Postbirth

Part of speech: adjective, noun

Definitions

1. Relating to the period immediately following the act or process of giving birth ; occurring or happening after childbirth ; concerning the time after delivery
2. Pertaining to the stage or condition after a mother has delivered her baby ; taking place subsequent to birth ; associated with events following parturition
3. Connected with the timeframe following the birth of an infant ; happening or existing after the birth process ; involving the postpartum phase of maternal care

Etymology: "Postbirth" is a plain compound: the Latin-derived prefix "post-", meaning "after", attached to the English noun "birth". The result describes whatever happens or applies in the period following delivery, so the word needs no special history to be understood. The formation follows a familiar English pattern, in which "post-" creates a time-based adjective from an event noun, much as "postwar" or "postnatal" do. Its meaning is therefore transparent from its parts, with "birth" carrying its ordinary sense of the act of bringing a child into the world.

Synonyms: postnatal, afterbirth, postpartum

Antonyms: prenatal, antenatal