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Related Experiment Videos

The case against using ordinal numbers for gestational age

S Amersi1, D A Grimes

  • 1Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, USA.

Obstetrics and Gynecology
|April 16, 1998
PubMed
Summary

Using ordinal numbers for gestational age is common and causes confusion. Cardinal numbers are recommended for accurate clinical practice and scientific literature.

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Area of Science:

  • Obstetrics and Gynecology
  • Medical Terminology
  • Clinical Practice

Background:

  • Ordinal numbers (e.g., twelfth) for gestational age are frequently used but lead to clinical confusion.
  • Ambiguous or contradictory use of ordinal numbers can impact patient care and research accuracy.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the prevalence of ambiguous or contradictory use of ordinal numbers for gestational age.
  • To discuss the clinical implications of using ordinal numbers for gestational age.

Main Methods:

  • A convenience sample of obstetrics and abortion texts was reviewed.
  • A random sample of articles on abortion was examined for the use of ordinal numbers in gestational age measurement.

Main Results:

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  • 89% of obstetrics texts and 100% of abortion texts exhibited imprecise or incorrect use of ordinal numbers for gestational age.
  • 36% of reviewed abortion articles also demonstrated this imprecise usage.

Conclusions:

  • The use of ordinal numbers for gestational age introduces information bias and potential misclassification in scientific literature.
  • Clinical errors may arise concerning antenatal corticosteroid administration and abortion limits.
  • Cardinal numbers should be exclusively used for gestational age to ensure accuracy and prevent errors.