Question about Gravida and Para??

Editorial Team / Admin · Jun 16, 2006

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.

tntrn, ASN, RN · Jun 16, 2006

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.

VickyRN, MSN, DNP, RN · Jun 16, 2006

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 ?

Trauma Columnist · Jun 17, 2006

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

DianeMyra · Jun 17, 2006

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

Editorial Team / Admin · Jun 17, 2006

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

tntrn, ASN, RN · Jun 17, 2006

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

MU/WVUGRADRN · Jun 18, 2006

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.

suebird3 · Jun 18, 2006

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

Jolie, BSN · Jun 18, 2006

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.

tntrn, ASN, RN · Jun 18, 2006

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.