Maternity Care Terminology

Vocabulary flashcards covering key pregnancy, gestational, and obstetric terms essential for maternity care.

Gravida

A woman who is pregnant.

Gravidity

Pregnancy.

Multigravida

A woman who has had two or more pregnancies.

Multipara

A woman who has completed two or more pregnancies to the stage of fetal viability.

Nulligravida

A woman who has never been pregnant.

Nullipara

A woman who has not completed a pregnancy with a fetus or fetuses who have reached the stage of fetal viability.

Parity

The number of pregnancies in which a fetus or fetuses have reached viability, not the number of fetuses (e.g., twins) born. Whether a fetus is born alive or is stillborn after viability is reached does not affect parity.

Stillborn

A fetus who reaches viability, but shows no signs of life at birth,

Postdate or postterm

A pregnancy that goes beyond 42 weeks of gestation.

Preterm

A pregnancy that has reached 20 weeks of gestation but before completion of 37 weeks of gestation.

Primigravida

A woman pregnant for the first time.

Primipara

A woman who has completed one pregnancy with a fetus or fetuses who have reached the stage of fetal viability.

Term

A pregnancy from the beginning of week 38 of gestation to the end of week 42 of gestation.

Viability

The capacity to live outside the uterus; about 22 to 25 weeks gestation are considered to be on the threshold of viability (vulnerable to brain injury).