Brain Injury Terms and Definitions

Congenital anomaly
Physical, physiological, or metabolic abnormality existing before or at birth, but not necessarily detectable at birth.

Dystocia
difficult labor or childbirth

Live birth
The complete expulsion or extraction from its mother of a product of conception, regardless of the duration of the pregnancy, which after expulsion shows any vital signs (heart beat, voluntary breathing, umbilical cord pulsation, or voluntary muscle movem

Fetal death (stillbirth)
Death of a product of conception prior to the complete expulsion or extraction from its mother, regardless of the length of gestation

Gestation period
Number of completed weeks elapsed between the first day of the last normal menstrual period and the date of delivery.

Childbearing years
The reproductive age span of women; conventionally defined as 15 through 44 years of age for the U.S. population.

AIDS
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome caused by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).

Neonate
An infant less than 28 days of age.

Birth weight
The weight of an infant at delivery, recorded in pounds and ounces or in grams.

Very low birth weight
A birth weight less than 1500 grams, or less than 3 pounds, 5 ounces.