cephalhematoma
noun
ceph·al·he·ma·to·ma
ˌsef-əl-ˌhē-mə-ˈtō-mə 
variants
or cephalohematoma
or chiefly British cephalhaematoma
or cephalohaematoma
plural cephalhematomas also cephalhematomata
-mət-ə
: a usually benign swelling formed from a hemorrhage beneath the periosteum of the skull and occurring especially over one or both of the parietal bones in newborn infants as a result of trauma sustained during delivery
Examination of the newborns, both at delivery and at discharge, did not detect any increase in morbidity (e.g., fractures, cephalhematomas, or hyperbilirubinemia) in the infants of mothers whose labor was actively managed.—
José A. López-Zeno et al., The New England Journal of Medicine
José A. López-Zeno et al., The New England Journal of MedicineCite this Entry
“Cephalhematoma.” Merriam-Webster.com Medical Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/medical/cephalhematoma. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
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