From the Research
The Gravida/Para status of a woman with 7 viable births and 5 miscarriages is G12P7. This means:
- Gravida (G) = 12 (total number of pregnancies)
- Para (P) = 7 (number of pregnancies carried to viable gestational age) This notation provides a quick summary of a person's obstetric history. The gravida number includes all pregnancies, regardless of outcome, while the para number only counts births of viable infants (typically after 20 weeks gestation). Miscarriages, ectopic pregnancies, and induced abortions contribute to the gravida number but not the para number. Understanding a patient's GP is crucial for healthcare providers to assess obstetric history, potential risks, and to guide appropriate care in future pregnancies, as seen in a case report of a Nigerian woman with a history of miscarriages and stillbirths 1. Some key points to consider when evaluating a patient's GP include:
- The total number of pregnancies, including miscarriages and viable births
- The number of pregnancies carried to viable gestational age
- The presence of any underlying medical conditions that may affect pregnancy outcomes, such as essential thrombocythaemia 2 or MTHFR mutations 3
- The risk of future miscarriage or stillbirth, which may be influenced by factors such as fetoplacental ratios 4 or fecundability 5 It's essential to note that while the GP notation is widely used, it doesn't provide details about the timing or specific outcomes of each pregnancy, so additional history-taking is often necessary for comprehensive care.