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A34 ICD-10-CM Code: Obstetrical tetanus

Billing Status: YES. This is a valid, specific, and billable ICD-10-CM reference.

Inpatient Payment Groups (MS-DRG)

Potential MS-DRG participation — not a DRG assignment.

MS-DRGs this diagnosis helps define, as principal or secondary, per the CMS ICD-10-CM/PCS MS-DRG Definitions Manual v43, Appendix B.

  • MS-DRG 769 — POSTPARTUM AND POST ABORTION DIAGNOSES WITH O.R. PROCEDURES (MDC 14)
  • MS-DRG 776 — POSTPARTUM AND POST ABORTION DIAGNOSES WITHOUT O.R. PROCEDURES (MDC 14)

A diagnosis appearing in a group's logic does not by itself determine the DRG assigned to a stay; the grouper uses the full claim.

Code Overview

Obstetrical tetanus is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code (A34).

MedCoder summary Summary composed by MedCoder from this code's official ICD-10-CM record. The tabular instructional notes themselves appear verbatim below.

Indexed Clinical Terms (4)

Official source data — entries quoted as published, in the Index’s own lookup phrasing

Clinical term phrases from the official ICD-10-CM Index to Diseases and Injuries that map to this code. These are alphabetic-index entries shown as the Index writes them — lookup phrasing, not necessarily the wording of a final diagnosis.

Verify Before Coding

  • Age-restricted: the Medicare Code Editor lists this as a maternity (age 9-64) diagnosis; other ages are presumed incorrect.
  • CC as a secondary diagnosis (FY2026). Can raise the stay's MS-DRG severity tier.

From the code registry, the Medicare Code Editor, and the MS-DRG Definitions Manual. Check it against a full claim in Claim Check.

Relationships & Classification

MedCoder structured relationships — computed from published CMS and AHRQ datasets

Other codes that name A34 or its code family, from the CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes. Tabular-note edges are stored at the code family level that carries each note.

Referenced by 1 Excludes1 note: A35 — Other tetanus.

These codes’ tabular lists mark this diagnosis as mutually exclusive — not reported together unless the conditions are documented as unrelated.

Referenced by 10 Excludes2 notes: O85 — Puerperal sepsis, O85-O92 — Complications predominantly related to the puerperium (O85-O92), O86 — Other puerperal infections, O87 — Venous complications and hemorrhoids in the puerperium, O88 — Obstetric embolism, O89 — Complications of anesthesia during the puerperium, O90 — Complications of the puerperium, not elsewhere classified, O91 — Infections of breast associated with pregnancy, the puerperium and lactation, O92 — Other disorders of breast and disorders of lactation associated with pregnancy and the puerperium, O98 — Maternal infectious and parasitic diseases classifiable elsewhere but complicating pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium.

These codes’ tabular lists name this diagnosis as distinct — both may be reported when both are documented.

MS-DRG Grouper Relationships (FY2026)

Potential MS-DRG participation — not a DRG assignment.

FY2026 MS-DRG: CC — Complication or Comorbidity. Reported as a secondary diagnosis, this code raises the stay's MS-DRG severity tier — except when the principal diagnosis is one of 268 clinically related codes on its CMS exclusion list.

Named in the grouper logic of 2 MS-DRGs: DRG 769 (MDC 14), DRG 776 (MDC 14).

From the CMS MS-DRG Definitions Manual (Appendices B and C). Actual DRG assignment depends on the complete claim.

Clinical classification (AHRQ CCSR):PRG023 — Complications specified during childbirth (default); INF003 — Bacterial infections.

Clinical Classifications Software Refined (CCSR) for ICD-10-CM Diagnoses. Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP), Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

Related Codes

Same clinical process (MS-DRG)

Acts as CC — raises the severity of other admissions. CMS groups these diagnoses into one MS-DRG principal-diagnosis exclusion process — a CC/MCC on this list never raises severity when the principal diagnosis is also on it.

