Birth Injury Glossary - D
Understanding Birth Injury Terms and Definitions
The material contained in medical records and research materials usually contains words that are unfamiliar and new. The Cerebral Palsy Glossary contains definitions of terms and acronyms that are commonly associated with cerebral palsy.
Deceleration
- a decrease in rate or speed.
Early Deceleration
- A periodic decrease in the fetus’s heart rate, due to the onset of a contraction.
Late Deceleration
- A periodic heart rate decrease that occurs at or after the peak of a contraction. Late deceleration may indicate fetal hypoxia.
Variable Deceleration
- A heart rate decrease that usually indicates compression of the umbilical cord. Variable decelerations may occur at any time in relation to a contraction.
Dystonia
- A hereditary movement disorder. Dystonia is marked by irregular and involuntary contortions that result in the body writing and twisting in unusual positions.