Unborn child

English translation: (unborn) baby

06:58 Jul 9, 2015
English language (monolingual) [PRO]
Medical - Medical: Health Care / Health product
English term or phrase: Unborn child
Is there a typical term used to describe an unborn child (in the late stages of pregnancy) in a medical or healthcare context, specifically with regards to healthcare products that claim certain benefits? The term needs to be inoffensive for obvious reasons, and I'm not entirely sure if "fetus" meets that criterion.

It's being grouped with "infants", if that matters.
Lincoln Hui
Hong Kong
Local time: 03:26
Selected answer:(unborn) baby
Explanation:
if the text is directed to lay persons you could use the term "baby", especially for the later part of pregnancy

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Note added at 20 mins (2015-07-09 07:18:40 GMT)
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In that case you could use "unborn baby". Once the baby is born it is often called a "newborn" (for the first month), then a "baby" or "infant". Could be some regional variation in the use of these terms, are you aiming for British or US English or something else?
Selected response from:

Tania McConaghy
Sweden
Local time: 20:26
Grading comment
2 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
3 +6(unborn) baby
Tania McConaghy
4fetus
Muhammad Said
4Developing infant/fetus
Petra Querol y Saez
4baby in the womb
B D Finch
3pre-birth
Alison MacG
3stillborn/ not yet delivered
Edith Njogu


Discussion entries: 17





  

Answers


2 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
unborn child
fetus


Explanation:
fetus

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Note added at 2 mins (2015-07-09 07:00:49 GMT)
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http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Unborn Child

Muhammad Said
Egypt
Local time: 21:26
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in ArabicArabic
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Tania McConaghy: I don't think lay persons would use this term for the later stages of pregnancy
7 mins

neutral  B D Finch: Sorry, withdraw that comment, I was looking at the header term not your suggestion! There is a problem from the other direction with "foetus"/"fetus", which is that, while strictly, medically correct, it fails to recognise emotional and social aspects.
3 hrs
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8 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
unborn child
Developing infant/fetus


Explanation:
Both terms are used although I don't feel comfortable with the term "fetus" in the context of healthcare products (if the end customer should be pregnant women, not medical centres).

Petra Querol y Saez
Czech Republic
Local time: 20:26
Native speaker of: Native in CzechCzech, Native in SpanishSpanish
Notes to answerer
Asker: Right, which is why I have reservations using that term as well. "Developing infant" seems like it could be confusing.

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8 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +6
unborn child
(unborn) baby


Explanation:
if the text is directed to lay persons you could use the term "baby", especially for the later part of pregnancy

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 20 mins (2015-07-09 07:18:40 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

In that case you could use "unborn baby". Once the baby is born it is often called a "newborn" (for the first month), then a "baby" or "infant". Could be some regional variation in the use of these terms, are you aiming for British or US English or something else?

Example sentence(s):
  • Find out how your baby is growing and developing in your pregnancy week by week.
  • If you're pregnant or planning a pregnancy, there are simple steps you can take to protect your unborn baby or newborn from infections that ...
Tania McConaghy
Sweden
Local time: 20:26
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 6
Notes to answerer
Asker: I feel like there is a need to distinguish between the born (infant) and the unborn here, since the product is being targeted at specific demographics. Of course, this stuff could all be wiped out in the English version of the text due to legal issues, rendering the entire thing a moot point...


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  katsy
26 mins
  -> Thanks!

agree  Gabriele Demuth
1 hr
  -> Thanks!

agree  Yvonne Gallagher
1 hr
  -> Thanks!

agree  writeaway
5 hrs
  -> Thanks!

agree  bestofbest
1 day 2 hrs
  -> Thanks!

agree  Alok Tiwari
1 day 3 hrs
  -> Thanks!
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3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
unborn child
baby in the womb


Explanation:
This term is used in Britain by the NHS and seems reasonably neutral.

www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Stillbirth/Pages/Causes.aspx
"This means that for some reason the placenta (the organ that links the baby's blood supply to the mother's and nourishes the baby in the womb) isn't functioning ..."

www.nhsdirect.wales.nhs.uk/encyclopaedia/f/.../foetalalcoho... Mar 2015 - A baby in the womb gets its nourishment from the mother's bloodstream. If the mother drinks alcohol, this easily passes from her blood through ...

www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Cytomegalovirus/Pages/Introduction.as...
by NHS Choices - ‎2013
When it affects a baby in the womb, it's known as congenital CMV. In the UK, it's estimated that one to two babies in every 200 will be born with congenital CMV.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-18556052
Pioneering tumour op on baby in the womb. 22 June 2012 Last updated at 16:40 BST. Surgeons have removed a tumour from the mouth of a foetus, in what has ...

www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-1418790519 Jul 2011 - A mother's stress can spread to her baby in the womb and may cause a lasting effect, German researchers propose. They have seen that a ...

B D Finch
France
Local time: 20:26
Native speaker of: English

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Victoria Britten: It's a good way of expressing the concept, but the little Asker has said about the context suggests this might be rather unwieldy.
2 hrs
  -> There is always a problem when one has next to no context. Because of the politically-loaded nature of this, I suggested a neutral term used by respectable authorities.
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4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
unborn child
pre-birth


Explanation:
Another suggestion

The Guidance and resources are intended to support the continuing professional development of all early years staff. They incorporate key evidence and information on pre-birth and infant brain development, and the importance of pregnancy and the early months and years.
http://www.nspcc.org.uk/globalassets/documents/consultation-...

It is during our very earliest years and even pre-birth that a large part of the pattern for our future adult life is set.’
(Scottish Government, 2008d, p 1)
http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/Images/PreBirthToThreeBo...

Learn about brain development pre-birth, post-birth and throughout infancy
http://www.childreninscotland.org.uk/training-and-events/man...

There is an ever growing body of evidence on the impact of adverse pre-birth, baby and infant experiences on later development.
http://www.publichealth.hscni.net/sites/default/files/IMH Fr...

Each of her books is organized by chapter, starting with pre-birth brain development and infant brain development, then moving through brain development at different stages of life, childhood, puberty, young adulthood, fatherhood, and old age.
http://merryfarmer.net/2011/08/book-review-the-male-brain-by...

Alison MacG
United Kingdom
Local time: 19:26
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  writeaway: it's an adjective only.
1 hr
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1252 days   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
unborn child
stillborn/ not yet delivered


Explanation:
Still existing inside it's mothers womb (not brought into existence).

Example sentence(s):
  • The stillborn child died in its mothers womb.
Edith Njogu
Kenya
Local time: 22:26
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in SwahiliSwahili
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