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Nov. 12th, 2009 03:11 pmThere are two misuses of language when it comes to my job that will make me wince and possibly want to punch something.
One is the word "deliver." She delivered at 08:36. I delivered her. No, neither of these things happened. She gave birth at 08:36. I assisted at that birth. Pizzas get delivered.
The other one is "primagravida." Sometimes it's accurate. A woman may well be having her first baby. But she might not. Strictly speaking, and I'm a stickler for this, it means pregnant for the first time. Can we see how being pregnant for the first time and having your first baby might not be the same thing? Using this to refer to all women giving birth for the first time will make me see red. I've trained some people out of using this, but worryingly the word "deliver" is being misused a lot more than it used to be.
Big stick. I wants one.
One is the word "deliver." She delivered at 08:36. I delivered her. No, neither of these things happened. She gave birth at 08:36. I assisted at that birth. Pizzas get delivered.
The other one is "primagravida." Sometimes it's accurate. A woman may well be having her first baby. But she might not. Strictly speaking, and I'm a stickler for this, it means pregnant for the first time. Can we see how being pregnant for the first time and having your first baby might not be the same thing? Using this to refer to all women giving birth for the first time will make me see red. I've trained some people out of using this, but worryingly the word "deliver" is being misused a lot more than it used to be.
Big stick. I wants one.
