If you’ve landed on this article, you’ve probably already received it from your gynecologist: your maternity record. This document will accompany you in the coming months and track the entire course of your pregnancy. The maternity record consists of 16 pages and includes numerous abbreviations and medical terms. Don’t worry: no one expects you to know what oligohydramnios is or what BPD stands for. ;) To make sure you understand more than just “train station” when flipping through your maternity record, we’ll explain the most important entries page by page in this article. Of course, you can always ask your doctor or gynecologist if you have any questions.

But what is the purpose of the maternity record?

Did you know that the maternity record is the most frequently issued document in Germany after the driver’s license and ID card? After your gynecologist confirms your pregnancy, they usually give you the maternity record at your next visit. From then on, all results of the examinations are documented there. Any potential risk factors for the pregnant woman are also recorded. After the birth, the examination findings for the newborn and the mother’s follow-up examination are noted in the maternity record.

It’s a good idea to keep your maternity record with you throughout your pregnancy. That way, in an emergency, the attending doctor can respond quickly and appropriately. Even after the birth, you shouldn’t dispose of the document. If you become pregnant again, it provides important information—which is why no new maternity record is created; instead, the second pregnancy is documented in the same booklet.

By the way, you are not obligated to show your record to anyone. Authorities and your employer are also not allowed to request to see it.

What information is listed in the maternity record?

Page 1: Medical contact information and upcoming examination appointments

• Contact details for your treating gynecologist, delivery clinic, and/or the midwife supporting your care

• Space to enter the dates of upcoming check-up appointments

Page 2: Laboratory Tests and Rubella Protection

• Your contact details

• Blood type affiliation : This information is intended for quick reference in case of an emergency for the attending physician.

• Antibody search test : This test checks for nonspecific antibody reactions, which are often associated with blood group characteristics (Rhesus factor incompatibility). If the antibody screening test is negative, no further measures are necessary. If antibodies are detected, additional blood tests or, in some cases, special ultrasound examinations may be required.

• Rubella antibody test : These antibodies are produced either through vaccination or a previous infection and indicate whether you have sufficient protection against rubella. If you contract rubella during pregnancy, it can lead to severe physical and mental impairments in your child. If you are not sufficiently immune, a follow-up test will be conducted at a later date to rule out an infection (see page 3).

Page 3: Examination for Infections

• Chlamydia Chlamydia are bacteria that are usually transmitted through sexual intercourse and do not always cause symptoms. During pregnancy, however, they can lead to premature rupture of membranes and may be transmitted to your baby during birth. Therefore, the infection must be treated with antibiotics during pregnancy and also at the time of delivery.

• LSR : (Lues screening test, also called syphilis): If left untreated, the pathogen can harm the embryo. The maternity record only notes that the examination took place, not the result.

• Antibody Search Test Control This check-up is performed between the 24th and 27th week of pregnancy, even if no antibodies were found in the first test.

• Rubella antibody test control : This follow-up test is only performed if you were not sufficiently immune to rubella in the first test.

• Detection of HBs antigen from serum (Hepatitis B): If the hepatitis B test is positive, your child will be vaccinated immediately after birth.

Page 4: Information about previous pregnancies

• These details about any previous pregnancies provide your doctor with information to assess the current pregnancy, the possible course of delivery, and potential risks:

  • Spontaneous birth (vaginal birth without surgery)

  • Section (Caesarean section)

  • Abort (miscarriage)

  • Abruptio (abortion)

  • EU (Extrauterine pregnancy: Ectopic pregnancy or ectopic pregnancy)

• Documentation of what you were informed about and which topics were covered—for example, nutrition, risks, or childbirth preparation

  • This also notes whether an HIV test was carried out. The test is only performed at your request and, like the LSR, the result is not entered into the maternity record.

Page 5: Medical history and general findings/Initial preventive examination

• Pregnant : Previous pregnancies

  Para : Births

• This information about your general health and any pre-existing conditions (mental and physical) helps assess whether there is an increased risk for you or your baby.

