Definition of Prenatal

Stages of Pregnancy Slideshow

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.

Common Misspellings: pernatal