O08.0 — Genital tract and pelvic infection following ectopic and molar pregnancy, O08.2 — Embolism following ectopic and molar pregnancy, O08.3 — Shock following ectopic and molar pregnancy, O08.4 — Renal failure following ectopic and molar pregnancy, O08.5 — Metabolic disorders following an ectopic and molar pregnancy, O08.6 — Damage to pelvic organs and tissues following an ectopic and molar pregnancy, O08.7 — Other venous complications following an ectopic and molar pregnancy, O08.81 — Cardiac arrest following an ectopic and molar pregnancy, O08.82 — Sepsis following ectopic and molar pregnancy, O08.83 — Urinary tract infection following an ectopic and molar pregnancy, O08.89 — Other complications following an ectopic and molar pregnancy, O08.9 — Unspecified complication following an ectopic and molar pregnancy, O11.4 — Pre-existing hypertension with pre-eclampsia, complicating childbirth, O11.5 — Pre-existing hypertension with pre-eclampsia, complicating the puerperium, O12.04 — Gestational edema, complicating childbirth, O12.05 — Gestational edema, complicating the puerperium, O12.14 — Gestational proteinuria, complicating childbirth, O12.15 — Gestational proteinuria, complicating the puerperium, O12.24 — Gestational edema with proteinuria, complicating childbirth, O12.25 — Gestational edema with proteinuria, complicating the puerperium, +247 more

Same clinical category (CCSR)

AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software groups these diagnoses under the same clinical categories (Complications specified during childbirth, Bacterial infections).

O10.02 — Pre-existing essential hypertension complicating childbirth, O10.12 — Pre-existing hypertensive heart disease complicating childbirth, O10.22 — Pre-existing hypertensive chronic kidney disease complicating childbirth, O10.32 — Pre-existing hypertensive heart and chronic kidney disease complicating childbirth, O10.42 — Pre-existing secondary hypertension complicating childbirth, O10.92 — Unspecified pre-existing hypertension complicating childbirth, O11.4 — Pre-existing hypertension with pre-eclampsia, complicating childbirth, O12.04 — Gestational edema, complicating childbirth, O12.14 — Gestational proteinuria, complicating childbirth, O12.24 — Gestational edema with proteinuria, complicating childbirth, O13.4 — Gestational [pregnancy-induced] hypertension without significant proteinuria, complicating childbirth, O14.04 — Mild to moderate pre-eclampsia, complicating childbirth, O14.14 — Severe pre-eclampsia complicating childbirth, O14.24 — HELLP syndrome, complicating childbirth, O14.94 — Unspecified pre-eclampsia, complicating childbirth, O15.1 — Eclampsia complicating labor, O16.4 — Unspecified maternal hypertension, complicating childbirth, O24.02 — Pre-existing type 1 diabetes mellitus, in childbirth, O24.12 — Pre-existing type 2 diabetes mellitus, in childbirth, O24.32 — Unspecified pre-existing diabetes mellitus in childbirth, +489 more

Same Index main term, other category

The ICD-10-CM Index to Diseases and Injuries files this code under the main terms “Tetanus, tetanic”, “Puerperal, puerperium”; these codes share that main term but sit in a different category of the Tabular List.

A33 — Tetanus neonatorum (neonatorum), A35 — Other tetanus, F05 — Delirium due to known physiological condition (delirium NEC), F30.8 — Other manic episodes (mania), F53.1 — Puerperal psychosis (psychosis), O08.0 — Genital tract and pelvic infection following ectopic and molar pregnancy (with, ectopic or molar pregnancy), O12.05 — Gestational edema, complicating the puerperium (gestational, edema), O12.15 — Gestational proteinuria, complicating the puerperium (gestational, proteinuria), O12.25 — Gestational edema with proteinuria, complicating the puerperium (gestational, edema, with proteinuria), O15.2 — Eclampsia complicating the puerperium (toxemia), O24.03 — Pre-existing type 1 diabetes mellitus, in the puerperium (diabetes, pre-existing, type 1), O24.13 — Pre-existing type 2 diabetes mellitus, in the puerperium (diabetes, pre-existing, type 2), O24.33 — Unspecified pre-existing diabetes mellitus in the puerperium (diabetes, pre-existing), O24.430 — Gestational diabetes mellitus in the puerperium, diet controlled (gestational, diabetes, diet controlled), O24.434 — Gestational diabetes mellitus in the puerperium, insulin controlled (gestational, diabetes, insulincontrolled), O24.435 — Gestational diabetes mellitus in puerperium, controlled by oral hypoglycemic drugs (gestational, diabetes, oral drug controlled), O24.439 — Gestational diabetes mellitus in the puerperium, unspecified control (gestational, diabetes), O24.83 — Other pre-existing diabetes mellitus in the puerperium (diabetes, pre-existing, specified NEC), O24.93 — Unspecified diabetes mellitus in the puerperium (diabetes), O25.3 — Malnutrition in the puerperium (malnutrition), +82 more

Contextual Map

Every relationship of A34 in one view: hierarchy, official tabular instructions in both directions, clinical classification, risk adjustment, MS-DRG participation, index terms and change history — each edge carrying the CMS source it derives from.

