Māori Birthing Practices and Cultural Respect

Acknowledging the woman and her family's lineage.

Spiritual blessings or prayers used by Maori families.

Understanding and respecting diverse cultures in midwifery care; acknowledging personal biases and integrating patient cultural preferences into care.

Kindness, hospitality, and care for others, especially in Maori culture; ensuring a respectful environment for both the birthing person and the wider family.

A form completed by the midwife within 5 working days of delivery to report a birth to the relevant authorities.

Legal process for adopting a child, with interim orders signed 12 days from birth and a final order at least six months after; requires birth registration and involvement of social workers.

Represents the birthing person as a person deserving of respect, nurture, and protection within their community.

Prestige, respect, and importance in Maori culture.

Fetal head's occiput positioned posteriorly during birth, causing persistent occipito-posterior position.

Fetal head's occipito-frontal diameter gets caught in the transverse diameter of the pelvic outlet.

A tear affecting only the perineal skin and vaginal mucosa.

Tear involving perineal muscles but not the anal sphincter.

This involves the anal sphincter, with varying severity.

Tear including the anal sphincter and anorectal mucosa.

Episiotomy incision beginning in the midline of the vulva and extending backward.

9.5cm- the distance between the two parietal bones of the fetal skull.

A birth registration form completed by both parents within 2 months of birth.

Death certificate required for stillbirths before burial/ cremation, issued within 5 days of death.

Fetal head presentation where the occiput (back of head) portion is prominent and fully flexed.

Baby's head is presenting with the face first, necessitating specific birth procedures dependent on the face location.

Fetal presentation where the occiput is positioned towards the mother's sacrum.

Fetal head's rotation that happens as descent continues, aiming the sagittal suture towards the anterior diameter of the pelvic outlet.

Midwives can prescribe morphine, fentanyl, and pethidine for labor, birth, and immediate postpartum use.

Different ways a baby can position its head and body during birth, which influence the birthing process.

An incision made from the fourchette directly down to the anus during childbirth, associated with less pain and bleeding, but increased risk of extension.

An incision made on the anterior perineum, sometimes necessary for women with specific types of female genital mutilation.

Suture process: starting above the apex, from vaginal to muscle to subcutaneous layers, with continuous sutures for each layer.

Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) stimulate follicle growth and oestrogen production, with LH particularly targeting theca cells.

Sperm can survive 24 hours in the female reproductive tract, needing 4-10 hrs to fertilize. Ovum 12-24 hours.

The process preventing multiple sperm from fertilizing the ovum; zone changes the environment with electrical potential and composition changes.

A zygote moves from the fallopian tube to the uterus in 3-4 days after fertilization, undergoing cleavage divisions.

A morula is a solid cluster of 12-15 blastomeres formed by cleavage around day 3; enclosed within the zona pellucida.

Can be detected as early as 10 weeks gestation and mature around 28 weeks. These movements are important for lung development.

Dizygotic twins, or fraternal twins, who have separate placentas and amniotic sacs. This means they have different genetic makeup.

A deceased twin that remains in utero. The body becomes flattened and mummified.

A serious condition that affects monozygotic twins (identical twins) where they share the same placenta. One twin receives more blood flow than the other.

A maternal serum screening test done between 9-13 weeks and 6 days. It measures two markers (PAPP-A and BhCG) and includes a nuchal translucency scan.

A solid ball of cells formed after a fertilized egg undergoes several cell divisions.

A hollow ball of cells that forms from the morula. Contains an inner cell mass and a trophoblast.

Outer layer of cells surrounding the blastocyst. Develops into the fetal part of the placenta.

Inner grouping of cells within the blastocyst. Develops into the embryo, yolk sac, and amnion.

The process where the blastocyst attaches to the uterine lining.

Outer layer of the trophoblast. Responsible for releasing enzymes that break down the uterine lining and create spaces for blood vessels.

Inner layer of the trophoblast. Forms chorionic villi, which connect the fetus to the placenta.

Region beneath the site of implantation. Develops into the maternal part of the placenta.