
| HIV | human immunodeficiency virus |
| HR | heart rate |
| HVS | high vaginal swab |
| IM | intra muscular |
| IV | intra venous |
| IDDM | insulin dependant diabetes mellitus |
| IOL | induction of labour |
| Ket | ketones |
| KFRD / KFD | keillands forceps rotation and delivery / keillands forceps delivery |
| LFD | large for dates |
| LFT’s | liver function tests |
| LGA | large for gestation age |
| LUSCS | lower uterine segment caesarean section |
| LDRP | labour delivery recovery postnatal |
| LVS | low vaginal swab |
| mane | in the morning |
| mec | meconium |
| MEWS | maternity early warning scoring chart |
| MMFD | milne murray forceps delivery |
| MROP | manual removal of placenta |
| MW | midwife |
| NAD | no abnormality detected |
| N/A | not applicable |
| NKDA | no known drug allergies |
| NNU | neo natal unit |
| nocte | at night |
| O | oral |
| OA | occiput anterior |
| OP | occiput posterior |
| O/P | on palpation |
| O2 sats | oxygen saturations |
| PCR | protein creatinine ratio |
| PE | pulmonary embolism |
| PHYSIO | physiotherapist |
| PIH | pregnancy induced hypertension |
| P | pulse |
| PPH | post partum haemorrhage |
| P/N | post natal |
| PR | per rectum |
| prn | as required |
| Prot | protein |
| PU | passed urine |
| PV | per vaginum |
| QID | four times daily |
| RBG / S | random blood glucose / sugar |
| RR | respiratory rate |
| SC | subcutaneous |
| SFD | small for dates |
| SGA | small for gestation age |
| SRM | spontaneous rupture of membranes |
| SVD | spontaneous vaginal/vertex delivery |
| SWHMR | Scottish women’s hand-held maternity records |
| Temp | temperature |
| TID | three times daily |
| U & E | urea and electrolytes |
| USS | ultrasound scan |
| UTI | urinary tract infection |
| VE | vaginal examination |
| Vx | vertex |
| WCC | white cell count |
| WFD | wrigleys forceps delivery |
| Vent | ventouse delivery |
| VTE | venous thrombo embolism |