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 blood pressure registered 167 over 98, a sharp contrast to her ideal reading of 115 over 70 documented in her medical chart at her first prenatal visit. — Carina Heckert, The Conversation, 30 July 2026

The chances of these complications drop with good prenatal care and thorough screening and monitoring to head off issues early. — Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 29 July 2026

Women whose care is far away receive less prenatal and postnatal care, adding to their risk of complications. — Judy Stone, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026

But the most radical and useful policy would be to stop making the prenatal care and birth of Americans dependent on the whims of each state’s Medicaid policy and the national political currents of the day. — Keith Humphreys, The Atlantic, 29 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