What does GTPAL stand for?

• A. Gravida (total pregnancies), Term births, Preterm births, Abortions/Miscarriages, Living children
• B. Gravida; Term; Perinatal; Abortions; Living
• C. Gravida; Term; Preterm; Abortions/Miscarriages; Living
• D. Gravida; Term; Preterm; Abortions; Living

Answer: (C)

GTPAL is a concise way to document a woman’s pregnancy history in five parts. Gravida is the total number of pregnancies a woman has had, including the one she may be currently pregnant with. Term refers to pregnancies delivered at term, typically 37 to 42 weeks. Preterm counts pregnancies delivered before 37 weeks. Abortions/Miscarriages captures pregnancies that ended before a live birth, whether by spontaneous loss or induced abortion. Living is the number of children who are living today.

This five-part format is the standard way to capture obstetric history succinctly, and the ordering in Gravida; Term; Preterm; Abortions/Miscarriages; Living reflects completed outcomes and the current pregnancy status. The term “Perinatal” isn’t used in this shorthand, and using “Abortions” with or without “Miscarriages” alone can be less precise than the combined Abortions/Miscarriages category.