Definition of Prenatal
Prenatal: Occurring or existing before birth.
Prenatal care is the regular health care women should
receive during pregnancy from an obstetrician or midwife.
Prenatal development is the growth and development of a single-celled zygote formed by the combination of a sperm and an egg into a baby.
Prenatal diagnosis is diagnosis before birth by techniques such as ultrasound, chorionic villus sampling (CVS), and amniocentesis.
The word "prenatal" comes from the Latin "pre-," before +
"(g)natus," birth = before birth. "Antenatal" is often used in lieu of "prenatal" in the UK, Australia, etc.
Last Editorial Review: 7/14/2000Common Misspellings: pernatal
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