childbirth

(chīld′bĭrth″ )

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The act of giving birth to a child. In 2014, 3,985,924 babies were born in the U.S.
SYN: SEE: parturition SEE TABLE: Serious Complications of Childbirth; SEE: delivery; SEE: labor
Serious Complications of Childbirth

The Mother	The Child
Maternal death	Fetal death
Maternal hemorrhage (with or without transfusion)*	Neonatal death
Genital injuries (including injuries to the uterus or its ligaments, vulva, perineum, bladder, bowel, or ureter)*	Birth trauma (including fractures, nerve plexus injuries)
Uterine dilation and curettage after delivery*	Intracranial bleeding
Peripartum infection*	Need for ventilatory assistance
Wound infection*	Low Apgar scores
Wound dehiscence	Sepsis
Medical complications (including bowel obstruction or ileus, respiratory distress syndrome, sepsis, thrombophlebitis, or amniotic fluid embolism)	Necrotizing enterocolitis

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