perinatal

adjective

peri·​na·​tal ˌper-ə-ˈnā-tᵊl How to pronounce perinatal (audio)
: occurring in, concerned with, or being in the period around the time of birth
perinatal mortality
perinatal care
perinatally adverb

Examples of perinatal in a Sentence

The doctor took steps to prevent perinatal infection.
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.
Find support Fortney recommends seeking out mental health care providers who have a perinatal mental health (PMH-C) certification. Beth Ann Mayer, Parents, 8 Oct. 2025 Birndorf treats, writes and teaches about perinatal mental health. Catherine Birndorf, Scientific American, 8 Oct. 2025 Today in America, roughly 1 in seven birthing parents are affected by perinatal depression—either during pregnancy or in the first year after birth. Maggie McGrath, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025 Their assessment suggests that cannabis exposure during pregnancy has been associated with low birth weight, admission to the neonatal intensive care unit and perinatal mortality. Deidre McPhillips, CNN Money, 18 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for perinatal

Word History

First Known Use

1944, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of perinatal was in 1944

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Perinatal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/perinatal. Accessed 16 Oct. 2025.

Medical Definition

perinatal

adjective
peri·​na·​tal -ˈnāt-ᵊl How to pronounce perinatal (audio)
: occurring in, concerned with, or being in the period around the time of birth
perinatal mortality
perinatal care
perinatally adverb
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!