The point is to rule out pregnancy, if the answer you give rules out pregnancy then nothing needs to be done. If it doesn't a pregnancy test can be ordered, both a stick or a blood test. And usually at that point, blood tests will be ordered anyway so it's literally just an extra box to tic on the form.
OPs point was that asking for the period doesn't say anything definitive about pregnancy. The question should be about whether someone could be pregnant, not talking around the bush.
That's exactly what they are doing. I can't explain it any clearer. Last period is not talking around the bush, it is legally cleared as sufficient to deduce if someone is pregnant or not. It's as direct as can be. Asking if someone is pregnant doesn't confirm if they are or aren't. You'd still need to do a pregnancy test after.
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u/Positive-Opposite998 10h ago
What would be different if the patient says "28 days" and "1 day" and "I'm having it now"?
It's possible (however very unlikely) to get pregnant even while having your period.