Gestation

Origin

Latin gestation-, gestatio, from gestare to bear, frequentative of gerere to bear

• 1615

Definitions

• 1: the carrying of young in the uterus : pregnancy
• 2: conception and development especially in the mind

Description

Gestation is the carrying of an embryo or fetus inside female viviparous animals, (an animal employing vivipary: the embryo develops inside the body of the mother, as opposed to outside in an egg (ovipary). This includes mammals, as well as some non-mammalian species. Mammals during pregnancy can have one or more gestations at the same time (multiple gestations).

The time interval of a gestation is called the gestation period. In human obstetrics, gestational age refers to the embryonic or fetal age plus two weeks. This is approximately the duration since the woman's last menstrual period (LMP) began.[1]

See also

• Pregnancy