prenatal

adjective

pre·​na·​tal (ˌ)prē-ˈnā-tᵊl 

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

(ˌ)prē-ˈnā-tᵊl-ē 

adverb

Examples of prenatal in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Her guilty plea will bring the total to six Milwaukee-area prenatal care coordination company owners and associates who have been convicted of felonies in recent months. — Mary Spicuzza, jsonline.com, 8 July 2026

His mom, Adrienne Mueller, remembers receiving the devastating news during a routine prenatal appointment at 20 weeks pregnant. — Paloma Chavez, PEOPLE, 6 July 2026

Advances in childbirth — including prenatal care, Cesarean sections, blood transfusions, antibiotics and neonatal intensive care — also dramatically improved maternal and infant survival compared with colonial America. — Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 3 July 2026

The program's goal is to lessen drive times for families seeking prenatal, delivery and postnatal care. — Austin Turner, CBS News, 1 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1826, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for prenatal

• nonfatal
• postnatal
• antenatal
• hiatal
• neonatal
• perinatal
• datal
• fatal

Kids Definition

prenatal

adjective

pre·​na·​tal (ˈ)prē-ˈnāt-ᵊl 

: occurring or existing before birth

prenatal care

prenatal development

Medical Definition

prenatal

adjective

pre·​na·​tal -ˈnāt-ᵊl 

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

-ē 

adverb