prenatal

adjective

pre·​na·​tal (ˌ)prē-ˈnā-tᵊl How to pronounce prenatal (audio)
1
: occurring, existing, performed, or used before birth
prenatal care
a prenatal test
prenatal vitamins
2
: providing or receiving prenatal medical care
a prenatal clinic
prenatal patients
prenatally adverb

Examples of prenatal in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Pregnant women may not get necessary prenatal care leading to health problems in American citizen babies that will have to be addressed by the health care system for the next century. Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 May 2025 While most senators supported the bill, several Republicans cited concerns with taking away parental consent for contraceptive counseling and prenatal care, arguing that the government is intruding on parental rights to guide their children. Livi Stanford, Hartford Courant, 28 May 2025 Two officials pointed out maternal health and preterm birth was left out of the report, which is known to lead to a number of health problems and can be prevented through steps like quitting smoking, avoiding alcohol and getting early prenatal care. Alexander Tin, CBS News, 22 May 2025 As part of the Health First Indiana program, Lake County established a goal to decrease the rate of mothers not receiving early prenatal care from 33.7% in 2022 to 28% in 2027. Alexandra Kukulka, Chicago Tribune, 17 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for prenatal

Word History

First Known Use

1826, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of prenatal was in 1826

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Prenatal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prenatal. Accessed 6 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

prenatal

adjective
pre·​na·​tal (ˈ)prē-ˈnāt-ᵊl How to pronounce prenatal (audio)
: occurring or existing before birth
prenatal care
prenatal development

Medical Definition

prenatal

adjective
pre·​na·​tal -ˈnāt-ᵊl How to pronounce prenatal (audio)
1
: occurring, existing, performed, or used before birth
prenatal care
the prenatal period
prenatal testing
prenatal vitamins
2
: providing or receiving prenatal medical care
a prenatal clinic
a prenatal patient

called also antenatal

compare intranatal, neonatal, postnatal
prenatally adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on prenatal

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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