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.
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 Indeed, our paper finds that the rise in mortality was not solely due to perinatal or congenital issues and the time of birth. Brad Greenwood, The Conversation, 5 Sep. 2025 Only one panelist, Dr. Kay Roussos-Ross, OBGYN and perinatal psychiatrist at the University of Florida, spelled out those impacts. Rhitu Chatterjee, NPR, 1 Aug. 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 22 Sep. 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
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