All important data relating to the delivery and the weeks afterwards are entered on the last two pages of your maternity record (Mutterpass). This information affects both the mother and the baby. This final report is called epicrisisEpicrisis Epikrise In medicine, an epicrisis is the final assessment of a case of illness. This assessment records the history, medical findings, course of the illness and the treatment measures taken. Information about the progression of the pregnancy, the first examinations of the newborn, and check-ups during the postpartum period are summarised in the maternity record (Mutterpass) under epicrisis. in medical terminology.
Course of pregnancy and birth
The entries in the first section of page 15 give a brief overview of the course of pregnancy. The second section deals with delivery. Doctors and midwives will enter any important data about the birth process here. For example, they will note what the baby’s position was before delivery, or whether it was delivered via spontaneous birthSpontaneous birth Spontangeburt A spontaneous birth is a birth that was not induced by medication and was carried out without obstetric interventions such as a caesarean section, vacuum extractor or forceps., by c-section or with the aid of a vacuum deviceVacuum assisted delivery Saugglocke Vacuum assisted delivery with a suction cup is used in obstetrics when the birth comes to a halt during the last phase of childbirth. In these cases, a suction cup is placed on the unborn baby’s head once it has already passed through the pelvic inlet. Then, the baby can be pulled through the birth canal with the help of negative pressure in the suction cup.. In the case of a delivery with a vacuum device, the abbreviation VE for ‘vacuum extraction’ is noted. The newborn’s check-up results are also documented on page 15. This includes entries about the baby's height, length and weight, blood values and what’s known as the Apgar scoreApgar test Apgar-Test The Apgar test is the first examination of the newborn. This test assesses the health of the newborn. The child's breathing, pulse, reflexes, appearance and movement are examined and scored from 1 to 10. This score is used to determine what care the child needs and whether they need to receive medical treatment.. The name of the test is derived from the first letters of the different areas that are closely observed one, five and ten minutes after birth. In English, these are the baby’s ‘appearance, pulse, grimace (i.e. facial movement), activity and respiration’. In Germany, each function is scored with one, two or three points respectively (though you may be used to a scoring system of zero to two in other countries). The test provides information about whether the baby has come through the birth well.
The postpartum period
The third section on page 15 will document how mother and baby are doing in the postpartum period. In some cases, you may get a shot of anti-D prophylaxisAnti-D prophylaxis Anti-D-Prophylaxe Anti-D prophylaxis is a vaccination given to some pregnant people. It is administered when the unborn child has inherited a blood group from the father that is incompatible with the mother's blood group. This vaccination takes place once between the 28th and 30th week of pregnancy and once after birth. This vaccination can prevent serious complications. when you’re in labour. This is necessary if the mother's blood is Rh negativeRhesus factor Rhesusfaktor In biology, the rhesus factor is part of the blood group system, which is used to distinguish between the different blood groups. Special proteins are found on the red blood cells of people with a positive Rh factor. This is not the case in people with negative rhesus factor. In pregnancy, this can be important, as the foetus may have a different blood type than the mother, which can cause complications. and the baby's is Rh positive. It prevents rhesus incompatibilityRhesus incompatibility Rhesus-Unverträglichkeit Rhesus (Rh) incompatibility occurs when the blood groups of two people are incompatible. The Rhesus factor is part of the blood group system, which is used to distinguish between the different blood types. Blood transfusions or pregnancy may cause this type of incompatibility. In the rare case of blood from the foetus passing to the mother, complications may arise and the administration of medication may be necessary. from occurring if the mother chooses to become pregnant again. A direct Coombs testCoombs test Coombs-Test The Coombs test is one of the maternity screening tests. In this test, the mother's blood is examined for compatibility with the unborn baby’s blood group. A negative result means that the blood groups are compatible. A positive result means that the blood groups are incompatible. If this is the case, it may be necessary to administer medications. is used to see if the newborn has antibodiesAntibodies Antikörper In medicine, antibodies are special proteins in blood that belong to the immune system. Antibodies bind germs and other substances in the blood that can be dangerous to humans. Pathogens and other substances unknown to the body can trigger the increased production of antibodies as a defense mechanism. in its blood and is also documented accordingly.
Features of the postpartum period
On page 16 of your maternity record (Mutterpass), your midwife or doctor will write down whether you or the baby have had any health complications in the first 6 to 8 weeks after delivery. They will note your blood pressure readings. They will check the amount of haemoglobinHaemoglobin Hämoglobin In biology, haemoglobin is the blood pigment of the red blood cells. Haemoglobin binds to and transports oxygen and carbon within the body. When the haemoglobin value is too low or too high in the blood, it can be a sign of various diseases. in your blood and document details about your urine levels. On this last page pertaining to your current pregnancy it will also be noted whether you have already been to the U3 check-up with your baby and whether there were any abnormalities. This is important for later pregnancies. The U3 is the third check-up for your baby, which takes place in the fourth or fifth week of the baby's life. All your baby’s check-ups are documented in the yellow child’s check up booklet. Any costs for this are covered by your baby's health insurance.