pregnancy

American  

[preg-nuhn-see] / ˈprɛg nən si /

noun

plural

pregnancies

1. the state, condition, or quality of being pregnant.

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pregnancy British  

/ ˈprɛɡnənsɪ /

noun

1. the state or condition of being pregnant

2. the period from conception to childbirth

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pregnancy Scientific  

/ prĕg′nən-sē /

1. The condition of carrying developing offspring within the body.

2. The time period during which this condition exists; gestation.

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Other Word Forms

• postpregnancy adjective

Etymology

Origin of pregnancy

First recorded in 1520–30; pregn(ant) ¹ + -ancy

Example Sentences

A gorilla's pregnancy lasts for about eight-and-a-half months, and females usually give birth to one infant every four years.

From BBC

Millions of pregnancies go without consistent prenatal care, parents switch insurers and providers frequently, records are lost between hospitals and clinics, and many children have no regular pediatrician.

From MarketWatch

Instead, the U.S. has relied on universal vaccination to protect children whose mothers don’t receive adequate care during pregnancy.

From Los Angeles Times

Shona encounters trouble en route from the wedding of Corrie's Debbie and Ronnie, and the only downside to the night shoots was spending so long in a pregnancy suit and the same dress, Goulding says.

From BBC

Seventy percent of teen pregnancies are to girls from fatherless homes.

From The Wall Street Journal