what does this mean in my obs notes?

[memoo]

It says gravida 4, parity 2

This has baffled me????

I'm also a bit miffed that my EP is classed as an 'abortion'

I believe that a woman's gravida is the number of times she has been pregnant, and her parity is the number of liveborn children she has had. Would that make sense?

So sorry to hear of your EP.

It means that you have been pregnant 4 times and had 2 children as a result of those pregnancies (I think).

It is hurtful when miscarriages and ectopics are referred to as abortions but in med-lingo, "abortion" means loss of pregnancy and should have spontaneous or induced before it. However, the medical profession have been asked/begged/advised to use less upsetting terms for ages, and some obviously haven't got the message.

If you can speak to the person who wrote it and ask them to amaned it, and that would make you feel better then do. If not, remember you know what happened and your notes are just wrong.

HTH xx

That does make sense. This is my 4th pregnancy, Have 2 DC but then my 3rd was ectopic.

I think i will mention to my midwife that I am unhappy with my ep being refered to as an abortion. I know in the long term it doesn't really matter, but it has taken me a long time to come to terms with losing my baby and just seeing it refered to as an abortion is upsetting.

Write "Ectopic pregnancy" next to it yourself. You can cross out the word "abortion" if you like too, as it is an upsetting and unnecessary word.

The first bit is the total number of any pregnancies. This is called 'gravida' or gravidity - which mean pregnancies.

The second bit can be split into two bits . The first being parity - which is numbers of births over 24 weeks (this includes still births too) Often then there is a plus sign and after that the number of losses prior to 24 weeks, including miscarriages, ectopics and terminations.

So you for example, now in your 4th pregnancy with 2 children and one ectopic would usually be recorded at G4P2+1, although sometimes this is just G4P2. After the birth you will be G4P3+1.

I am in my third pregnancy and am still 30 weeks, I had two miscarriages before. I am G3P0+2. After my baby is born I will be G3 P1+2.

makes sense?

Abortion does have a different medical meaning - it means a pregnancy that ends before 24 weeks for whatever reason. This does include miscarriages and ectopics as well as terminations. It then ought to be specified what sort of loss it was.

Most people now though only use the term abortion to refer to a termination and you will generally find that this includes most medical people. Partly because it is not actually a very specific term but mostly because the meaning of the word has shifted now and really means something quite specific in non medical use. You do still occasionally come across usually older doctors/midwives who still use the term though. If it helps, they honestly are not implying anything by it, just using a slightly old fashioned clinical term. I quite understand why it is upsetting to you though. I'd just mention it to whoever wrote it - noone will mind changing it.

thanks for the messages guys. I think my midwife is a bit old school. She is in her late 50's (ish) so I guess she just used the term she is used too.

She is lovely though and I am definately going to speak to her about it. I think she would be quite understanding and happy to change it.

Thanks again for the advice x