Louisiana Administrative Code › Title 48 - PUBLIC HEALTH-GENERAL › Part I - General Administration › Subpart 3 - Licensing and Certification › Chapter 93 - Hospitals › Subchapter U - Alternative Birthing Units › Section I-9553 - Definitions

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 6, June 20, 2024
Active Labor
-contractions resulting in
						progressive effacement and dilation of the cervix.
Alternative Birthing Unit
(ABU)
-a unit located within a hospital in which delivery is
						expected following a low risk, normal, and uncomplicated pregnancy. Care and
						services provided prior to, during, and following childbirth are under the
						direction of a certified nurse midwife.
Antepartum Care (Prenatal
						Care)
-occurring or existing before birth. The prenatal period (also
						known as antenatal care) refers to the regular medical and nursing care
						recommended for women during pregnancy. Prenatal care is a type of preventative
						care with the goal of providing regular check-ups that allow doctors or
						certified nurse midwives to treat and prevent potential health problems
						throughout the course of the pregnancy.
Certified Nurse Midwife
(CNM)
-an advanced practice registered nurse educated in the
						disciplines of nursing and midwifery and certified according to a nationally
						recognized certifying body, such as the American College of Nurse Midwives
						Certification Council, as approved by the Board, and who is authorized to
						manage the nurse midwifery care of newborns and women in the antepartum,
						intrapartum, postpartum and/or gynecological periods pursuant to Title 46, Part
						XLVII, Chapter 45, §4503. B.1 et seq.
Complications
-any condition as defined
						by the medical staff/governing body that contraindicates continued care in the
						alternative birthing center.
Doula
-a nonmedical person, certified by
						Doula of North America (DONA) who assists a woman before, during or after
						childbirth, as well as her partner and/or family, by providing information,
						physical assistance and emotional support.
Family
-individuals selected by the
						pregnant woman to be present and/or in attendance during her admission to the
						ABU.
Intrapartum
-the period beginning with
						active labor to the expulsion of the placenta.
Licensed Practitioner
-for purposes of
						this Rule refers to a licensed physician and/or a certified nurse
						midwife.
Low Risk Pregnancy
-a normal
						uncomplicated term pregnancy as determined by a generally accepted course of
						prenatal care. The expectation of a normal uncomplicated birth as shall be
						defined by the medical staff/governing body.
Medical Director
-a physician licensed
						to practice medicine by the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners (LSBME),
						who is board certified as an obstetrician and gynecologist (OB/GYN) and
						credentialed and privileged for the hospital's obstetrical/gynecological
						services.
Postmature
-gestational age of greater
						than 42 weeks.
Postpartum
-the period beginning
						immediately after childbirth.
Preterm
-prior to the thirty-seventh
						week of gestation.
Term
-gestational age of greater or
						equal to 37 weeks.
AUTHORITY NOTE:
						Promulgated in accordance with R.S.
						40:2100-2115.