Glossary: Terms Starting with "U"

Urine protein refers to the presence of protein in your urine, detected during routine prenatal checks. Small amounts are normal, but elevated levels, especially combined with high blood pressure, can be a warning sign of preeclampsia, a serious pregnancy complication. Your midwife or doctor measures it using a dipstick test at most antenatal visits. If levels are high, further tests such as a 24-hour urine collection or blood tests may be ordered. Staying well hydrated, attending all antenatal appointments, and reporting symptoms like severe headaches or swelling promptly can help your care team catch problems early.

Related: Preeclampsia, BP

The umbilical cord is a flexible, rope-like structure roughly 50 to 60 cm long that connects your baby's belly button to the placenta. It contains two arteries and one vein, all cushioned by a jelly-like substance called Wharton's jelly. The vein carries oxygen-rich blood and nutrients to your baby, while the arteries return waste products to the placenta for disposal. After birth, the cord is clamped and cut, leaving a short stump that dries up and falls off within one to three weeks. Delayed cord clamping, waiting at least 60 seconds before cutting, is now recommended by the World Health Organization because it boosts the baby's iron stores.

Related: Placenta, cord blood

Uterine involution is the process by which your uterus shrinks back toward its pre-pregnancy size after you give birth. Right after delivery, your uterus weighs about 1 kilogram and sits at your belly button level. Over the next six weeks, it gradually contracts and returns to roughly 60 grams. This process is driven by hormones, particularly oxytocin, which is released naturally and also when you breastfeed. You may feel your uterus as a firm ball in your lower abdomen in the first days. If involution is slow, your doctor may recommend uterine massage or medication to help it along.

Related: Afterpains, lochia

Uterine atony happens when the uterus fails to contract firmly after a baby is delivered. Normally, the uterus squeezes down tightly after birth to compress the blood vessels where the placenta was attached. When it stays relaxed or floppy instead, those vessels bleed freely, leading to heavy blood loss. It is the most common cause of postpartum haemorrhage (PPH). Risk factors include a long labour, a large baby, twins, or having had many previous births. Midwives and doctors treat it with uterine massage, oxytocin, and other medications to help the uterus clamp down and stop bleeding.

Related: PPH, oxytocin