What does the term 'gravida' refer to?

The term 'gravida' specifically refers to the total number of pregnancies a woman has experienced, regardless of the outcome. This includes all pregnancies, which can be ongoing, resulted in live births, or ended in miscarriage or abortion. It serves as a key concept in obstetrics to track a woman's pregnancy history.

Understanding this definition is essential in various clinical settings, as it helps healthcare providers assess a patient’s obstetric history for appropriate care and management of current or future pregnancies. The other terms describe different aspects of obstetric history, such as the number of living children, deliveries, or total births, but they do not encompass the wide-reaching definition of 'gravida.'