Question

The nurse is documenting a non-pregnant client's obstetric history. The client informed the nurse she has 4 children living at home. She birthed one child at 34 weeks' gestation, one child at 37 weeks' gestation, one at 38 weeks' gestation, and one at 39 weeks' gestation. The client has had one abortion. Using the GTPAL format, how will the nurse document the client's obstetric history?

Answer 1

GTPAL format: G4 T1 P0 A1 L4

Step-by-step explanation:

In the GTPAL format used to document obstetric history, each letter represents a different aspect:

G: Gravida (total number of pregnancies, including the current one)

T: Term births (number of pregnancies carried to term, typically considered 37 weeks or more)

P: Preterm births (number of pregnancies delivered before 37 weeks)

A: Abortions or miscarriages (number of pregnancies ending before 20 weeks)

L: Living children

In this scenario, the client has been pregnant four times (G4) and has one child born at term (T1) and no preterm births (P0). The client has had one abortion (A1), and she has four living children (L4).

The calculations are as follows:

Term births (T): 37 weeks' gestation or more = 1 (child born at 37, 38, or 39 weeks)

Preterm births (P): Less than 37 weeks' gestation = 0 (no preterm births)

Abortions (A): 1 (one abortion)

Living children (L): 4 (four living children)

This documentation provides a clear and concise summary of the client's obstetric history, facilitating communication among healthcare providers and ensuring accurate and comprehensive care for the non-pregnant client.