perinatal

American  

[per-uh-nayt-l] / ˌpɛr əˈneɪt l /

adjective

1. occurring during or pertaining to the phase surrounding the time of birth, from the twentieth week of gestation to the twenty-eighth day of newborn life.

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perinatal British  

/ ˌpɛrɪˈneɪtəl /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or occurring in the period from about three months before to one month after birth

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Other Word Forms

• perinatally
  adverb

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Etymology

Origin of perinatal

First recorded in 1950–55; peri- + natal

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

perinatal

"I was told you can't access the perinatal mental health team because your baby's died."

From BBC ● Oct. 13, 2026

They also said an NHS pathway includes a referral into the RUH perinatal mental health team.

From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026

“Every perinatal mental-health disorder is temporary and treatable, no matter what the symptoms,” Wendy Davis, the president and CEO of Postpartum Support International, told me.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026

There are excellent passages in the book on synced hormones and perinatal conditions, as when fathers experience labor pains, “an extreme example of what researchers have dubbed couvade syndrome.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 19, 2026

At 32, I started battling unrelenting headaches—clearly perinatal symptoms and sleep deprivation, I was assured by doctors as a new mom.

From Slate ● May 6, 2026

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