A more detailed explanation of the rules and finer points courtesy of Wikipedia: Gravida indicates the number of times the mother has been pregnant, regardless of whether these pregnancies were carried to term. A current pregnancy, if any, is included in this count. Para indicates the number of viable (>20 wks) births.

What does Para mean in pregnancy?

Para: Any woman who has given birth once or more is termed a "para." Note that, for a pregnancy to count as a "birth," it must go to at least 20 weeks' gestation (the mid-point of a full-term pregnancy) or yield an infant that weighs at least 500 grams, irrespective of whether the infant is live born or not.

What does para 3 mean in pregnancy?

EXAMPLE: On an OB patient's chart you may see the abbreviations: gravida 3, para 2. This means three pregnancies, two live births. The OB patient, currently pregnant with her third baby, will become a Gravida 3, Para 3 after giving birth.