Definition and research guide
This page combines a MeSH definition, publication statistics and selected research abstracts. It is a starting point for reading the literature, not a medical textbook or a systematic evidence review.
Content available: 4 complete abstracts (1,001 words), 10 references. Full article text is not stored or reproduced here; follow the PMID, DOI or PMC links to read the original sources and their access terms.
Definition
The number of pregnancies, complete or incomplete, experienced by a female. It is different from parity, which is the number of offspring borne. (From Stedman, 26th ed)
Definition: NLM Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) scope note (Public domain (U.S. National Library of Medicine); attribution requested). View the MeSH record.
Also known as: Gravidities; Multigravidity; Multigravidities; Nulligravidity; Nulligravidities; Primigravidity; Primigravidities.
Where it fits in the MeSH classification
Related concepts
Research landscape
PubMed indexes 1,420 records tagged with the MeSH heading “Gravidity” (counts retrieved 2026-10-31). 234 of them (16.5%) were published from 2020 onward, and the busiest period so far is 2010-2019 with 557 records.
Reviews account for 70 records (4.9%) and meta-analyses for 13. Randomized controlled trials number 78 (5.5%) as a share of all records on the topic.
Show the data
| Period | Records |
|---|---|
| through 1999 | 168 |
| 2000-2009 | 461 |
| 2010-2019 | 557 |
| 2020 onward | 234 |
Publication-type chart data
| Type | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Reviews | 70 | 4.9% |
| Meta-analyses | 13 | 0.9% |
| Randomized controlled trials | 78 | 5.5% |
Method: PubMed query "Gravidity"[MeSH Terms] with publication-type and date filters, retrieved 2026-10-31.
Reading the evidence in anatomy and physiology
Anatomy describes how body structures are built and physiology describes how they normally work, so most findings here are descriptive or mechanistic rather than evidence about treatment. Much of what is known comes from dissection, imaging, tissue studies and experiments in animals, and measurements in healthy volunteers can differ from those in people with disease or at different ages. Normal ranges vary between individuals and populations. Check whether a result was measured in people or in another species, the age and health of the participants, and the method used.
Evidence from open-access studies
These open-access studies come from PubMed’s best-match results for this heading (papers whose main topic it is), ranked here by citation count, with one recent addition. Each abstract is reproduced in full under its recorded open licence so that you can read the authors’ own words. They illustrate the literature; they are not a systematic summary of it. Citation counts measure attention, not reliability or clinical benefit.
| Study / authors | Year | Source label / design | Europe PMC citations | Licence / source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maternal malaria and gravidity interact to modify infant susceptibility to malaria | 2005 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 143 | cc by PMID 16259531 · DOI · PMC1277932 |
| Higher gravidity and parity are associated with increased prevalence of metabolic syndrome among rural Bangladeshi women | 2013 | Randomized controlled trial Design not recorded in structured metadata | 44 | cc by PMID 23936302 · DOI · PMC3732242 |
| Induced abortion and associated factors in health facilities of Guraghe zone, southern Ethiopia | 2014 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 36 | cc by PMID 24800079 · DOI · PMC3988865 |
| The Effects of Social Support on Newborn Hygienic Care and Breastfeeding Intentions in Primigravid Pregnancies: A Cross-Sectional Descriptive Study | 2026 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 1 | cc by PMID 42057332 · DOI · PMC13129260 |
Maternal malaria and gravidity interact to modify infant susceptibility to malaria [1]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- BackgroundIn endemic areas, placental malaria due to Plasmodium falciparum is most frequent and severe in first-time mothers, and increases the risk of infant mortality in their offspring.
