matrescence

American  

[muh-tres-uhns] / məˈtrɛs əns /

noun

1. the process of becoming a mother; the psychological, social, and developmental transitions associated with becoming a mother.

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Explanation

Matrescence is the developmental process of becoming a mother, including profound physical, psychological, social, and emotional changes. The medical anthropologist Dana Raphael coined the word matrescence in the 1970s, from the Latin matresco, "to become a mother." She posited that the transition to being a mother is as important and complex as adolescence, the period during which a child transitions into an adult. While the hormonal shifts of pregnancy and birth are important aspects of matrescence, modern psychology emphasizes that matrescence is a developmental process and social passage that is relevant to adoptive and foster mothers as well.

Example Sentences

Santorelli points to something called matrescence as the reason.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 29, 2026

Pregnant employees of firms that sign up are also given a "matrescence pack", which Susannah says covers "the parts of motherhood which tend to be glossed over in pregnancy but can affect mental health".

From BBC • Jun. 4, 2023

Susannah was also to stumble upon the concept of "matrescence", a term coined 50 years ago by anthropologist Dana Raphael to describe the complex and transformational process of becoming a mother.

From BBC • Jun. 4, 2023

There are American babies much less likely to survive their childhood, American women less likely to survive their matrescence.

From New York Times • Dec. 7, 2021

Through my gaze as a mother and as a photographer, I wanted to convey matrescence: the fundamental human experience of becoming a mother.

From Washington Post