F

face area from mentum or chin to supraorbital ridges; 14 fused bones.

face presentation cephalic presentation with fetal spine and head extended, face lowest in pelvis; occurs in about 1:500–600 deliveries due to occipitoposterior position with insufficient flexion, possibly because android pelvis causes biparietal diameter to be caught in sacrocotyloid diameter of pelvis, extending head. Denominator is mentum: delivery may be spontaneous in mentoanterior position, especially in multipara with small baby; in mentoposterior position spontaneous delivery is unlikely unless chin rotates anteriorly; risk of persistent mentoposterior position with obstructed labour, when Caesarean section is necessary. Baby’s face will be bruised and oedematous at delivery.

face-to-pubes persistent occipitoposterior position, in which attitude of head is military, neither flexed nor extended; sinciput, meeting pelvic floor first, rotates forwards, bringing occiput to hollow of sacrum; firstand second-stage delay is common. Maternal squatting may enlarge pelvic outlet sufficiently to facilitate vaginal delivery; severe stretching and laceration of pelvic floor often occurs. Forceps delivery is sometimes necessary. See persistent occipitoposterior.

facial paralysis paralysis of facial muscles, usually one side only, due to seventh cranial (facial) nerve injury, sometimes after forceps delivery; usually resolves spontaneously within few days.

factor agent or element contributing to production of particular result. Anti-haemophilic f. (AHF) factor VIII, one of clotting factors. Anti-haemorrhagic f. vitamin K. Clotting f., coagulation f. twelve or more factors essential for normal blood clotting, whose absence, deficiency or excess may lead to abnormal clotting mechanism. Extrinsic f. see extrinsic. Intrinsic f. glycoprotein secreted by parietal cells of gastric glands, necessary for absorption of vitamin b₁₂; deficiency causes pernicious anaemia. F. V Leiden mutation (fVL) inherited blood coagulation disorder increasing risk of thrombosis and strokes in presence of other risk factors, e.g. obesity, surgery; associated with poor placentation, fetal loss, pre-eclampsia; screened for during thrombophilia screeen. Releasing f. factor produced in one structure that triggers release of hormones from another structure. Rhesus f. genetically determined antigens present on surface of erythrocytes; see rhesus factor.

faeces food residue and other waste products excreted from bowels. Adj faecal.

failure to progress prolonged labour, inadequate contractions and cervical dilatation; usually considered as any labour lasting more than 24 hours; may be assessed from observations recorded on PARTOGRAM. Risk of obstructed labour and uterine rupture if not diagnosed and managed correctly.

faint temporary loss of consciousness due to generalised cerebral ischaemia; syncope.

falciform sickle-shaped.

fallopian tubes uterine tubes, oviducts; two narrow canals, each 10 cm long, leading from uterine cornua to ovaries.

Fallot’s tetralogy combination of four congenital cardiac defects: pulmonary stenosis, ventricular septal defects, right ventricular hypertrophy, dextroposition of aorta.

false labour painful uterine contractions simulating labour, without cervical dilatation or uterine fundal dominance.

false-negative rate proportion of affected pregnancies that would not be identified as high risk; tests with low false-negative rate have low sensitivity.

false pelvis region between brim of true pelvis and iliac crests. See pelvis.

false-positive rate measure of screening test’s performance; proportion of people who have positive screening result but do not have condition.

falx sickle, or sickle-shaped structure.

falx cerebri sickle-shaped fold of dura mater separating two cerebral hemispheres of brain.

familial occurring in families, inherited conditions, e.g. haemophilia.

family group of people residing together, usually related by blood or marriage. Extended f. nuclear family and close relatives. Nuclear f. couple and their children by birth or adoption living together. Singleparent f. lone parent and offspring living as family unit. F. planning See contraception.

fascia sheet or band of fibrous connective tissue, arranged loosely around organs and blood vessels, or in dense strong sheets, often between muscles. Pelvic f. in pelvic cavity, with parietal layer lining walls and covering pelvic floor and visceral layer supporting pelvic organs.

fat 1. adipose or fatty tissue. 2. neutral fat; triglyceride (or triacylglycerol), compound of fatty acids and glycerol.

fat soluble capable of being dissolved in fats, e.g. vitamins.

favism acute haemolytic anaemia caused by ingestion of fava beans. See glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase.

febrile feverish; pyrexial.

fecundation fertilisation.

fecundity ability to produce offspring.

feet to foot supine position for sleeping baby, with feet at foot of cot; attempt to prevent airway obstruction.

female genital mutilation circumcision; excision of labia majora, labia minora, clitoris, sometimes partial closure of introitus; prevalent in areas such as Sudan. Complications include problems with micturition and intercourse; excision and separation of tissues may be required in labour or Caesarean section may be necessary.

feminisation 1. normal development of female sexual characteristics. 2. development of female sexual characteristics in male. Testicular f. individual is phenotypically female but lacks nuclear sex chromatin, genetically male (one X, one Y chromosome).

femoral pertaining to femur. F. artery principal artery of thigh, continuation of external iliac artery. F. vein main vein of thigh, continuation of popliteal vein, passing up leg through groin, continuing as external iliac vein.

femur thigh bone, from hip to knee, articulating with innominate bone at acetabulum.

fenestrated window-like opening or fenestra, e.g. blades of midwifery forceps. F. placenta or placenta fenestrata See placenta.

fentanyl intravenous or intramuscular analgesic for intra- and postoperative pain.

Ferguson reflex surge of oxytocin, resulting in increased uterine contractions, due to stimulation of cervix and upper part of vagina.

ferment to induce chemical changes as result of enzymes with specific actions.

fern test cervical cytology to determine amount of oestrogen in cervical mucus; oestrogen in dried cervical mucus has fern-like appearance on low-power microscopy.

ferritin iron–apoferritin complex; one form in which iron is stored in body.

ferrous containing iron in its plus two oxidation state. F. fumarate anhydrous salt, combination of ferrous iron and fumaric acid; used as haematinic. F. gluconate haematinic, less irritating to gastrointestinal tract than other haematinics, used as substitute when ferrous sulphate not tolerated. F. sulphate most widely used haematinic for iron deficiency anaemia, less irritating than equivalent amounts of ferric salts, more effective.

fertile capable of producing offspring. F. period 9 days surrounding ovulation when fertilisation of ovum is theoretically possible; normally classified as 5 days before and 3 days after ovulation, used as a method of contraception.

fertility ability to produce young. See also subfertility, infertility.

fertilisation impregnation, conception; union of spermatozoon and ovum to create new human being. In vitro f. artificial fertilisation of ovum under laboratory conditions. In vivo f. artificial fertilisation within reproductive tract.

fetal

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