prenatal

/priˈneɪdl/

/priˈneɪtəl/

Other forms: prenatally

Use the adjective prenatal to describe something that happens prior to a baby's birth, like a special prenatal yoga class for pregnant women.

The word prenatal has been around since the 1830s, mostly as a medical term to describe the state of a pregnant woman or her fetus. The word is made up of pre, "before" in Modern Latin, and natal, which comes from natus, Latin for "to be born." There are prenatal vitamins, prenatal exercise classes, and prenatal checkups — all for women who are expecting babies. Interestingly, an anagram for prenatal is parental.

Definitions of prenatal

1. adjective

   occurring or existing before birth
   “the prenatal period”

   synonyms: antenatal, antepartum

   antonyms:

   perinatal

   occurring during the period around birth (5 months before and 1 month after)

   postnatal

   occurring immediately after birth