Pregnancy Terms

Preterm or premature labor

Labor that occurs after 20 weeks but before completion of 37 weeks gestation

Post term labor

Labor that occurs after 42 weeks gestation

Primipara

A woman who has had one birth at more than 20 weeks gestation regardless of whether the infant was born alive or dead

Multipara

A woman who has had two or more births at more than 20 weeks gestation

Nulligravida

A woman who has never been pregnant

Multigravida

A woman who is in her second or any subsequent pregnancy

Primigravida

A woman who is pregnant for the first time

Nullipara

A woman who has had no births at more than 20 weeks gestation

Stillbirth

An infant born dead after 20 weeks gestation

Gravida

Any pregnancy regardless of duration including the present pregnancy

Para

Birth after 20 weeks gestation regardless of whether the infant is born alive or dead

Abortion

Birth that occurs before the end of the 20th weeks' gestation or the birth of a fetus/newborn who weighs less than 500g

Term

The normal duration pregnancy (37 to 42 weeks)

Gestation

The number of weeks since the first day of the last menstrual period

Antepartum

Time between conception and the onset of labor; often used to describe the period during which a woman is pregnant; used interchangeably with prenatal

Postpartum

Time from birth until the woman's body returns to an essentially pre-pregnant condition

Intrapartum

Time from the onset of true labor until the birth of the infant and placenta