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Obstetrics
is the branch of medicine concerned with the management of childbirth. The
ultimate goal of all workers in the field of obstetrics is to assist a
mother to produce a healthy baby, with a minimum of danger and discomfort to
both. Pregnancy is defined as the condition of being "with
child." To understand pregnancy, we must know how it begins, how the fetus
grows in the uterus, and how it affects the mother.
Today, more than ever before nurses play a central role in the planning for
and the experience of birth, and in how families feel about the experience
afterwards. You, as a practical nurse, should be knowledgeable of all
aspects of maternal nursing. And, by applying this knowledge you will
develop skills and experience in providing quality nursing care.
This course consists of two major parts. Part
1 covers the anatomy of reproduction and the development of the fetus. Part
2 covers childbirth and the first hours of life.
Primary
Content Provider: United States Army
Ancillary Content and Online Version: David L. Heiserman
Publisher: SweetHaven Publishing Services
1-1 
Obstetrics
is the branch of medicine concerned with the management of childbirth. The
ultimate goal of all workers in the field of obstetrics is to assist a
mother to produce a healthy baby, with a minimum of danger and discomfort to
both. Pregnancy is defined as the condition of being "with
child." To understand pregnancy, we must know how it begins, how the fetus
grows in the uterus, and how it affects the mother.