Obstetrics and the Newborn
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 further explains the many physiological and psychological changes that a woman may experience throughout her
pregnancy, during labor and delivery, and the period after delivery. The practical nurse, along with other members of the
nursing staff, have a great responsibility of teaching and providing quality nursing care for the health and well-being of
the mother and the newborn.
Select a topic from the course menu in the left-hand column.