1

Handout # 9 Preterm Infant – an infant born before 38 weeks

gestation.
ANTE NATAL CARE Parturient – a woman in labor.
Puerpera – a woman who has just delivered (within 6
weeks after delivery).
Prenatal Care or Antenatal Care
Live Birth – a live birth is recorded when the infant born
• Refers to the health care given to a woman &
shows signs of life: breathing, spontaneous movement
her family during pregnancy.
of voluntary muscles & heartbeat.
• The primary goal of prenatal care is to provide
Stillbirth – an infant born w/o signs of life.
maximum health to expectant mothers & their
Early Neonatal Death – death of newborn w/in 7 weeks
babies.
after birth.
The purposes of prenatal care are to:
Late Neonatal Death – an infant who died between 7 to
• Establish a baseline of present health
29 days after birth.
• Determine the gestational age of the fetus
Low Birth Weight/Small for Gestational Age (SGA) – an
• Monitor fetal development
infant w/ a birth weight below the 10 th percentile rank.
• Identify women at risk for complications by
A term infant is considered low birth weight if the birth
anticipating & preventing problems before they
weight is less than 2500 grams.
occur
Large for Gestational Weight (LGA) – an infant w/ birth
• Provide time for education about pregnancy,
weight above the 90th percentile rank. A term infant w/
lactation & newborn care
a birth weight of more than 4000 grams.
Definition of terms:
Care of the Mother
Gravida
Assessment
 refers to a pregnant woman. The
History
number of pregnancies a woman has
• History taking is initiated by asking the woman
had irregardless of the outcome of
about her CHIEF CONCERN for coming to the
pregnancy.
health care facility.
Nulligravida
• Inquiring about the main reason of the woman
 a woman who was never been
for seeking health care.
pregnant.
• This helps establish rapport.
Primigravida
• The interview should be conducted in a private
 a woman pregnant for the 1st time.
setting so the woman will not be inhibited from
Multigravida
voicing out all her concerns & other information
 a woman who has had two or more
w/c might be embarrassing for her say I front of
pregnancies.
other people, especially strangers.
• The interview should be conducted unhurriedly
Para – the number of pregnancies that reached viability
& in a relaxed manner.
or the number ofpregnancies that reached 20 weeks or
• All information obtained from the patient
more, or the number of fetus delivered with birth
should be treated confidential & must be
weight of 500 grams or more.
known only by the people involved in the care
Nullipara – a woman who has never delivered a fetus
of the patient.
that reached the age of viability. Such woman may or
• Doing otherwise will violate the patient’s right
may not have been pregnant before.
to privacy.
Primipara – a woman who has completed one
pregnancy to viability.
BIOGRAPHIC DATA.
Multipara – a woman who has completed 2 or more
• This is the 1st information gathered during the
pregnancies to the viability.
interview & includes name, address, & contact
Term Infant – an infant born between 38-42 weeks
number, birth, date, civil status, race, religion,
gestation
economic status, occupation, choice of whom
Postterm Infant – an infant born after 42 weeks
to contact in case of emergency, & other
gestation.
personal preferences.
 2

using such method, & other contraception used,

BIOGRAPHIC DATA. including acceptance or reason for termination
1. Age of the usage.
• 1.a. Women below 15 years of age are at • Note that if a woman has IUD in place, it should
increased risk for: be removed during pregnancy to avoid
 Anemia abortion.
 Preeclampsia • Contraceptive pills should be stopped once
 Prematurity pregnancy is diagnosed.
 Cephalopelvic disproportion • The long term use of IUD & contraceptive pills
 Congenital anomalies may cause development of certain nutritional
deficiencies.
1. b. Women above 35 years old are at increased risk
for: MEDICAL HISTORY
• Hypertension • Inquire about childhood diseases, drug allergies,
• Diabetes mellitus past surgeries, immunizations, alcohol intake,
• Placenta previa & abruption placenta cigarette smoking & use of drugs.
• Cesarean section • Existing medical problems that may cause
• Ectopic pregnancy complications or be aggravated by the
• Fetal growth retardation pregnancy include:
• Chromosomal abnormality especially  Diabetes mellitus
Down syndrome  Hypertension
• Abortion  Thyroid disorders
• Perinatal & infant mortality  Cardiac disease
2. Occupation  Seizure disorders
• Inquire about the nature of the job,
environment & schedule of work, handling toxic FAMILY HISTORY. Try to elicit at 3 generation family
substances & highly stressful work conditions history. During the physical examination, attention
places the pregnant woman at risk should be directed to specific organ system as a positive
3. Civil Status history is elicited. Significant disorders from the family
• Unwed & unwanted pregnancy is considered history that could affect the outcome of pregnancy
high risk pregnancy. include:
• A woman who has unplanned pregnancy may • Multiple gestation
be thinking of having an abortion. • Diabetes mellitus
• Hypertension, preeclampsia &
MENSTRUAL HISTORY eclampsia
• Inquire about menarche, length & regularity of • Bleeding disorders
menses, interval between periods, and amount • Hereditary illnesses (e.g. hemophilia,
of flow by asking the number of sanitary pads cancer)
consumed every menstrual period, • Psychiatric disorders
dysmenorrheal & other discomfort associated
w/ the monthly period & actions taken to MATERNAL ATTITUDE & REACTION TOWARDS
relieve such discomforts. PREGNANCY.
• It is also equally important to take note of the
BREAST HEALTH feelings & reactions of the mother towards her
• Inquire about breast surgery, history of breast present condition.
cancer, other breast disorders & breastfeeding • Explore the following areas:
of previous infants.  Is this a planned or unwanted
pregnancy
CONTRACEPTIVE USE  What support persons/systems are
• Ask what contraceptive method is being available for her?
currently used? Duration or usage, reason for
 3

 What are her expectations about the grams at birth or has a gestational age of 20
pregnancy, labor, puerperium & the weeks or more.
baby?
 What are her plans for prenatal care,  A woman’s obstetric history of three previous
labor, delivery, puerperium, & baby? pregnancies with one full term infant, one born
at 35 weeks, one at 43 weeks and an abortion
at 8 weeks will be 1-1-1-2 or G3P2.

Obstetrical history

History of Past Pregnancies:

Included are the events of the past
pregnancies such as number of past pregnancies, History of Present Pregnancies:
pregnancy outcome, complications, labor time, method • CONFIRMATION OF PREGNANCY –
of delivery, complications of labor, puerperium and confirmation of pregnancy is usually made
complications or puerperium. based on the results of the patient’s physical
examination, signs & symptoms, pregnancy test
GTPAL for HCG & ultrasonography.
G – The number of pregnancies,
including the present 1
T- Number of full term infants born
after 37 weeks
P- Number of preterm infants born
before 37 weeks
A- Number of spontaneous or induced
abortions
L- Number of living children (determine
also the sex of child & the mother’s attitude
toward each child.)

GTPALM
• M - represents the number of multiple
gestations and births (not the number of
neonates delivered).
• If, for example, a particular woman's history is
summarized as G 5, P 5-0-0-6-1, then she has
been pregnant five times, had five term
deliveries, zero preterm deliveries, zero
abortions, six living children, and one multiple
gestation/birth.

GP
• G- Number of pregnancies irrespective of
gestational age. This would include abortion,
molar, ectopic, preterm and term pregnancy.
Multiple pregnancies are counted as one
pregnancy.
• P- Number of pregnancies that reached
viability. The fetus weighed more than 500