ABBREVIATIONS
This lists includes formal and non-formal acronyms you may encounter.
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**Underlined terms are universal across specialties.**
ARM/AROM
Artificial rupture of membranes
BM
Bowel movement
BP
Blood pressure
BS/BSO
Bilateral sapingectomy / bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy
CMT
Cervical motion tenderness
CNTX
Contractions
C/S OR LSCS
Cesarean section / lower segment cesarean section
CVS
Chorionic villus sampling
DAT
Diet as tolerated
FHR
Fetal heart rate
FM
Fetal movement
GA
Gestational age
GBS
Group B strep
GDM
Gestational diabetes
GTPAL
Gravida, term, preterm, abortion, living
(commonly abbreviated to G_P_)
HTN
Hypertension
IOL
Induction of labour
IUGR
Intrauterine growth restriction
IUFD
Intrauterine fetal death
IV
Intravenous
LEEP
Loop electrical excision procedure
LMP
Last menstrual period
MVC
Motor vehicle collision
NIPT
Non-invasive prenatal testing
N/V
Nausea and vomiting
NST
Non stress test
NND
Neonatal death
NKDA
No known drug allergy
NPO
Nil per os (nothing by mouth)
O/N
Overnight
OPQRST
Onset, position, quality, radiation, severity, timing
PCA / PCEA
Patient controlled analgesia / patient controlled epidural analgesia
PIH
Pregnancy induced hypertension (This is an older term that has been largely replaced by "gestational HTN" as per the SOGC Guidelines.)
PNV
Prenatal vitamins
PO
Per os (oral)
POD
Post-op day (write as POD #_)
PPD
Postpartum day (write as PPD#_)
PPH
Postpartum hemorrhage
PPROM
Preterm premature rupture of membranes
PROM
Premature rupture of membranes
PVB / PVL
Per vaginal bleeding / per vaginal loss of fluid
ROS
Review of systems
SA
Spontaneous abortion
SOB
Shortness of breath
SROM
Spontaneous rupture of membranes
STI / STD
Sexually transmitted infections / sexually transmitted diseases
TA
Therapeutic abortion
TLH/TAH
Total laparoscopic hysterectomy / total abdominal hysterectomy
TOCO
Tocometer
U/S OR TVUS
Ultrasound or transvaginal ultrasound
VE
Vaginal ex
WOB
Work of breath