What it means
A full-term pregnancy lasts about 40 weeks, counted from the first day of the last menstrual periodlast MEN-stroo-ul PEER-ee-udThe first day of a person's most recent menstrual period.Full entry . It is divided into three trimesters of about 13 weeks each. The body changes in almost every system: blood volume rises by about half, the heart works harder, and hormones change. Gravida is the number of times a person has been pregnant; paraPAIR-uhThe number of pregnancies a person has carried to 20 weeks or more, whatever the outcome.Full entry counts the births.
For the nurse
Ask about the chance of pregnancy before x-rays and before giving drugs that could harm a fetus. Many drugs, vaccines and tests are chosen differently in pregnancy.
At a glance
| Spanish | embarazo |
|---|---|
| Also written | pregnancies, pregnant |
Related terms
implantation
The attachment of a fertilized egg to the lining of the uterus, the start of a pregnancy.
prenatal care
Health care for a pregnant person and the unborn baby during pregnancy, before birth.
EDD
Estimated date of delivery: the expected due date of a pregnancy.
last menstrual period
The first day of a person's most recent menstrual period.
para
The number of pregnancies a person has carried to 20 weeks or more, whatever the outcome.