- Closing excerpt
- Placental malaria of multigravidae, on the other hand, is a strong risk factor for parasitemia during infancy, and therefore preventive antimalarial chemotherapy administered to multigravid women close to term may reduce the frequency of parasitemia in their offspring.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (324 words)
BackgroundIn endemic areas, placental malaria due to Plasmodium falciparum is most frequent and severe in first-time mothers, and increases the risk of infant mortality in their offspring. Placental malaria may increase the susceptibility of infants to malaria parasitemia, but evidence for this effect is inconclusive.Methods and findingsDuring 2002-2004, we monitored parasitemia in 453 infants, including 69 who were born to mothers with placental malaria, in a region of northeastern Tanzania where malaria transmission is intense. We used a Cox proportional hazards model to evaluate the time from birth to first parasitemia, and a generalized estimating equations logistic regression model to evaluate risk of any parasitemia throughout the first year of life. Compared with infants whose mothers did not have placental malaria at delivery ("PM-negative"), offspring of mothers with placental malaria at delivery ("PM-positive") were 41% more likely to experience their first parasitemia at a younger age (adjusted hazard ratio [AHR] = 1.41, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01-1.99). The odds of parasitemia throughout infancy were strongly modified by the interaction between placental malaria and gravidity (p for interaction = 0.008, Type 3 likelihood ratio test). Offspring of PM-negative primigravidae had lower odds of parasitemia during infancy (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 0.67, 95% CI 0.50-0.91) than offspring of PM-negative multigravidae, and offspring of PM-positive primigravidae had the lowest odds (AOR = 0.21, 95% CI 0.09-0.47). In contrast, offspring of PM-positive multigravidae had significantly higher odds of parasitemia (AOR = 1.59, 95% CI 1.16-2.17).ConclusionAlthough parasitemia is more frequent in primigravid than multigravid women, the converse is true in their offspring, especially in offspring of PM-positive women. While placental malaria is known to increase mortality risk for first-born infants, it surprisingly reduced their risk of parasitemia in this study. Placental malaria of multigravidae, on the other hand, is a strong risk factor for parasitemia during infancy, and therefore preventive antimalarial chemotherapy administered to multigravid women close to term may reduce the frequency of parasitemia in their offspring.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 16259531 · DOI · PMC1277932
Higher gravidity and parity are associated with increased prevalence of metabolic syndrome among rural Bangladeshi women [2]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- BackgroundParity increases the risk for coronary heart disease; however, its association with metabolic syndrome among women in low-income countries is still unknown.
- Closing excerpt
- This positive association of parity and gravidity with metabolic syndrome was confined to pre-menopausal women (P(trend) ConclusionsMulti parity or gravidity may be a risk factor for metabolic syndrome.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (177 words)
BackgroundParity increases the risk for coronary heart disease; however, its association with metabolic syndrome among women in low-income countries is still unknown.ObjectiveThis study investigates the association between parity or gravidity and metabolic syndrome in rural Bangladeshi women.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted in 1,219 women aged 15-75 years from rural Bangladesh. Metabolic syndrome was defined according to the standard NCEP-ATP III criteria. Logistic regression was used to estimate the association between parity and gravidity and metabolic syndrome, with adjustment of potential confounding variables.ResultsSubjects with the highest gravidity (> = 4) had 1.66 times higher odds of having metabolic syndrome compared to those in the lowest gravidity (0-1) (P trend = 0.02). A similar association was found between parity and metabolic syndrome (P(trend) = 0.04), i.e., subjects in the highest parity (> = 4) had 1.65 times higher odds of having metabolic syndrome compared to those in the lowest parity (0-1). This positive association of parity and gravidity with metabolic syndrome was confined to pre-menopausal women (P(trend) ConclusionsMulti parity or gravidity may be a risk factor for metabolic syndrome.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 23936302 · DOI · PMC3732242
Induced abortion and associated factors in health facilities of Guraghe zone, southern Ethiopia [3]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Unsafe abortion is one of the major medical and public health problems in developing countries including Ethiopia.
- Closing excerpt
- There is requirement for widespread expansion of increased access to high quality family planning service and post-abortion care.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (203 words)
Unsafe abortion is one of the major medical and public health problems in developing countries including Ethiopia. However, there is a lack of up-to-date and reliable information on induced abortion distribution and its determinant factors in the country. This study was intended to assess induced abortion and associated factors in health facilities of Guraghe zone, Southern Ethiopia. Institution based cross-sectional study was conducted in eight health facilities in Guraghe zone. Client exit interview was conducted on 400 patients using a structured questionnaire. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with induced abortion. Out of 400 women, 75.5% responded that the current pregnancy that ended in abortion is unwanted. However, only 12.3% of the respondents have admitted interference to the current pregnancy. Having more than four pregnancies (AOR = 4.28, CI: (1.24-14.71)), age of 30-34 years (AOR = 0.15, CI: (0.04-0.55)), primary education (AOR = 0.26, CI: (0.13-0.88)), and wanted pregnancy (AOR = 0.44, CI: (0.14-0.65)) were found to have association with induced abortion. The study revealed high level of induced abortion which is underpinned by high magnitude of unwanted pregnancy. There is requirement for widespread expansion of increased access to high quality family planning service and post-abortion care.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 24800079 · DOI · PMC3988865
The Effects of Social Support on Newborn Hygienic Care and Breastfeeding Intentions in Primigravid Pregnancies: A Cross-Sectional Descriptive Study [4]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- AimThis study aimed to investigate the effects of perceived social support on newborn hygienic care and breastfeeding intentions in primigravid pregnancies.