Page 6: Notable Findings During Pregnancy

• Documentation of special findings during pregnancy, such as high blood pressure, bleeding, premature labor, or psychological stress:

  • Abuse : Taking medication, as well as smoking or drug use

  • Placenta praevia : Placenta (Mother cake) sits in front of the cervix and blocks the birth canal

  • Hydramnios : Excessive amniotic fluid production may indicate possible malformations or supply disturbances (for example, in cases of diabetes or infections in the pregnant woman) in the unborn child.

  • Oligohydramnios : Too little amniotic fluid; this may indicate possible growth delay in the fetus

  • Placenta insufficiency : The placenta cannot adequately nourish your baby; in this case, close medical supervision is necessary.

  • Cervical insufficiency : Shortening or inadequate closure of the cervix ( Cervix ); under certain circumstances, there is a risk of miscarriage or premature birth

  • Indirect Coombs test positive The indirect Coombs test is an antibody screening test and can detect Rhesus incompatibility. If it is positive, it means the mother developed antibodies in a previous pregnancy, and treatment is necessary to prevent harm to the fetus—for example, through prophylactic administration of Rhesus factor antibodies.

  • Hypertension : High blood pressure

  • Hypotonia : Low blood pressure

• Estimated Delivery Date

  • Calculated due date (based on the first day of your last menstrual period)

Pages 7 and 8: Pregnancy Chart

The pregnancy chart provides an overview of your pregnancy progress. The results of your prenatal check-ups are recorded in the observation sheet:

• Your data

  • Pregnancy week

  • Fundus position : Height of the uterus

  • Payment Fluid retention in the tissue

  • Varicose veins: Varicose veins

  • Weight

  • RR : Blood pressure

  • Hb : Iron level

  • Bacteriological findings

  • Results of the vaginal palpation examination

• Your child's data

  • Kindslage

    (SL = head circumference, BEL = breech presentation, QL = transverse lie)

  • Heartbeat

  • Children's movement

Page 9: Additions to pages 5 to 8

• Additions to the risk catalogs on pages 5 and 6 (for example, measures taken)

• Entry if inpatient treatment in the hospital took place during pregnancy

• Cardiotocographic findings: The cardiotocograph provides information about your baby's heart activity and your uterus’s readiness for contractions.

Pages 10 to 12: Ultrasound Examinations

The results of the three ultrasound examinations are entered here—for example, whether the fetus has implanted in the uterus as expected, whether there are multiples, or whether any malformations or abnormalities are present.

• FS : Fruit sac diameter (indicates an intact pregnancy early on)

• SSL : Length of your baby from crown to rump

• BPD : Head circumference of your baby

• FOD/KU : Head circumference of your baby

• ATD : Your baby's abdominal circumference

• APD/AU : Your baby's waist circumference

• FL : Length of your baby's thigh bone

Page 13: Standard Curves for Fetal Growth Progression

The measurements taken during the ultrasound examinations are plotted on the graphs. This makes it possible to compare the measurements with average values and check whether your baby’s growth is progressing normally.

Page 14: Further Ultrasound Examinations

If any abnormalities arise during one of your check-ups that require further investigations, the results will be recorded here.

Pages 15 and 16: Final Examination/Epicrisis

Under Summary (Greek “assessment,” “decision”) refers to the overall evaluation of the medical history (although pregnancy is, of course, not a disease). In the maternity record, it includes the following areas:

• Pregnancy : Brief summary of the pregnancy course

• Birth : Your child's measurement data

  • Apgar score The Apgar score is determined once at five minutes and once at ten minutes after birth and assesses your baby’s vital functions based on parameters such as breathing, heart rate, reflexes, skin coloration, and muscle tone. Each parameter is awarded 0 to 2 points, and the Apgar score is based on the total of the individual assessments.

• Postpartum : Abnormalities in the postpartum period, both in you and your baby

• 2. Examination after childbirth : Results of the examination six to eight weeks after birth (for you and your child)

From page 17: Documentation of another pregnancy

If you have a second child, pages 1 to 16 are repeated so the second pregnancy can be documented there. This allows your doctor to review the values from your first pregnancy if they have any implications for the second.

We hope we’ve been able to shed some light on the world of medical terminology and abbreviations so that, in the future, you won’t be left with a thousand question marks when flipping through your maternity record. Of course, you should never hesitate to ask your gynecologist or midwife if you have questions about specific entries. :)