pregnancy
gb/pɹˈɛɡnənsi/ us/pɹˈɛɡnənsi/
B1
English
~ 3300
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B1
state
1
State of being pregnant
When a woman has a baby growing inside her body before it is born.
Usage pattern:
[someone] is in [month] of pregnancy
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'pregnancy' with 'pregnant'. 'Pregnancy' is a noun referring to the state, while 'pregnant' is an adjective describing the person.
Synonyms
gestation (More formal and often used in medical or scientific contexts.)
Antonyms
non-pregnancy (Describes the state of not being pregnant; rarely used outside medical contexts.)
Collocations
unplanned pregnancy
|teen pregnancy
|early pregnancy
|high-risk pregnancy
|pregnancy test
|pregnancy symptoms
Themes
health
|biology
|family
|daily life
|body
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She announced her pregnancy to her family last weekend.
- Smoking during pregnancy can harm the baby's development.
- Her first pregnancy was smooth and without complications.
- The doctor confirmed her pregnancy after a blood test.
- Pregnancy often comes with a variety of physical changes.
Learner examples
- She is in her third month of pregnancy.
- Pregnancy usually lasts about nine months.
- The test shows she is in early pregnancy.
- Her pregnancy was easy and healthy.
- He was happy to hear about her pregnancy.
Grammar
Dictionary form
pregnancy
IPA
GB/pɹˈɛɡnənsi/
US/pɹˈɛɡnənsi/
Syllables & stress
preg - nancy (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (preg)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: pregnancy
- Plural: pregnancies, pregnancy
Word family
Expressions
early pregnancy
1/ˈɚli pɹˈɛɡnənsi/
fixed phrase
First stage of pregnancy
The first part of being pregnant, usually the first three months.
Examples
- Morning sickness is common in early pregnancy.
- She experienced fatigue during early pregnancy.
high-risk pregnancy
1/hˈaɪ ɹˈɪsk pɹˈɛɡnənsi/
fixed phrase
technical
Pregnancy with higher medical risk
A pregnancy that has more chance of problems for the mother or baby.
Examples
- She needs special care because she has a high-risk pregnancy.
- High-risk pregnancies require more frequent checkups.
pregnancy test
1/pɹˈɛɡnənsi tˈɛst/
fixed phrase
Test to check for pregnancy
A small device or medical test that shows if a woman is pregnant.
Examples
- She bought a pregnancy test from the pharmacy.
- The pregnancy test showed a positive result.
teen pregnancy
1/tˈin pɹˈɛɡnənsi/
fixed phrase
Pregnancy in a teenager
When a girl under 20 years old becomes pregnant.
Examples
- Teen pregnancy rates have dropped in recent years.
- The school offers programs to prevent teen pregnancy.
unplanned pregnancy
1/ʌnplˈænd pɹˈɛɡnənsi/
fixed phrase
Unexpected or unintended pregnancy
When someone becomes pregnant without planning it.
Examples
- They faced challenges after an unplanned pregnancy.
- An unplanned pregnancy can cause emotional stress.