Run A34 with these 9 related codes in Claim Check

Hierarchy

Referenced by Excludes1 notes

  • A35 — Other tetanus[Excludes1]: “obstetrical tetanus (A34)”— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes · icd10cm-fy2026

Referenced by Excludes2 notes (10)

Clinical classification (CCSR)

MS-DRG Grouper

MDC crossing

  • MDC 14 — Pregnancy, Childbirth and the Puerperium[MDC crossing]: “Pregnancy, Childbirth and the Puerperium — the grouper's crossing between diagnoses and procedures: a principal diagnosis sets the MDC, and same-MDC procedures move the stay to its surgical DRGs. 94 same-MDC procedures group here; browse them on the MDC page.”— CMS MS-DRG Definitions Manual · FY2026

Index entries

  • Puerperal, puerperium (complicated by, complications), tetanus[Index term]— CMS ICD-10-CM Index to Diseases and Injuries · icd10cm-fy2026
  • Tetanus, tetanic (cephalic) (convulsions), obstetrical[Index term]— CMS ICD-10-CM Index to Diseases and Injuries · icd10cm-fy2026
  • Tetanus, tetanic (cephalic) (convulsions), puerperal, postpartum, childbirth[Index term]— CMS ICD-10-CM Index to Diseases and Injuries · icd10cm-fy2026
  • Tetanus, tetanic (cephalic) (convulsions), with, abortion[Index term]— CMS ICD-10-CM Index to Diseases and Injuries · icd10cm-fy2026

Change history

  • FY2016 — In the code set at ICD-10-CM adoption [Change history]— CMS release files (code change ledger) · icd10cm-fy2016

Sources for this page

Codes, titles, notes, index terms and mappings on this page are transcribed from the datasets below. Relationships MedCoder computed and text MedCoder wrote are labelled where they appear.

Code, title, tabular notes and index terms Official source data
CMS/CDC ICD-10-CM FY2026 tabular list, index and tables, effective October 1, 2025 Release, file and checksum · Publisher’s page
Claim edits Official source data
CMS Definitions of Medicare Code Edits — v43.1 (April 2026) Release, file and checksum · Publisher’s page
Inpatient payment groups Official source data
CMS MS-DRG Definitions Manual (incl. Appendix B diagnosis index, Appendix C CC/MCC list, Appendix E procedure index) and IPPS Final Rule tables — v43 Release, file and checksum · Publisher’s page
Change history and date-of-service validity Official source data
CMS ICD-10-CM release addenda, ingested release by release into the change ledger Release, file and checksum · Publisher’s page
Comparisons, relationships and the contextual map MedCoder structured relationship
Computed by MedCoder from the tabular notes and tables above; every derived relationship is marked as derived where it appears
Summary and FAQ answers MedCoder explanation
Written by MedCoder to explain the sources above: drafted with AI assistance, checked by a person against the release files, and labelled as MedCoder text where it appears. Not official text.

Labels on this page: Official source data · MedCoder structured relationship · MedCoder explanation. How to read the labels · All data sources and release dates

Cite this page

Reference this page in a research guide, syllabus or article. The release is included because code content changes each year.

MedCoder.ai. "A34 — Obstetrical tetanus." ICD-10-CM FY2026. https://medcoder.ai/icd10/code/a34-obstetrical-tetanus

Change history

  • FY2016 — October 1, 2015
    In the code set at ICD-10-CM adoption
    Obstetrical tetanus

No changes since FY2016 — additions, deletions, description changes and billable-status changes are tracked through FY2027 (effective October 1, 2026), and none are recorded for this code. Note changes are tracked from FY2027 only.