Words to know

alcohol (AL-kuh-hol) — Beer, wine, wine coolers and liquor. Examples of liquor are vodka, whiskey and bourbon. Pregnant women should not drink alcohol because it is not safe for
the baby.

caffeine (ka-FEEN) — A drug that is found in things like coffee, teas, soda, chocolate and some medicines. Pregnant women should limit the amount of caffeine they get each day to 200 milligrams. That’s about the amount in one 12-ounce cup of coffee.

depression (di-PRESH-uhn) — A medical condition where strong feelings of sadness last for long periods of time and prevent a person from leading a normal life.

grief (greef) — All the feelings people have when someone close to them dies.

grief counselor (greef KOWN-si-lur )— Someone with special training to help people deal with their grief.

health care provider (helth kair pruh-VYE-dur) — Also called provider. A person who gives medical care. A provider could be a doctor, a nurse, a midwife, a nurse practitioner or another trained medical professional.

miscarriage (MIS-kair-ij) — When a baby dies in the womb before 20 weeks of pregnancy.

multiples (MUHL-ti-puhlz) — A pregnancy with more than one baby, like twins, triplets or more.

neonatal intensive care unit (nee-oh-NAY-tuhl in-TEN-siv kair YOO-nit) — Also called NICU. A section of a hospital that takes care of sick newborns.

NICU (NIK-yoo) — See neonatal intensive care unit.

provider — See health care provider.

secondhand smoke (SEK-uhnd-hand smohk) — Smoke people breathe in from someone else’s cigarette.

stillbirth (STIL-burth) — When a baby dies before birth after
20 weeks of pregnancy.

support group (suh-PORT groop) — A group of people who have the same kind of concerns. They meet together to try to help each other.

ultrasound (UHL-truh-sound) — A tool that uses sound waves and a computer screen to make a picture of the baby in the womb.

August 2008