- Closing excerpt
- Therefore, health professionals may consider evaluating the social support systems of pregnant women, strengthening their social support systems during the care process, and providing the necessary professional support.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (297 words)
AimThis study aimed to investigate the effects of perceived social support on newborn hygienic care and breastfeeding intentions in primigravid pregnancies.MethodsThis study had a descriptive, cross-sectional, and correlational design. The study was conducted with 360 primigravid pregnant women who visited the Obstetrics Outpatient Clinic of a university hospital in Türkiye. A Descriptive Information Form, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, the Scale of Readiness for the Hygienic Care of the Newborn, and the Infant Feeding Intentions Scale were used to collect data. The relationships between scale scores were examined using Pearson's correlation analysis. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to evaluate the effects of perceived social support on newborn hygienic care and breastfeeding intention.ResultsThe mean total scores of the participants were 70.72 ± 14.04 (min: 12, max: 87) on the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, 55.71 ± 14.22 (min: 10, max: 70) on the Scale of Readiness for the Hygienic Care of the Newborn, and 6.95 ± 1.36 (min: 0, max: 9.5) on the Infant Feeding Intentions Scale. It was determined that the participants who were working, those whose babies were female, those who wanted to receive information about infant care, and those with high Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support scores were more prepared for the hygienic care of their newborns (p ConclusionsAs the perceived social support levels of primigravid pregnant women increased, their readiness for the hygienic care of their newborns and their intentions to breastfeed their newborns also increased. This study provides insights into antenatal care planning by holistically addressing social support systems, newborn hygienic care readiness, and breastfeeding intentions in a primigravid sample. Therefore, health professionals may consider evaluating the social support systems of pregnant women, strengthening their social support systems during the care process, and providing the necessary professional support.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 42057332 · DOI · PMC13129260
Key reviews and meta-analyses
The most cited review-type papers among PubMed’s best-match results for this heading, listed with bibliographic details only. Follow the links for the full text and access terms.
- Research article Rupture of the primigravid uterus: a review of the literature [5]
- Research article The potential perinatal origin of placentation disorders in the young primigravida [6]
- Research article The birth interval hypothesis-does it really indicate the end of the primipaternity hypothesis [7]
- Research article Tailoring peripartum nursing care for women of advanced maternal age [8]
- Research article Hormonal aspects in the causation of human breast cancer: epidemiological hypotheses reviewed, with special reference to nutritional status and first pregnancy [9]
- Research article Naegele's rule and the length of pregnancy - A review [10]
References
- Mutabingwa TK, Bolla MC, Li JL, Domingo GJ, Li X, Fried M, et al.. Maternal malaria and gravidity interact to modify infant susceptibility to malaria. . 2005. PMID 16259531 · DOI · PMC1277932
- Akter S, Jesmin S, Rahman MM, Islam MM, Khatun MT, Yamaguchi N, et al.. Higher gravidity and parity are associated with increased prevalence of metabolic syndrome among rural Bangladeshi women. . 2013. PMID 23936302 · DOI · PMC3732242
- Tesfaye G, Hambisa MT, Semahegn A. Induced abortion and associated factors in health facilities of Guraghe zone, southern Ethiopia. . 2014. PMID 24800079 · DOI · PMC3988865
- Palas Karaca P, Türkmen H, Mısırlı M, Erişen D. The Effects of Social Support on Newborn Hygienic Care and Breastfeeding Intentions in Primigravid Pregnancies: A Cross-Sectional Descriptive Study. . 2026. PMID 42057332 · DOI · PMC13129260
- Walsh CA, Baxi LV. Rupture of the primigravid uterus: a review of the literature. Obstet Gynecol Surv. 2007. PMID 17425811 · DOI
- Brosens I, Benagiano G, Brosens JJ. The potential perinatal origin of placentation disorders in the young primigravida. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2015. PMID 25582103 · DOI
- Dekker G, Robillard PY. The birth interval hypothesis-does it really indicate the end of the primipaternity hypothesis. J Reprod Immunol. 2003. PMID 12896826 · DOI
- Suplee PD, Dawley K, Bloch JR. Tailoring peripartum nursing care for women of advanced maternal age. J Obstet Gynecol Neonatal Nurs. 2007. PMID 17973707 · DOI
- de Waard F, Thijssen JH. Hormonal aspects in the causation of human breast cancer: epidemiological hypotheses reviewed, with special reference to nutritional status and first pregnancy. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 2005. PMID 16230007 · DOI
- Lawson GW. Naegele's rule and the length of pregnancy - A review. Aust N Z J Obstet Gynaecol. 2021. PMID 33079400 · DOI
About this article
- Sources
- NLM Medical Subject Headings (definition, synonyms); NCBI PubMed (counts, identifiers); Europe PMC (open-access abstracts and citation counts).
- Verification
- Every reference was resolved against PubMed on 2026-10-31; title, year and DOI matched.
- Review state
- automated source verified; no human expert review has been recorded yet.
- Version
- 1, last updated 2026-10-31.
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Evidence strength
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