Maternity Nursing: Antepartum Q 41



Gravida refers to which of the following descriptions?
  
     A. A serious pregnancy.
     B. Number of times a female has been pregnant.
     C. Number of children a female has delivered.
     D. Number of term pregnancies a female has had.
    
    

Correct Answer: B. Number of times a female has been pregnant.

Gravida refers to the number of times a female has been pregnant, regardless of pregnancy outcome or the number of neonates delivered.

Option A: The term gravida comes from the Latin word gravidus. It is used to describe a woman who is pregnant and is also a medical term for the total number of confirmed pregnancies a woman has had, regardless of the outcome of the pregnancy.
Option C: Parity is defined as the number of times that she has given birth to a fetus with a gestational age of 24 weeks or more, regardless of whether the child was born alive or was stillborn.
Option D: ACOG and SMFM use these definitions to describe term pregnancies: Early term: The baby is born between 37 weeks, 0 days and 38 weeks, 6 days. Full term: The baby is born between 39 weeks, 0 days and 40 weeks, 6 days. Late-term: The baby is born between 41 weeks, 0 days and 41 weeks, 6 days.