Question about Gravida and Para??

Nursing Students Student Assist

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Specializes in Trauma.

Hi...

I was curious if you can answer something for me? I just took my 1st OB exam and there is a question on the exam that people are fighting over. If you have the time, can you please tell me what the answer is?

Here is the question.

A 34 year old lady is currently pregnant. She has 4 year old twins and a 2 year old son. In this lady's hospital file, you will find gravida _____ and para ____.

My answer is: Gravida 3 and para 3. Students in my class are saying that you count twins as one, which confuses me. I thought para = births and therefore, would be counted as 2 births.

Anyhow...if you can offer your help and knowledge, I would be greatful.

1 Votes
Specializes in Education, FP, LNC, Forensics, ED, OB.

Hello, StudentNurseBean,

She is a G III P II. Yes, multiples are classified as one. One pregnancy equals one birth no matter the number of children birthed. For every pregnancy, there is a (an) outcome, meaning one.

1 Votes
Specializes in L & D; Postpartum.

This debate has been going on for many years! When I was in school in the 70's, we were taught that a birth, regardless of whether a singleton or multiple, is one parity. So in this case she would be G3, P2.

Others will disagree, but that's how I still do it.

0 Votes
Specializes in Gerontological, cardiac, med-surg, peds.

The correct answer is Gravida 3, Para 2.

Para = a delivery past 20 weeks gestation, whether of a stillbirth, viable infant, twins, triplets, quadruplets, quintuplets, sextuplets, or septuplets, etc. Multi-fetal births count as one gravida and one para. A great example is the following:

Bobbi McCaughey has eight living children who are the product of two pregnancies. She has had no other pregnancies. The first pregnancy resulted in a term birth with a healthy baby girl. The second pregnancy resulted in the birth of viable septuplets at 30 weeks' gestation. She is Gravida 2 para 2. The parity notation for Ms. McCaughey (G/TPAL) is: Gravida 2 para 1108.

Hope this helps clear up the confusion ?

1 Votes
Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

Thanks for the info guys. It just goes to show that we can all learn something on a daily basis. (trauma bows out).

1 Votes
VickyRN said:
The correct answer is Gravida 3, Para 2.

Para = a delivery past 20 weeks gestation, whether of a stillbirth, viable infant, twins, triplets, quadruplets, quintuplets, sextuplets, or septuplets, etc. Multi-fetal births count as one gravida and one para. A great example is the following:

Bobbi McCaughey has eight living children who are the product of two pregnancies. She has had no other pregnancies. The first pregnancy resulted in a term birth with a healthy baby girl. The second pregnancy resulted in the birth of viable septuplets at 30 weeks' gestation. She is Gravida 2 para 2. The parity notation for Ms. McCaughey (G/TPAL) is: Gravida 2 para 1108.

Hope this helps clear up the confusion ?

From Wikipedia:

Gravida/para status refers to a female's obstetric history. Gravida indicates the number of pregnancies a woman has had. Para indicates the number of births of viable children. G3/P2 would indicate three pregnancies with two live births.

Would the above example be G2/P8? ~ Diane

1 Votes
Specializes in Education, FP, LNC, Forensics, ED, OB.

No, the above example is as VickyRN outlined: GII PII

Mrs. McGaughey had two pregnancies with two viable outcomes.......

The OP question, however, is GIII PII

1 Votes
Specializes in L & D; Postpartum.

Bobbie is still a P2 because although her last birth produced 7 babies (yikes!), it was still one birth.

0 Votes

If gravida always equals para why do we even list both?

How do you list how many live births the woman has had?

Our computer assessment sheet lists gravida (list a number), para (list a number), abortion (Y or N), miscarriage (Y or N). Any ideas on a more accurate form of documentation? I don't like how it is done, but don't know the best way to improve it.

1 Votes
MU/WVUGRADRN said:
If gravida always equals para why do we even list both?

How do you list how many live births the woman has had?

Our computer assessment sheet lists gravida (list a number), para (list a number), abortion (Y or N), miscarriage (Y or N). Any ideas on a more accurate form of documentation? I don't like how it is done, but don't know the best way to improve it.

Gravid does NOT always = para. early miscarriage is NOT counted as a para.

Suebird :p

1 Votes
Specializes in Maternal - Child Health.
MU/WVUGRADRN said:
If gravida always equals para why do we even list both?

How do you list how many live births the woman has had?

Our computer assessment sheet lists gravida (list a number), para (list a number), abortion (Y or N), miscarriage (Y or N). Any ideas on a more accurate form of documentation? I don't like how it is done, but don't know the best way to improve it.

There is another "system" in wide-spread use that expounds on the G P system by more fully explaining the P.

It goes like this: G TPAL.

G=Gravida, just like the first system.

T=Full term deliveries (meaning 37+ weeks)

P=Preterm deliveries (meaning 20-36 weeks)

A=Abortions (In the strictest definition, this refers only to spontaneous abortions or miscarriages, but some hospitals include therapeutic abortions here as well.)

L=Living children

For example, your patient is currently pregnant, and also has had a previous term delivery, a previous preterm delivery, a miscarriage at 8 weeks, and has 2 living children. She would be G4T1P1A1L2.

1 Votes
Specializes in L & D; Postpartum.
Jolie said:

For example, your patient is currently pregnant, and also has had a previous term delivery, a previous preterm delivery, a miscarriage at 8 weeks, and has 2 living children. She would be G4T1P1A1L2.

Oh, man! It is so getting time for me to retire.

0 Votes
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