OB foreign language

Every hospital is different but here are a few of our abbreviations:

FSE: Fetal Scalp Electrode

G4 AB1 P2 means she has been pregnant 4 times had 1 miscarriage/abortion and has 2 children, not including the one she is preggo with now

BTL: Bilateral Tubal Ligation

FF: fundus Firm

Pit: Pitocin

EFM: electronic fetal monitoring

SVE: Sterile Vag Exam

4cm 50%: she is 4 cm dilated, and is 50% thinned out

FC: foley cath

I can't think of any other ones right now, if I do later I'll post more. Enjoy working in OB its fun for the most part!

I used to work at a OB/GYN and they do have their own set of abbreviations. It takes awhile to get use to. Here's the ones we would use or see in hosp notes.
TAH- total abdominal hysterectomy
BSO- bilateral salpingooopherectomy (done with hysto's)
TVH- total vaginal hyterectomy (don't think these are done anymore)
VBAC- vaginal birth after cesaerean section
BTL- bilateral tubal ligation
G- gravida (number of pregnancies)
P- para (number of viable births)
A- abortion/miscarriage
These are usually in dashes in the chart ex. 3-1-2 or G3, P1, A2

It can also be done like this
T- term births
P- pre term births
A- abortions/miscarriage
L- living children
Done in chart the same way

SAB- spontaneous abortion (miscarriage)
FSE- fetal scalp electrode
GBS- group B strept
GC- gonorrhea
IUFD- intra uterine fetal death
SROM- spontaneous rupture of membranes
c-section or C/S- cesaerean section
CMV- cytomegalovirus
IUGR- intra uterine growth retardation
LMP- last menstral period
AB- abortion
AFP- alpha fetoprotein
IUP- intra uterine pregnancy
CST- contraction stress test
D&E- dilation and evacuation
LTCS- low transvers cesaerean section
pp- post partum
SGA- small for gestational age
TAB- therapeutic abortion (used if fetus will not be viable if carried full term)
D&C- dilation and curettage
AGA- appropriate for gestational age
BCP- birth control pills
FHR- fetal heart rate
FHT- fetal heart tones


Hope these help.

In response to the poster above me, at the hospital I work at we do TVH all the time. Our docs try that before TAH. It has a much faster recovery time and less time in the hospital. I would say 99% of our TVH goes home the next day. Most of our abbreviations are the same as yours I was just having a brain dead moment and couldn't think of anymore!

That's what I figured that it was just a personal preference with the doctor. I knew it had a quicker recovery than a TAH but I've heard "horror" stories from other doctors and TVH's. Yeah I think there are a few I missed also but it was good to remember them since I'll be starting that rotation next.

I think they do Laporoscopy assisted vag hysters, too.

A friend of mine at work had a complete lap hyst. No vag anything. She felt great & was back to work REALLY soon afterward.

One you will hear but not see charted: FLK : "funny looking kid". This is not a slur, but generally translates as: "There's something not quite right about this baby, but I can't quite put my finger on it yet".

I've worked in OB for several years now and just when I think I get them all the more seasoned staff sneak in another abbreviation...

After about a year and a half I remember feeling like I knew what was going on and one of the reporting nurses said that a baby was an "FLK" I must have looked stumped but they continued with report. When she was finished I said "can we get back to the FLK" they were all amused because apparently it's a better way to say "funny looking kid" We get them from time to time LOL...

The first thing to do when you have a FLK is to look at the father. Often that explains everything.